SEAPLANE LAGOON WATER TRANSIT FERRY TERMINAL

Details

Location Alameda, CA
Year 2020
Size 1,500 square feet

Description

The project provides public transportation while creating an icon that environmentally and architecturally enhances the waterfront. The terminal benefits the community, catalyzing economic rejuvenation and ecological remediation of a former Navy site. Landside improvements include a portion of the Bay Trail, which traverses terminal property designed as part of the project. The solution—to ensure usability despite projected sea level rise—is a raised terminal floor level above the roadway with ramps and steps integrated architecturally into the design.

Materials were specified for longevity, sustainability, and aesthetics, such as a fabric roof, steel roof structure, glass wind screens, and concrete foundation, ramps, steps, and floor. The fabric roof solution was extremely economical with forms that recall ship sails. Given the coastal climate, the terminal avoids extreme temperatures. No fossil fuel conditions the building. Thirty-six electric vehicle “clean air” parking spots have wiring in place for charging stations.

Water, air, and land wildlife are factored into the design. The team includes ecosystem experts in wildlife specialties. The parking lot drains to a vegetated bioretention basin; water is pre-filtered before entering the storm drain system. The translucent roof provides soothing interior day-light. “Bird-safe” glass windscreens flaunt spectacular views while protecting endangered least tern colony.

Award

2022 Taipei Design Awards - Public Space Design - Social Innovation Award

Architecture Masterprize - Infrastructure - Honorable Mention

Team

ARCHITECT Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects with

Peter Logan, Architect (PLAD)

CLIENT City of Alameda

San Francisco Water Emergency Transportation Authority

MARINE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER COWI North America Inc.

LIGHTING DESIGNER Horton Lees Brogden

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Groundworks Office

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER The Engineering Enterprise

CIVIL ENGINEER BKF Engineers

PLANT & ECOLOGY CONSULTANT H. T. Harvey & Associates

DEVELOPER / GENERAL CONTRACTOR Trammell Crow Residential /

Maple Construction

WATER-SIDE CONTRACTOR Power Engineering Construction

LAND-SIDE CONTRACTOR DeSilva Gates Construction

CONSTRUCTION  MANAGER Ghirardelli Associates

PHOTOGRAPHER Billy Hustace Photography

VIDEOGRAPHER Maurice Ramirez Photography