TIDAL SLOPES

The studio is sited in the Boston Seaport District, a former industrial neighborhood that was transformed initially by the establishment of the Institute of Contemporary Art, and has undergone massive development over the last 20 years. Rising condominium towers and newly minted office space has made apparent the need for recreational parks that integrate the growing population and connect people to the aquatic environment of the city.

The design proposes a series of slopes that cascade into the water at varying levels, providing a framework for vegetal growth according to each speciesʼ saltwater tolerance. Elevation above sea-level and frequency of inundation become the criteria by which certain species establish. The entire surface of the slopes is clad in rich Carerra marble, a soft stone that weathers and mineralizes in the rough seaport environment, eventually softening the initial geometry and transforming it into a smooth monolithic stone beach dressed in marine and upland vegetation.