DETAILS
Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park has been heralded as Tampa’s missing “here” and the crown jewel in the city’s Riverwalk, a bold new urban plan conceived to reactivate the Hillsboro River and downtown Tampa. To ensure that the park takes its place as focal point of this new cultural district, a master plan was prepared from which the park, Riverwalk, and museums and park buildings derived their symbiotic relationships to each other, the city and the river. The plan boldly called for the removal of an old museum and sprawling parking garage that had denied the city access to its riverfront.
The southern border of the park connects with the renovated Kiley Garden, whose elevation one story above grade has discouraged public access and enjoyment. A pedestrian bridge now connects both park spaces and gives new meaning to the Kiley garden in the hearts and daily lives of Tampa citizens. Tucked up against the unsightly municipal parking garage, the new Tampa Museum of Art and Glazer Children’s Museum have sprouted culture and family activities at the park. At the park’s center is the Great Lawn. Surrounded by trees and scaled to accommodate large and small events, it’s framed on either end by fountain plazas that can become venues for larger festivals. The design carves into the sloping topography to reveal terraced lawn panels that spill down from the museum terraces and garden promenade. The southern edge is activated by a linear park pavilion with restrooms, offices, café, visitor center and restaurant with unparalleled river views.
The interactive louver and mist fountains at either end of the park are designed to capture Tampa’s imagination while cooling its feet. Distinctive fountain, pavement, and pylon lights extend the nighttime draw of citizens to their glowing park. Located along the Riverwalk and taking their sculptural cues from the Museum of Art are the contemporary play area and urban dog run. Innovative lawn rafts, timber chairs, concrete loungers, and picnic tables reflect a commitment to 21st century comforts beyond the conventional bench and draw enthusiastic crowds to downtown Tampa’s new front lawn.
South Waterfront Greenway
The new urban plan for South Waterfront includes a 1-1/2 mile extension of downtown’s waterfront parks and the reclamation of the Willamette River for public recreation. The design team worked closely with the City of Portland, developers, and natural resource advocates to strike a balance between development, recreation and re-naturalization of this neglected...
Faria Lima
A new office tower, theater and café pavilion known as Alameda is being built in the high end district of downtown Sao Paulo; the centerpiece of the site design is the Alameda civic plaza. Lifted gently above the street level, four generous steps invite visitors to enter and explore the plaza while branded light pylons at all major entrances serve as place mar...
Bensonhurst Park
Bensonhurst Park is part of the larger Shore Parkway, an 816.1-acre collection of parks that stretches across Brooklyn and Queens. Today, the site provides a series of pathways, passive seating areas, recreational fields and a playground.
SWA/Balsley created a master plan for the redesign of the north end of the park and final design and construction do...
The Camellias Garden
The Camellias Garden is inspired by the verdant green gardens of India and the petals of one of Asia’s most beautiful and vibrant native plant species: the camellia flower. These blooms’ flowing curves and lines are interpreted within the Garden’s design, drawing residents of these 16 luxury apartment towers out into the landscape and offering the sense of bei...