West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture

Our proposal takes the best elements of the existing waterfront and amplifies them into four primary settings that ripple from city to horizon:  St. Petersburg’s emerging “Copacabana,” (its lively cultural waterfront); the municipal marina where the public can be on the water, a vital new ecological preserve spanning mangrove lagoons and seagrass meadows where people, pelicans and manatees coexist, and finally the Downtown Shoal and the St. Petersburg Eye, the romantic destination on the horizon of Tampa Bay.  A sculptural and robust new pier unites these realms, furthering the legacy of a vibrant and inimitable public waterfront into the next century.

Our design is fundamentally responsible to St. Petersburg’s history, preserving important views, showcasing the native culture, and reserving the waterfront for the public. In this sense, our project does not compete with the ongoing revitalization efforts occurring downtown; but instead complements this cultural renaissance. By providing a project that is exclusively about public enjoyment of their waterfront, the City furthers the legacy of St. Petersburg, offers a gift to the people, and focuses economic investment in downtown.

We felt strongly that the design should be appropriate for the ecology and the climate, executable, and should be durable for the next century. The People’s Pier and the St. Petersburg Eye are designed to withstand stormsurges and provide comfortable microclimates year-round. The vital new Mangrove Coast, Seagrass Meadows and Downtown Shoal set a visionary and sustainable course for the health of St. Pete’s waterfront edge, protecting the coastline and giving locals and tourists alike a chance to immerse themselves in the unique Tampa Bay ecology. 

The St. Petersburg Eye: An open air, public pavilion with four unique experiences: the Belly of the Eye at the sandbar level, a concession level at the Pier level, the Panorama Plaza for shade, public events, and a view of the stars, and the Panorama Ring for those seeking the most sublime 360 degree views of the city and horizon.

The Mangrove Coast and Seagrass Meadows: A vital and verdant preserve for fishing, kayaking, walking and communing with the unique ecology of Tampa Bay

The People’s Pier: A heightened experience over the water, for viewing the manatees swimming below, fishing from above, boating underneath, and communing with the pelican.

The Downtown Shoal: The place to dip toes in the water minutes from downtown.