BEYOND THE EDGE:Reimagining shoreline street ends for public access + ecological enhancement

Diane Walsh | 3.13.2014

public right-of-wayordinary high-water mark

designated streetS.S.E.

significant alteration of the shoreline

privatization + displacement

The majority of tidelands in WA State are held in private ownership

Between 1889 - 1971 the WA State legislature elected to sell its tidelands and beaches

!

!

!

!

!!!!

!

!

!!!!

!

!

!!!

!

!!!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!!!

!!!

! !!

!

!

!!

!

!

!

!!

! !! !!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!!!!

!

!!!!

!

!!!!

!!!

!!!!!!!

!!

!

!

!!!

!!!!!

!!!!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!!!!!!

!!!!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!!

!!

!

149

Lake WashingtonElliott Bay

Puget Sound

Lake Union

Duwamish River

Established by city resolution 29370 in 1996

designated for “public uses and access”

Gaps in usable open space

Remainder space from a 1/4 mile buffer around city parks and other open spaces

Gaps in public shoreline access

Total Seattle shoreline ~200 miles

75% private

25% public

Public use

Poor quality shoreline habitat

Degraded shoreline

Untreated stormwater runoff

STREET watersheds

Environmental landscape narratives

Present landform

Historic landform

Consideration of the future

Projected 30 year flood zones

Disconnected + remote

Un-permitted private encroachment

Lack of legibility

Challenging wayfinding

Poor habitat quality

Untreated stormwater runoff

Marginal, small spaces

User conflicts

OPPORTUNITIES

• Reclaim public space and access to the shore

• Restore sensitive shoreline habitat

• Showcase the unusual character of different shorelands

• Use public art as a tool for wayfinding

• Communicate environmental narratives

• Engage the surrounding community

• Use innovative environmental technologies to treat

stormwater

Problem Statement:

Solution: Design interventions• Experimental, temporary• Simple, cheap• Fun, creative• Engage the public

Many shoreline street ends don’t provide adequate public access to the shore, nor do they sufficiently address stormwater runoff and shoreline degradation.

wayfinding challenges

Psai-Yah-hus

Public art as wayfinding

Public art as storytelling

Public art as community building

Public art as playful, fun!

Visible markers of former Lake Washington water line

Community Bench Project