Best Waterfront Projects for 2012

From a small beloved Waterfront Submarine Playground in Nova Scotia to a water renaturalization/ development project in Singapore, from the transformation of Malta's historic quay to New York City's Staten Island Ferry Terminal  -- there are 10 winners, 7 from outside the U. S - selected to receive the Waterfront Center's Excellence in Design Award.

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The Top Honor Award went to Auckland, New Zealand's Jellicoe Str., N. Wharf Promenade, and Silo Park - a project that kept the city's gritty working waterfront and made it public. Shipping crates are now seats; the street has been narrowed and a tram and plants added to give the feeling of a pedestrian boulevard. A cement silo has become an iconic Silo Park landmark, and a bio-retention wetland, passive recreation, and a weekend market are part of the mix. (images at right)

For the past 30 years the Waterfront Center in Washington, DC has sponsored the award process to recognize the best waterfront projects.  Decisions are based on a project's good design, economic feasibility, participatory planning, environmental sensitivity, provision of the maximum amount of public access, and how the project is tailored to the individuality, history, and economic climate of its community.

Click HERE, select 2012, and take a look at the winners. Be sure to read the short project descriptions & jury comments. Food for thought.