Global Renovations for Waterfront Spaces

Waterfront real estate is often the focal highlight of major cities where people can gather for both leisure and business, and to also experience the unique characteristics that the urban landscape has to offer. These waterfront spaces certainly play a vital role in communities throughout the world.

It is becoming more and more common for cities to allocate significant efforts to either renovate or maintain their waterfront spaces. As cities adopt these projects, there is a constant need to create a balance between the recreational needs of the local population, and the integration of sustainable designs.

Throughout the complex planning process, trees play a vital role in creating an attractive and scenic landscape, and since these spaces are near waterfronts, the renovation process allows for an immense opportunity to harvest water for these new developments. Since water is a non-renewable and precious resource, it creates a sense of urgency to protect and harvest it for irrigation to assist in tree growth.

The Canary Wharf, a major business district located in London, is a prime example of an urban waterfront project that integrated trees into the major renovation design. The project included planting 500 trees of 20 different species. Today, the Canary Wharf is an immense business district that possesses attractive designs in both the architecture and urban landscape.

An interesting example of a waterfront renovation project that not only integrated trees in its design, but also established smart stormwater harvesting is the Auckland Waterfront project in Auckland City, New Zealand. Stretching across the southern Waitemata Harbour, the Auckland Waterfront renovation project has taken many years to be what it has become today—an urban attraction.

The Auckland Waterfront Project was committed to promoting sustainable efforts, which were evident throughout the decision-making process as a smart stormwater harvesting system was implemented. With the help of the Stratacell™ modular system beneath the pavement, it allowed trees the room to grow, while also using the harvested water as a smart irrigation system. To integrate within the community, Auckland Waterfront, like many other waterfront renovation projects depend on the growth of trees and plant life to create a sense of health and wellbeing within the community.

The Toronto Waterfront park in Canada is another example of how parks and public spaces truly impact major cities. A significant portion of Toronto’s government funding went into creating the waterfront park to be an area to revitalize the city. The framework for the urban planning process began in 2003, which included the planting of 10,000 trees that expanded throughout almost 2,000 acres of land. With such an immense plan, it further demonstrates the overwhelming need to maintain a strong awareness of the important role that trees play throughout the renovation process.

Unique to the renewal of the Toronto Waterfront project was the soil and historical activity that once took place in the expansive area. The soil was impacted by decades of industrial uses, and the infill of many years that took place long ago when environmental standards were not as stringent as they are today. If not enough care is taken into consideration during the renovation process, trees can suffer the effects of not having enough room for the roots to properly implant in the soil. The Toronto Waterfront project took these and many other issues into consideration when planning the urban landscape along the waterfront so that trees could thrive in the best conditions possible—whether they were to grow beneath pavement or in grassy areas.

In the state of New South Wales, Australia, Barangaroo, an inner-city suburban area of Sydney, is currently under construction and redevelopment. This harbor city, along with the historical architecture make this a unique waterfront renovation project. A part of the vision of this project is eliminate waste and preserve precious water supplies.

Future plans for this renovation project will span throughout the next 20 years, which will include both residential and commercial building developments. The type of planning involved will inevitably require the planting of many trees to accompany the many pedestrian walkways and various parks throughout the area. Careful considerations will be taken as the planting of these trees take place.

The Waterfront Center in the U.S. city of Washington, DC is a unique organization that helps communicate the importance of waterfront renovation projects, and aims to enhance its urban landscape by maintaining its originality and authenticity. The mission of the Waterfront Center is to also assist communities to make the best long-term uses of waterfront resources for the maximum public benefit. The Waterfront Center is a wealth of knowledge for learning more about urban waterfronts and how they are true assets for major cities. This organization also stresses the importance of all environmental elements that should be taken into consideration, especially throughout the renovation process in waterfront spaces.

Trees, in particular, play a dominant role when launching new urban landscapes. The ability to grow stable, healthy trees is a major success factor for newly renovated waterfront areas. Regardless of the city and area, waterfront spaces will always be places that contribute to the overall health and tradition of communities throughout the world.