Design lead for the Gloucester HarborWalk, including all architectural elements, palettes, materials, graphic design and branding by Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc
The Gloucester HarborWalk is a mile and half path traversing the working waterfront, cultural sites and downtown commercial district in America's oldest seaport. Connecting new, refurbished and existing public spaces, the HarborWalk provides access to Gloucester Harbor and downtown while highlighting the character of the place, and respecting the authentic beauty of the working waterfront.
Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc. also designed the series of story markers and wayfinding maps that lead and help convey the rich artistic, industrial and historical heritage of the city. The icons are designed by Chris Muskopf of Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc.
As part of their vision for combining new and traditional media for this project, Cambridge Seven Associates selected Untravel Media, Inc for the design & development of the iPhone & Android Mobile APP and video production for the "WALKING CINEMA Posts from Gloucester".
Design
Overview
Details
Connections are made to existing museums, artifacts and interpretive sites as well as short interactive films —available via smartphone and the web. QR codes at each marker allow for deeper investigation of topics conveyed. Each of the markers has a unique icon revealing a key facet of the story. Each icon is slightly raised allowing visitors to collect pencil rubbings at each Story Marker.
Palette and materials
The path's palette draws on the native maritime and cultural materials of Cape Ann, employing wood boardwalks, granite and brick paving linked by a stabilized paving mix recycled glass and crushed granite that is highly functional in stormwater management and barrier free access while also subtly beautiful.
Wood light poles and overhead illumination define the gathering spaces along the path, with granite benches assembled from the unique salvaged local stone.
Wood light poles and overhead illumination define the gathering spaces along the path, with granite benches assembled from the unique salvaged local stone.
Trees and Blooms
Cambridge Seven Associates selected Stoss Landscape Urbanism to provide conceptual landscape and planning collaboration for the walk, and Kim Smith Designs to provide planting design and implementation. Native tree and perennial plantings enhance areas for teaching sustainability and hosting migratory birds and butterflies. If you would like to volunteer or have questions about the gardens please contact Friends of the Harborwalk gharborwalk@gmail.com
Other Credits
Electrical Engineer: RDK Engineers; Structural/Civil Engineer: Bourne Consulting Engineering
Award-winning walk
Within its first year, the Gloucester HarborWalk has received quite a salute and range of regional, state and national awards. How gratifying that such well respected professional and government organizations have recognized the HarborWalk. We have the Seaport Advisory Council to thank for sharing in our community s vision, and making it all possible. Please click each award to learn more
2013 (October) Highlighted as Innovative Placemaking Space, Ma Smart Growth Alliance, ABX
Annual conference, Boston MA
2013 (August) Pioneer in Partnership Award, Essex National Heritage Commission
Essex National Heritage Commission gave the City of Gloucester Community Development Department a Pioneer in Partnership award on September 5th 2013 in recognition of the HarborWalk. They wrote: Specifically, we wish to recognize the Department s leadership and commitment to excellence through its development of the Gloucester HarborWalk. The Department s exemplary achievement improves the quality of life not only in Gloucester but the greater region. The Essex National Heritage Area encompasses 34 cities and towns of Essex County, a 500 square mile region just north of Boston, MA. The county was officially designated a National Heritage Area by and Act of the U.S. Congress in 1996, in recognition of the important role that the county played in American history and the significant heritage resources that still exist in the region. The Act also authorized the Commission as the non profit steward of the Area. Their mission is to preserve and enhance the historic, cultural and natural resources of Essex County for the benefit of ALL who live, work and visit the Area.
2013 Eminent Waterfront Center Excellence on the Waterfront Awards
The Waterfront Center for decades has led the way with serious waterfront chronicling and education from all points of view (public access, what waterfront spaces means, creative collaboration, sustainability, etc). They've worked in at least 40 states, and across the globe in places such as Japan, UK, Italy, and France. They introduced inspirational annual honors in 1987, with funding support from the NEA. In that first year, top Honors went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Battery Park City. Each year a select, interdisciplinary jury considers a wide array of now global submissions.The Waterfront Center is working towards a digital catalogue, which will be a complete, illustrated, interactive database of all these annual showcased projects. How great that Gloucester will be included.
2013 (May) Prestigious Gold MUSE Award from the American Alliance of Museums
Announced during the American Alliance of Museums massive annual conference, the AAM (106-year old organization) recognizes outstanding achievement in museum media as part of its international awards recognitions. Not only was the HarborWalk nominated, but it won in its category for its Walking Cinema, in competition with museums like the National Museum of American History (which took the bronze), and the Whitney and MoMa last year winning in other categories.
2013 (March) Golden Shoe Award from WalkBoston
City of Gloucester creatively getting Gloucester Walking. Every year WalkBoston recognizes communities that are making major strides to improve conditions for walking which is a wonderful endorsement of the great work around the HarborWalk, city planning, and community development.
2013 (March) Gloucester's Harbortown Cultural District, Massachusetts Cultural Council
A primary goal of the HarborWalk was to reunite Gloucester working waterfront with its historical Main Street and cultural institutions to create destination in the downtown/harbor area. Its success in bringing together the partnerships and elements for this unity is made visible by the designation from the MA Cultural Council for The City of Gloucester Harbortown Cultural District. We are the only city in MA with two cultural districts.
2013 Kenneth E. Pickard Municipal Innovation Award from the Massachusetts Municipal Association
The Kenneth E. Pickard Municipal Innovation Award is sponsored each year by the Massachusetts Municipal Association to recognize municipalities that have developed unique and creative projects and programs to increase the effectiveness of local government. It is named in honor of Kenneth E. Pickard, the first executive secretary of the Massachusetts League of Cities and Towns, from 1969 to 1973.
