Madrid studio Ecosistema Urbano has won first place in a competition to revamp the waterfront of Florida's West Palm Beach, with a proposal for domed spaces that house an array of functions, from an aquarium to a yoga and meditation zone.
Called Open Shore, the scheme is the winner of the Shore to Core competition organised by New York think tank Van Alen Institute and the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency.

The Mindfulness Plaza would accommodate yoga and meditation, and the Playscape Plaza would be a fun area for children and adults. The scheme also features plazas dedicated to sporting activities and the display of art in a forest-like setting, among other functions.
The team has oriented the plazas so that they would allow for breezes to pass through to the urban core.
Possible uses for the site include a farmers market, co-working spaces and skyline viewing platforms.
"The Banyan Garage is conceived as a new beacon for activities in downtown," the team said. "It becomes a true part of the city from the ground floor to the public roof terrace."

In addition to design concepts, the Shore to Core competition asked for research proposals that identified opportunities to create healthier and more inclusive cities.
The winner, Happier by Design, focused on how tactile spaces can increase a sense of well-being, and conducted a pilot study analysing the health benefits of more complex and engaging urban landscapes.

Other proposals for West Pa...