Landscape Architect Articles

It's a Park, It's the Aquarium Entrance, It's? CoolIt's a Park, It's the Aquarium Entrance, It's - Cool06-01-09 | News

It's a Park, It's the Aquarium Entrance, It's - Cool

Stephen Kelly, editor

The plaza hardscape at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Md. is over 62,000 square feet of 12?EUR??,,????'?????<

The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Waterfront Park is an attractive addition to Baltimore?EUR??,,????'?????<

There are outdoor sitting opportunities galore?EUR??,,????'?????<

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is Maryland?EUR??,,????'?????<

A brick pedestrian promenade from the park continues to the south, circles the aquarium along the southern edge of Pier 3, and returns to the park. Seating is located at intervals around the promenade overlooking the water.

Large plane trees provide a green gateway to the park?EUR??,,????'?????<

Next Stop, Pier 3

Located on Pier 3, the site is bounded by Pratt Street to the north, the World Trade Center to the west and the Power Plant mixed-use development to the east, with access to all of the Inner Harbor venues by a pedestrian promenade and pedestrian bridges. At 195 feet wide by 833 feet long, Pier 3?EUR??,,????'?????<

The aquarium?EUR??,,????'?????<

The site was previously paved in white concrete and sported uninviting furniture. The limited plantings struggled against Baltimore?EUR??,,????'?????<

The Chesapeake Bay watershed map, designed by the landscape architect, details the Chesapeake, its tributaries and the Atlantic coastline from New York to North Carolina. It is 37' long by 20?EUR??,,????'?????<

Waterfront Park

In 2000, the aquarium began planning a major expansion and a complete redesign of Pier 3. The goal of the expansion was new and exciting exhibits inside the building, coupled with a welcoming outdoor setting expressing the aquarium?EUR??,,????'?????<

The theme of the new waterfront park explores Maryland?EUR??,,????'?????<

Large plane trees provide a green gateway to the park?EUR??,,????'?????<

The waterfall depicts the cascades of the Allegheny Mountain range, which runs about 400 miles from north-central Pennsylvania, through western Maryland and eastern West Virginia to southwestern Virginia. The range is part of the Appalachians. Six imported granite boulders, eastern redbud and red cedar trees, witch hazel, wild hydrangea, sassafras and grasses bring a Sylvan touch to the harbor clime.

The progression from coastal through mountain landscapes is further expressed through a series of planting areas featuring Maryland native plants evolving from the wave patterns. The planted areas rise gently at first, then supported by curved steel retaining walls, they rise more dramatically to recreate the changing topography from shore to mountain ridge. Stone outcrops, fallen branches and a series of water elements included in the planters add to the effect of movement along an interpretive cross section that culminates inside the lobby with a three-story high rock cliff and waterfall.

Emerging out of the surface of the paving, the first group of planters displays native salt marsh grasses that represent an estuary. Aquarium staff and volunteers maintain these plantings and replant them annually as an educational demonstration of salt marsh restoration.

Next, plantings that include native loblolly pines, baccharis and cattails submerged in a small marsh represent Maryland?EUR??,,????'?????<

While clearly enhancing this harbor attraction, the aquarium?EUR??,,????'?????<

Emerging out of the surface of the paving, the first group of planters displays native salt marsh grasses that represent an estuary. River birch trees delineate this area of the plaza. Betulus and platanus cultivars were selected, as they are well adapted to the urban setting and represent the native plant communities of the region.

Peer to Pier Collaboration

The landscape architect worked closely with the aquarium curators and exhibit designers to develop the design of the planting areas and the interpretive graphics that give details about the aquarium?EUR??,,????'?????<

The landscape architect continues to work with aquarium staff who care for the planting areas to ensure the naturalistic character of the plantings is maintained. The landscape architect collaborated closely with the architectural and engineering team throughout the design and with the contractor during construction to make the site sustainable as possible, while incorporating innovative planting technology and inventive new paving.

An innovative series of deep underground soil panels generously accommodate the root balls of the large trees. Prior to construction of the site, extensive debris, most likely discarded along the waterfront following the 1904 ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Sustainable Design and Environmental Stewardship

The aquarium is an entertainment destination, but also a renowned scientific research and educational institution. It was important for the design to be a model of sustainable design in urban park development. The plaza surface comprises over 62,000 square feet of precast pavers, providing adequate room for the thousands of visitors. Most of the pavers are set on an aggregate bed over a concrete base to make it possible to remove and reuse them when access to underground utilities is required. The pavers, made in Pennsylvania, include locally quarried green aggregate and incorporate recycled lamp black and fly ash in their matrix.

Maryland native plants populate the plaza planting areas. Roof runoff is collected and stored in an underground cistern, providing water for the automatic irrigation system that supplies all of the planting beds. In addition, surface runoff from the plaza is directed into the planting areas where it is available for use by the plantings before being filtered through the soil and aggregate layers.

Site furnishings were fabricated with high-percentage recycled content steel. The 120 new benches, as well as trash receptacles used on the project, feature an open mesh design that reduces heat build up and promotes ease of maintenance.

Planting Technology

The number and location of proposed planting areas was carefully considered to emphasize educational impact, limit the cost of replacing the existing poor quality, debris-filled subsoil, and to avoid the underground utility lines. The planting areas for individual trees and planters are interconnected with a network of underground root paths. Excavated and replaced with amended soil, the root paths are lined with aeration tubing, drain lines, and irrigation lines. The paving over the root paths was engineered to bridge the uncompacted soil. Over 6,500 square feet of new planting areas were created on the pier, and over 9,000 square feet of improved subsoil was provided.

The Aquarium Conservation Team has enlisted thousands of volunteers to help restore wetland habitats at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), and Barren and Poplar islands. On Barren Island (above) volunteers installed 100,000 plants. The aquarium is also part of a multi-agency effort to restore marshes at Blackwater NWR (below).
Photo: The National Aquarium at Baltimore

Photo: George Grall, National Aquarium at Baltimore

Wave Paving

The wave paving pattern that extends the full length of the pier was created using two colors of custom-designed 12?EUR??,,????'?????<

The Chesapeake Bay watershed map, designed by the landscape architect, is a favorite feature for children visiting the site. This 37?EUR??,,????'?????<

The landscape architect?EUR??,,????'?????<

The land and the buildings of the aquarium are owned by the city and operated by a nonprofit corporation, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Inc., which consists of a 25-member board (all volunteers), a larger advisory board, plus a full-time paid staff. Last year, 800 volunteers contributed 110,000 hours to the aquarium.

For more info on the National Aquarium in Baltimore, visit www.aqua.org

About the Designers

The Rhodeside & Harwell (RHI) landscape architecture and planning firm of Alexandria, Va. worked with the Baltimore Aquarium?EUR??,,????'?????<

RHI, founded in 1986, is a woman-owned enterprise that employs nearly 20 professional landscape architects and planners. RHI projects varied from the development of long-range master plans to the establishment of specific design guidelines; from community revitalization plans to planning of major urban spaces. RHI has received many national and local awards, including the Best Small Business Award of 2000 from the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce.