WJ Architects announces that our work on St. Petersburg Pier Approach and Park was recognized by AIA Gulf Coast chapter.
St. Petersburg Pier Approach and Park has been honored with the Sustainability Design of Merit Award, underscoring our dedication to employing sustainable design principles and advancing public understanding of their benefits. Our team endeavored to craft an inventive design that not only champions sustainable practices but also seamlessly integrates functionality, aesthetics, and fosters the well-being of the local community.
Pier Approach and Park is meticulously designed to cultivate a pedestrian-centric environment, effectively blending vehicular and bicycle traffic to connect downtown with the pier. The design ethos revolves around fostering a cultural link from the city’s urban core to the waterfront, spanning a half-mile walk from Bayshore Drive to the Pier.
At the heart of the design lies a multipurpose entry market, envisioned to serve as a vibrant hub for local artisans during the week and a serene art promenade during off-hours. The design ethos seeks to celebrate the unique aspects of Florida life, with a keen focus on harnessing elements such as sun, wind, and water.
To harness the power of the sun, the Pier Market canopy incorporates translucent glass photovoltaic panels, providing shade while simultaneously harvesting solar energy to contribute to the city grid. The design ingeniously integrates structural elements to minimize waste and maximize efficiency.
The St. Pete Pier Approach and Park has won more than 22 awards since the design began and has continuously been recognized by international and national media. To learn more about this project, read here.
“In addition to the overall urban concepts and the effort to reduce and separate parking from the waterfront, the strongest merit of the project is its seamless integration of the sustainable elements of the working landscape and into the totality of the public space park and in a really organic fashion rather than serve as a didactic showcase exhibit. The result is the creation of a really appealing and continuous public realm that connects people to their place through a variety of climactic experiences. Invented architectural louvres worked to foster and promote social and collective lives.” – AIA Juror
“The greatest contribution that I have seen to the public and urban landscape in the state of Florida in or at large for years. This is a wonderful, wonderful change to what was here previously.” – Anita Keitel, AIA Gulf Coast Chapter 2023 – 2024 President
