South Pointe Park Miami (Forida, USA)

South Pointe Park , designed by Hargreaves Associates, opened in 2009, is located in the ecologically sensitive and at the same time very animated area of South Beach , Miami. The park positions two corresponding circulation paths : The serpentine Walk and the Cut Walk to provide critical regional connections and views out to the Atlantic Ocean. The main path, a promenade is build with the Dominican Keystone and fossilized coral which suggests tha natural processes of the adjacent sea. The experience of walking along that path encourages the sense of spectatorship (…) providing the ideal viewing platform for the massive cruise ships entering and leaving the Biscayne Bay in visitors.

The serpentine walk was designed as a counterpoint for the long cut walk. That area is elevated and moundy, paths twist and turn rising the spectacular view over the Atlantic Ocean. The park is somehow a gate to nature from the dense urban landscape into the wide panoramic ocean views. Leading from the built up area through the long straight promenade until the dune-like elevation with the serpentine paths.

The authors describe their concept as follows : Park includes a grand esplanade along Government Cut, a beach dune restoration area, children’s playground landscape, and a park pavilion, all anchored within a dramatic, serpentine landform that will serve as a place for viewing, a path for walking, and artful, iconic feature of the park.

The main reason for introducing this design in the research was the mention abstract interpretation of the natural forms of dunes and tropical Bay. Because it needs to be integrated in the urban fabric, it sounded extremaly interesting for me, how the urban parks located in very ecologically sensitive areas can still hold the elements of natural native landscape and make visitors associate with the original place. Abstraction and symbolism.

However the pictures of the parks were taken in early march, and only on visit possible took place with the cloudy weather, so since the decision about utilizing only sunny pictures was made, the cloudy photos from South Pointe Park turned out useless. Nevertheless this site is recommended for introducing in the future research!

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