The City of Hamilton recently announced that the Forrec led team design, “Hamilton: Hammer City” has won the Pier 8 Promenade design competition. The City of Hamilton is undertaking a design competition to select a design team and determine a design for the new Pier 8 Promenade Park to be located along the north and east edges of Pier 8. Six design teams were selected through a pre-qualification process in April. Each team was asked to develop a concept for the park based on a predetermined budget and a park vision, design objectives and program elements developed through public consultation.
A volunteer jury of seven sector experts met on September 13 to review all of the concepts, technical evaluations by city staff and public comments to select the winning design. They based their decision on each proposal’s response to context, design excellence and innovation, response to the vision and goals for the park, and community opinions.
“After much discussion the jury assigned the highest score to the Forrec led design team for their proposal “Hamilton: Hammer City”. They therefore recommended that the City enter into an
agreement with the Forrec team to develop detailed design documents to implement their design.The jury felt that the Forrec proposal best responds to all of the design objectives and site context. They noted that the design creates a rhythm of spaces along the length of the park creating
connections with the future streets and breaks down the length of the site while maintaining continuity along the water’s edge. The design team playfully employs materials and features that reflect the marine and industrial heritage of the site to create a unique sense of place that will become a destination along the Waterfront Trail.” statement from the Jury Report
Jury Members included:
Linda Irvine, OALA, FCSLA, ASLA, Manager, Parks and Open Space Development, Town of Markham, Ontario
Nadia Amoroso, BLA, MUD, PhD, ASLA, Director, Nadia Amoroso Studio and Professor, University of Guelph
Kelly Gilbride, OAA, P. Eng., CAHP, LEED AP, Partner, Stevens Burgess Architects Ltd. (SBA)
James Parakh, OAA, Urban Design Manager – Toronto & East York, City of Toronto
Erik Hess, OALA
Mario Patitucci, OALA, CSLA, Principal, Adesso Design Inc.
Shelley Falconer, President and C.E.O. Art Gallery of Hamilton
The Forrec led team will work with the City to further develop their design and prepare construction drawings to begin implementing their design in 2018.
Forrec Design Statement
Hamilton: Hammer City
Hamilton is a proud waterside city forged in the fire of industry. For over two centuries, ships have docked in Hamilton Harbour to exchange raw materials for goods processed by Hamilton’s factories. Today industry still employs over 30,000 people. Hamilton has developed a character that is best described by the native Hamiltonian term “The Hammer,” expressive of the authenticity, edginess and raw potential that is shared by the city and its people. These characteristics have more recently contributed to the surge in a young, educated, and artistic demographic. By creating an urban destination at Pier 8, we provide a catalyst to strengthen the connection along James Street between the downtown core the waterfront, allowing the benefits of new development to extend beyond site boundaries.
The Story
The design for Pier 8 Park tells the story of the three ways visiting ships would have used the site; creating one site with three places of distinct character and program. “Ships loaded with goods, arrive at Pier 8 and moor along its north edge awaiting clearance (Boatworks Promenade). Disembarking visitors encounter local Hamiltonians who graciously share the amenities of the Pier with visitors. Once cleared, ships pass through the threshold (the Landing) and into the protection of the inner harbour (Hammer Harbour). This area bustles with purposeful activity; work and play coexist as cargo is exchanged and the transformation from outsider to insider begins. Welcome to The Hammer.”
Competition Team | Forrec Ltd. with CIMA+; exp Services Inc.; Creative Irrigation Solutions Inc. (CIS); Andrew Davies Public Art Consulting; and Altus.
Images | Forrec Ltd
Video | City of Hamilton
