Waterfront
An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about waterfront
Project • By Pac Studio • Private Houses
Akaroa House
Located on a waterfront site in Akaroa, this house combines contemporary design with a sensitivity to the scale and aesthetic of the existing built fabric. The design employs a series of steep gables, with perpendicular window proportions and vernacular materials evoking a sense of regional familiarity without any historical reproduction. The key design move is to break the building into a series of discrete steeply pitched gabled roof that recede and push forward.
This creates the look of a number of modestly sized buildings and maintains the intimate, mostly small scale built form of Akaroa. It is the design intent that from a distance or when walking by on the waterfront the house will appear as a series of ad-hoc gabled buildings; each... More
Project • By Tuncer Cakmakli Architects • Concert Halls
Stavanger Concert Hall
Welcome to the awe-inspiring embrace of the Stavanger Concert Hall and Opera House, a transcendent architectural duo standing majestically on the enchanting waterfront of Norway. This cultural haven has been meticulously designed to be more than just a venue; it is a vibrant nexus where the rich tapestry of Norwegian and Stavanger’s cultural identity unfolds against the backdrop of the glistening North Sea.
tuncer cakmakli architects
The Stavanger Concert Hall and Opera House form a dynamic duo, each building playing its unique role in fostering a collective sense of cultural unity. As a testament to inclusivity, the open-air arena and expansive piazza, strategically positioned on the waterfront, invite the community to gather a... More
Project • By Tuncer Cakmakli Architects • Theaters
Royal Danish Playhouse
In the spirit of avant-garde innovation and artistic vision, the Royal Danish Playhouse – Theatre Waterfront Playhouse in Copenhagen, Denmark, embarks on a groundbreaking architectural endeavor inspired by the profound and existential musings of renowned playwright Samuel Beckett.
This transformative project seeks to redefine not only the physical structure of the theater but also the very essence of the theatrical experience itself.
tuncer cakmakli architects
Taking cues from Beckett’s exploration of the human condition and his penchant for pushing the boundaries of conventional narrative, the architects behind this ambitious design draw inspiration from the playwright’s thematic emphasis on isolation, introspectio... More
Project • By Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects • Private Houses
Cape San Juan
The Cape San Juan residence overlooks the waters of the sound from a rare undeveloped waterfront lot with direct beach access. Gently sloping north toward the shoreline, the site offered expansive views as well as challenges of exposure and proximity to neighboring homes on either side. The design takes advantage of view corridors and solar orientation, while creating privacy from nearby neighbors; resulting in house that feels simultaneously sheltered and open.
Andrew Pogue Photography
Andrew Pogue Photography
The architectural diagram is conceptualized as a protective “shell.” Along the east and west edges, more solid walls shield the interior spaces from adjacent properties. To the north and south, the structure op... More
Project • By New Office Works • Coasts
Townplace Public Space and Landscape
The promenade’s landscape design reimagines the waterfront as an engaging public space. Thoughtfully designed steps and paving guide movement, blending practicality with visual appeal. Curved stepped seating, shaped to follow the landscape’s natural flow, creates versatile gathering areas, while varied bench configurations offer diverse seating options, encouraging social connection.
New Office Works
New Office Works
Strategically placed trees cast cooling shade, their canopies softening the urban setting, paired with vibrant soft planting that adds texture and color. The atrium, a central feature, showcases sleek black stone paving, its bold surface contrasting with the promenade’s softer elements. The atrium&r... More
Project • By New Office Works • Coasts
Townplace Pier
The pier canopy is located along the Cheung Sha Wan promenade, a newly refurbished stretch of waterfront in the west side of the Kowloon Peninsula. The site is a mix of old and new, with the pier situated in between new residential and commercial development to the northwest and the more industrial wholesale food market to the southeast. It is also part of a larger waterfront landscape upgrade. The pier and promenade are connected back to the city fabric through three main routes - a generous open-air path connecting to the MTR station, a path through the adjacent hotel’s central courtyard, and an intimate path next to the residential complex. The landscape treatment of the pier seamlessly integrates with the terraced seating and plan... More
Project • By INFORM Studio • Waterways/Wetlands
Boardman Ottaway DT
The Traverse City Downtown Development Authority (DDA) hired INFORM Studio to develop a conceptual design for a riverwalk and pedestrian plaza on a two-block stretch along the Boardman/Ottaway River in downtown Traverse City. Currently the downtown retail and commercial buildings face away from the river, surface parking lots and concrete walls line areas along the river, and public access to the river is limited. Despite its prominent role in defining the trajectory of much of Traverse City’s past, the river’s place within the urban fabric of downtown Traverse City today is not well defined and feels disconnected.
INFORM
The Boardman Ottaway Downtown Riverfront will be a place for people to gather and interact with each o... More
Project • By INFORM Studio • Bridges
Keating Channel Pedestrian Bridge
The Nda-Nwendaaganag Bridge honors the Anishinaabe meaning ‘All My Relations’ to a precious place in the heart of Toronto. It exudes beauty in both form and symbolism, establishing a place significance for the history of all peoples and cultures in the region.
INFORM Rendering
INFORM Rendering
Our project approach presents less of a bridge and more of an intervention weaving together an identity of placekeeping; creating a mosaic of rich narratives that braid the City of Tkaronto [original Haudenosaunee name for Toronto] back to the important heritage of this land, Mother Earth, taking time to learn from the Teachings as they are offered to help us to go forward together, in a Good Way.
INFORM Rendering
INFORM... More
Project • By INI Design Studio • Masterplans
Atal Sarovar at Rajkot Smart City, India
The Evolution of Atal Sarovar - A Model for Water-Sensitive Urban Futures
In the contemporary discourse on urban development, the integration of sustainable practices has emerged as a defining priority — especially in the revitalization of urban water bodies.
Vinay Panjwani, India
The principles of Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) encourage cities to embed natural hydrological systems within their fabric, fostering ecological resilience, enhancing public spaces, and restoring a community’s intrinsic relationship with water.
Vinay Panjwani, India
Atal Sarovar, set within the Smart City precinct of Rajkot, Gujarat, embodies this transformative ethos. By harmoniously blending ecological imperatives with urban vitali... More
Project • By INFORM Studio • Community Centres
AB Ford Park Community Center
The new A.B. Ford Park Community Center (formerly Lenox Center) marks a significant milestone as Detroit’s first climate-resilient public facility. Set within expansive parkland, the center enhances community access to the waterfront while boosting local economic opportunities. The project embodies the vibrant cultural heritage of the Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood, reflecting residents' values through sustainable and resilient design.
Steve Kroodsma
Design for resiliencyConstructed outside the floodplain, the center serves dual purposes as both a vibrant community hub and an emergency resilience facility. It is equipped to provide residents with essential shelter, renewable energy, and supplies during climate emergenci... More
Project • By INFORM Studio • Transports
I-395 PEDESTRIAN BAYWALK & BIKEWAY
The future Miami Baywalk connection in front of the cultural district exemplifies a preeminent opportunity to demonstrate sustainable and socially conscious leadership for our nation’s future infrastructure. The holistic design philosophy layers a profound set of solutions woven together to establish new transit connectivity for the City of Miami and heighten broad community access to ecology, science and the arts within a cultural center of the Biscayne Bay. The project has the potential to become both a local and international destination that will contribute to the cultural and economic engine of Miami.
Caption
The primary purpose of the project is to establish pedestrian continuity of the Baywalk under the MacArthur Causeway... More
Project • By INFORM Studio • Bridges
Van Leesten Memorial Bridge
The new Van Leesten Memorial Bridge reworks abandoned freeway infrastructure (I-195) to connect five prominent neighborhoods and institutions within the city. Acting as a pedestrian center, the pedestrian bridge not only performs as a practical connector between regions, but also offers multiple programmatic interventions to encourage community connection and social engagement among city residents. The project captures a potential much larger than that of a pure connector. It leverages integrated program elements to serve as a mediator between urban and ecological spaces, allowing east and west to become a singular public space.
INFORM
INFORM
INFORM
INFORM
In addition to establishing a visual symbol of renewal, the Van... More
Project • By WOWHAUS • Parks/Gardens
OLIVE BEACH
Objective:
- To mark the ‘unofficial’ entrance to Gorky Park from the direction of Neskuchny Garden, making it more friendly and just as popular as the main entrance;- To create an accessible recreation area by the water in the center of Moscow.We came up with an idea for how to create an alternative to the main entrance to Gorky Park. By way of contrast with the granite and marble that are the dominant presence at the front entrance, we have used wood for the ‘welcome zone’ leading from Pushkin (Andreevsky) Bridge. On the desolate embankment of the River Moskva we have created a proper leisure zone with a beach, showers, and a bar. The wooden beach is a symbol of the renewed Gorky Park.
Wowhaus
Wowhaus
T... More
Project • By Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects • Housing
Boathouse
Located in the San Juan Islands, the Boathouse stands foremost as a threshold between water and land, an idea it embraces literally by providing upland access to those arriving by boat or seaplane, and figuratively through its location and form. It straddles the elements, providing an entryway as well as a dramatic spot for a morning cup of coffee or a crab boil with the extended family.
Andrew Pogue
The Boathouse replaces a dilapidated, haphazardly constructed structure. This replacement of one built structure with another was done with a strategy aimed to naturalize the shoreline, removing the 400 square feet of concrete and creosote-coated piles from the water and replacing it with the 4 square feet of thin steel that supports the... More
Project • By BAU (Brearley Architects & Urbanists) • Urban Green Spaces
Docklands Park, Yangtze River
IntroductionJiangyin is on the Yangtze, the world’s busiest working river. The city is regenerating part of its industrial docklands as a high density live-work district. Stage one of this major project is the creation of a 4km public realm along the river edge. The design was selected through invited competition.
Caption
Ambitions1. re-establish indigenous eco-system corridors; 2. preserve the industrial character; 3. maintain presence of the historic past; 4. introduce leisure infrastructure for the new era 5. link beyond the site for the emergence of a city park network.
Caption
1. Soft edges and eco corridorsThe Yangtze at this location is tidal. This project rehabilitates, preserves, enhances... More