(Above Graphic: Courtesy of West 8)
The focus of the project is to develop a master plan for the 11-miles of waterfront in South Baltimore that provides an equitable framework for investment, community development, public recreation, and climate adaptation. The Middle Branch of the Patapsco River is home to a diverse array of neighborhoods, landscapes, industries, and cultural institutions. Its character and context set the stage for a dynamic new waterfront designed for the people of Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay region.
West 8 Founder Adriaan Geuze and Mahan Rykiel Principal Isaac Hametz Present Middle Branch Concept
The team’s Middle Branch design proposal weaves together West 8’s internationally recognized waterfront parks portfolio, Moffat & Nichol’s expertise in marine engineering, and Mahan Rykiel Associates award-winning Design with Dredge program, community outreach and resiliency planning, and waterfront park design in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
The competition was organized by the Parks & People Foundation on behalf of the City of Baltimore and included an invited list of design firms. Other finalists for the Middle Branch Competition included James Corner Field Operations and Hargreaves Jones, each of which also had local partners on their teams.
Mayor Jack Young noted:
“I am extremely excited to learn that the jury recommended West 8 as the landscape architecture firm to advance the Middle Branch Waterfront Plan,” said Mayor Bernard C. Jack Young. “We received three impressive proposals, but I agreed with the jury of community leaders and experts in the field that West 8’s vision most closely aligns with what residents want to see in their communities. I want to thank all three firms for their hard work and inspiration throughout this selection process, and also the members of the jury for lending their time, expertise and thoughtfulness as we work to create a better Baltimore for residents and visitors alike.”
Jury members included local leaders and national experts: Geoffrey W. Washington, chair of the board of South Baltimore Gateway Partnership; Michael G. Middleton, Jr., Chair of South Baltimore 7 (SB7); Susannah Drake, Founding Principal of DLANDstudio in New York City; Kate Orff, Director of the Graduate Urban Design Program Columbia University and Founder of SCAPE, , a landscape architecture and urban design firm based in New York City, and Reginald Moore, Director of the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks.
For more information on the project visit: http://www.middlebranchwaterfront.com/
