URBAN DESIGN - WATERFRONTS

Chan Krieger Sieniewicz has participated in the revitalization of many significant urban waterfronts. Following a nearly universal pattern, these towns and cities had dedicated their waterways to industrial uses for many decades. The subsequent retreat of these long-time occupants has inspired us to devise ways of re-integrating waterfronts into surrounding communities. New urban waterfronts have the potential to be many things, some of which represent unfamiliar opportunities to towns and cities. Viewed increasingly as amenities belonging to the public at large, the intersection of land and water must serve not only landowners and abutters, but residents of the broader region and, in most cases, visitors who want to experience the "aura" of the city-so often strongest along its waterfront.

We have assisted numerous communities in welcoming their waterfronts back into the life of the city. We believe that waterfronts should not be thought of as a thin line, but rather perceived as a broad zone of overlap between land and water, with public access lining as much of the waterfront as possible. Connectors running perpendicular to the water's edge-those streets, open spaces, and other elements that link the water with inland neighborhoods and districts-are as important in waterfront urban design as the zone along the water itself. We have helped the identity of the city or town become aligned with the image of its waterfront. Our approach to design and planning for urban waterfronts comprehensively intertwines historic meanings and contemporary goals.