client: Miami Downtown Development Authority scope: Construction master plan and brand identity building for four miles (6.5k) of waterfront trail linking Miami's Downtown and Brickell financial districts. role: Architecture and Urban Design lead, project manager, Perkins+Will. team: Ernest Bellamy, Keith Curtis, Meredith Kinney, Luciana Ruiz, Andrea Sandoval, Yancy Wilkinson
overview
Miami is a city defined by its adjacency to the northernmost waters of the Caribbean, yet within the urban center it remains surprisingly difficult to access the bay. This proposal reveals how a contiguous Baywalk could function as a piece of critical urban infrastructure, linking the two halves of downtown, feeding existing fixed-route transit, and restoring the ecological health of the urban/water interface.
Miami is a city defined by its adjacency to the northernmost waters of the Caribbean, yet within the urban center it remains surprisingly difficult to access the bay. This proposal reveals how a contiguous Baywalk could function as a piece of critical urban infrastructure, linking the two halves of downtown, feeding existing fixed-route transit, and restoring the ecological health of the urban/water interface.
design approach
Beginning with bold "RIGHT NOW" actions, the proposal lays out a tiered series of interventions which increase in complexity over time, allowing the project to build popular and political momentum organically. Unified color and graphics provide a simple way to highlight existing facilities. By approaching the project as a transportation and coastal resilience initiative, the City can access State and Federal funding resources far beyond what is available for recreation.
Beginning with bold "RIGHT NOW" actions, the proposal lays out a tiered series of interventions which increase in complexity over time, allowing the project to build popular and political momentum organically. Unified color and graphics provide a simple way to highlight existing facilities. By approaching the project as a transportation and coastal resilience initiative, the City can access State and Federal funding resources far beyond what is available for recreation.
