The Waterfront at the Petaluma River

This project received a Citation Award from the American Institute of Architects

Challenge

As part of a larger project to renovate all of Petaluma’s downtown area, The Waterfront needed to build on the heritage of the space, have a distinct look and feel and complement the overall design for downtown Petaluma. Goals of Petaluma’s downtown renovation included creating a new visual brand for the area, as well as traffic calming, enhancing commercial access, and improving livability for the community overall.

Solution

• Build on existing railroad tracks with a sinuous form for walkways and hardscapes
• Use rich materials of cobble, brick, and metals recalling an earlier era of the working waterfront
• Accommodate traffic, parking and back-of-house services while creating an inviting pedestrian environment fronting the river

Special Features

• Attractive new walkways, with new trees and unique benches visually connect The Waterfront with downtown
• Design allows for flexible commercial opportunities, such as for popup vendors and seasonal events
• Attractive trash enclosures contribute to the richness of the landscape
• Recycled street cobbles, mined from Sonoma County in the late 1800s, made their way back from San Francisco to this Petaluma waterfront