On January 18, 1988, a winter storm hit the California coast ripping the new portions of the Huntington Beach Pier from their pilings and destroying a large section of the structure. Replicating the original 1914 framework, a new pier (right) was built using reinforced steel, coated with epoxy, to protect it from the corrosive effect of the damp salt air. At 1856 feet long, the new pier is 13 feet higher and 20 feet longer than the previous one.

Whether its the warmth of the sun, the sight of crashing waves, or the calmness of the sea, beach communities across the country evoke a special feeling among residents and tourists alike. Throughout the year, visitors of all ages and backgrounds flock to the nearest beach to enjoy the natural beauty of the ocean. For some people, the sea represents much more than a place to relax and get a tan. Certain communities view the beach as a visual representation of their city's spirit and a reflection of their unique coastal lifestyle.

By the 30's, the City had developed the surrounding territory near the beach and the site became a popular attraction. Today, the area is still a favorite gathering spot for residents and tourist alike.

The qualities that separate one beach town from another are not only found in the make-up of its citizens. Equally important is the maintenance and improvement of the site's facilities. Any change or alteration to the landscape surrounding the area may be met with disapproval unless designers manage to incorporate the original ocean motif into the new design. For this reason, one of the greatest challenges that a Landscape Architect can face is dealing with the renovation of a coastal area. Special attention should be paid to maintaining the original appearance of the site, while simultaneously adding new and exciting amenities using weather appropriate materials. The landscape should reflect the history of the area, along with the character of the community. In effect, a successful landscape must showcase the location as an exciting place to call home.

The Standard Oil Company started drilling for oil in Huntington Beach in 1919. During the oil boom of the 20's, the population of the city tripled and oil wells (below) began popping up everywhere. When oil was discovered below the ocean floor, a technique known as slant drilling was developed to reach the oil from land and to preserve the beach.

Pier Plaza

Huntington Beach is located on the Southern California coast, 18 miles southeast of the nearest seaport terminal at Long Beach, 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles and 90 miles northwest of San Diego. With 28 square miles of land and 26 square miles of water, the location boasts a Mediterranean climate and a population exceeding 190,000. The City recently completed a project that improved the area known as Pier Plaza.

One of the most famous shorelines in the world was recently revamped. Located in the sunny suburb of Orange County, California, Huntington City Beach sits between Bolsa Chica State Beach and Huntington State Beach. With 3.5 miles of beach, the setting provides ample opportunity for visitors to enjoy the sun while participating in various community events. With close to 9 million annual visitors, the location has become an international attraction known as Surf City, home to the annual U.S. Open and World Championships surfing contests. But the site is much more than a haven for surfing enthusiasts.

During the oil boom of the 20's, the population of Huntington Beach tripled and oil wells began popping up everywhere. When oil was discovered below the ocean floor, a technique known as slant drilling was developed to reach the oil from land, while preserving the beach. By the 30's, the City had developed the surrounding territory near the beach and the site became a popular attraction. Today the area is still a favorite gathering spot for residents and tourists from around the world.

The City of Huntington Beach recently completed a two year project to improve the area near the famous Huntington Beach Pier. The design and approval process at Pier Plaza took 18 months to complete, followed by an additional 12 months for installation. With a construction cost of more than $11 million, the project showcases a newly installed amphitheater and mural.

The City of Huntington Beach recently completed a two year project to improve the area near the famous Huntington Beach Pier, which was once destroyed by storm damage in 1988. "The goal of the project was to provide better public access to the events that take place at the beach," said Jim Pickel, Project Manager, Purkiss-Rose, RSI, the Landscape Architect for the project. The project included the addition of an artist-designed public plaza and amphitheater located at the foot of the pier, along with the installation of a special "wave" patterned pavement.

The public art area reflects the style of the beach, while also including images which convey the history of the site. The art was intended to blend into the surroundings and to avoid intruding on the natural beauty elements. Instead of bringing in manufactured art, the beach itself was used as the artistic palette for the renovation. "The site is the art," explained Lloyd Hamrol, one of the artists involved in the project.

The design and approval process at Pier Plaza took 18 months to complete, followed by an additional 12 months for installation. With a construction cost of more than $11 million, the project was funded as a public/private partnership, and included the reconstruction of surface parking lots and the installation of an extra 106 spaces. In addition, the construction team rebuilt the concession and restroom area, along with the bike and pedestrian trail. But the highlight of Pier Plaza is the development of two public art areas that celebrate the location: the amphitheater and the mural.

Public Art Showcases History

The walls of the 70 foot wide and 165 foot long amphitheater started out as a retaining wall. "We made the wall higher in order to have a place for the introduction of the plaza. The signage went on the inland side facing the street, while the mural was installed to face the ocean side," said Pickel. Clear communication between the artist and project team was essential to successfully convey the correct dimensions required to construct the wall. "We needed to know the number of tiles that would be used for the mural, as well as the size, configuration, grout joint width and depth, and any other details available in order to know how much to recess the wall," explained Pickel.

Once completed, the amphitheater and mural provide a perfect backdrop for the various concerts and festivals held at the location. A mobile stage can be transported to the amphitheater area when a performance is scheduled. The site also serves as an open space area for people to gather for other leisure activities. The space was designed with a two-fold purpose. "First, the amphitheater was designed to be a functional seating arena for special events and to view the ocean," said Pickel. In addition, the structure also provides a transition from the man-made environment of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway to the natural beach, bluff and ocean environment. "The second purpose was to create a place of memory through the beautiful 40-foot mural, which denotes the rich past of the City," explained Pickel.

In response to the harsh salt water and wind conditions, the materials at the Pier Plaza location are weather resistant and sturdy. The interlocking concrete pavers (right), the special colored concrete paving, metal and polyvinyl plastic railing, stone veneers (left), aluminum material and planting palette were specifically selected for their durability and resilience.

Using hand glazed and fired tiles, the colorful images in "Poet's Table" present a panorama of Huntington Beach history and geography as seen through a poet's imagination. Schoonhoven located cultural references in his research and placed them according to specific time periods. For example, on January 18, 1988, a winter storm hit the California coast ripping the portions of the Huntington Beach Pier from their pilings and destroying a large section of the structure. Replicating the original 1914 framework, a new pier was built using reinforced steel, coated with epoxy, to protect it from the corrosive effect of the damp salt air. At 1856 feet long, the new pier is 13 feet higher and 20 feet longer than it's predecessor. Schoonhoven pays homage to the previous pier by including images of its pilings in the mural.

Pier Plaza is a public art project and the first to involve art within the infrastructure of a coastal City that has rapidly grown to a population of 205,000. "Providing art in public spaces greatly enhances the identity of the site," said Ann Thorne, Public Art Management, who acted as a liaison between the City and the design team. The construction management team was headed by Concept Marine, while the construction for the project was completed by Valley Crest. The designer of the project was Dominck Oyzon, Purkiss-Rose, RSI. One of the highlights of the project is a beautiful 40-foot mural, which denotes the rich past of the City.

Coastal Challenges

The most difficult challenge in any coastal development project is choosing the best materials for construction. Materials should be selected primarily for their ability to tolerate the difficult coastal conditions that plague most coastal areas. The main difficulty in choosing materials relates to the salt content in the air, combined with the strong offshore winds that can challenge the lifespan of metals and concrete. These conditions, along with the heavy traffic at most beach facilities, can test the durability of any construction material. Specific materials which withstand the salt air, sands, wind and high recreational use are the only option for beach projects. "We had to be very cautious and aware of what the salt air can do to materials used for Pier Plaza," said Pickel. "Among other things, all of the steel within the concrete is epoxy coated, and the stone on the amphitheater and pavement had to be of a particular strength to withstand the high pressure washing the city does."

Choosing the appropriate plant materials is another challenge for the design team. At most locations, there are many options regarding the type or size of turf and trees planted. But when dealing with a coastal community, the options are few. For Pier Plaza, a turf was chosen that is completely resistant to salt water. BC Turf in Costa Mesa, California provided the Seashore Paspalum for the project. This particular turf will thrive even if salt water is directly applied to the surface. It has become a particularly popular turf product for beach renovation projects.

BC Turf in Costa Mesa, California provided the Seashore Paspalum for the project. This particular turf was chosen because it is completely resistant to salt water.

In addition to the unique sea conditions, the level of maintenance required at the site plays a part in determining which materials to use. For example, the Pier Plaza design team chose interlocking pavers for installation of the special "wave" patterned pavement. The wave design is an appropriate compliment to the nearby amphitheater and restaurant parking area. The design team felt that using interlocking pavers would help maintain the unique pattern of the paving. If one paver should crack, the maintenance team can replace the single paver with relative ease instead of replacing an entire pavement area. "The ease of maintenance is a lot better with the interlocking pavers than concrete would have been," explained Pickel. A vibratory plate was used to install approximately 45,000 square feet of pavers. Adds Pickel, "Interlocking pavers are fairly easy to work with and they're pretty durable. Plus, they were exactly what we looking for when it came to the coloring,"

One of the highlights of the project is the addition of a special "wave" patterned pavement (above), which nicely connects the various features at the location. A vibratory plate was used on the sand set installation of approximately 45,000 square feet of pavers. The wave pattern brings the movement of the ocean into the hardscape elements at the site.