Environmental Minimalism Guides Visitor Experience
The new space creates a car-free open space from which to view the Pacific Ocean. The design balances openness and intricacy with details directing a visitor’s attention with materiality, texture, and shadow. The delicate geotechnical conditions of the bluff required the project to prevent infiltration of water and not add significant weight. This meant no opportunity for tree planting, irrigation, or footings for structures of significant height or load. In response, low-water sedum species with shallow soil systems fill the steel planters, laid out in a graphic pattern. Taller succulents screen the street and serve as a threshold to the overlook. Seat walls and viewing platforms provide a sense of discovery and afford different visitor experiences and uses of the overlook.
CMG was introduced to the site in 2004 when work began on a master plan for open spaces in the city of San Pedro. The sum of these master plan proposals, connected by street linkages, yielded a community-oriented and pedestrian-friendly network. As part of this process, a well-situated lot with an expansive view of the Pacific Ocean was designated as a priority site for revitalization.
