2007 Awards

Landscape Architectural Design | Westshore Park

Merit Award

Westshore Park
Baltimore, MD

Thomas Balsley Associates   
www.tbany.com

Thomas Balsley Associates prepared an open space master plan for the Inner Harbor which included a parking lot sandwiched between the Maryland Science Center and the new Baltimore Visitor Center.  A rigorous public process and design effort have transformed this barren space into the city's great civic space on the harbor and one that is worthy of being in such a prominent place. In a design and build time of just 18 months, the resulting park that is common ground for the city and its visitors, works with the Inner Harbor and its retail venues by acting as a venue for relief from its commercial activity and from the hard surfaces of downtown. West Shore Park provides a lawn that is flexible enough for events, concerts, and festivals, with ample and varied opportunities for seating, congregation, and relaxation. It is a place for citizens and visitors to pause, socialize and watch the waterfront activity that is so integral to the City's history and its future.