Suzanne LaBarre has the details on Michael Maltzan and Tom Leader Studio's competition winning entry to reinvent the Florida city's outdated waterfront.
Stunning renderings show the design ideas behind The Lens, a clean energy-powered concrete canopy with curving walkways and an underwater reef.
Of its clean energy bonifides, LaBarre reports that, "Wind turbines, PV panels, and rainwater collection systems count among the proposed methods for powering the new pier. As for that magnifying glass / wave / sail / crown / living room / lens: It's a canopy embedded with micro-turbines and shaped to maximize wind-energy production."
The design team was even able to utilize the existing aging peer to good effect. "Remains of the old pier form the basis of a new reef. Visible to the public, it's designed to help regenerate surrounding sea life with a 2.5-acre oyster habitat that's big enough to clean 20 million gallons of sea water a day."
FULL STORY: A Massive Proposal To Turn A Florida Pier Into A Floating Urban Park

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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