Westhaven Promenade

The choreographed distribution of boardwalks, paths, lookouts and recreational piers establishes an episodic rhythm of moments oriented to city and harbour landmarks. The restoration of the St Mary’s Bay Beach catalyses its use as a destination and facility for water based recreation, training and events. The deliberate articulation – push and pull – of the promenade edge provides for a layering of space that supports viewing, occupation and movement and the site specific response to varying coastal edge conditions.

Site specific design interventions and interpretive content reveal the sites associations with pre-european as well as contemporary nautical histories and cultural narratives. The promenade incorporates generous sustainably sourced timber decking, a suite of bespoke seating and energy efficient lighting and low impact design initiatives that have exceeded aspirational sustainability objectives.

The ecological rehabilitation of the coastal margin is enabled through a 100% native planting palette drawing on the sites coastal landscape context and incorporating a number of now rare plant species. The project has successfully merged together the existing working marina, existing and proposed land based activities and enhanced public access to a previously inaccessible waters edge.