The city of St. Petersburg, Florida is once more seeking candidates for the design of its new pier. The call comes two years after a pier design by Michael Maltzan Architecture was selected over rival schemes by BIG and West 8, but was eventually turned down after significant public criticism. To avoid a repeat of that incident, the current selection process for candidates and their subsequent proposals will incorporate more community input.
More on the competition after the break
To satisfy the public's many demands for the new pier, Mayor Rick Kriseman has begun meeting with a group of 21 citizens, comprised of both supporters and critics of the previous design. He has also established a committee of seven consultants, including architects and marine biologists, to choose the firm whose work will best serves the city’s cultural, recreational, and ecological needs.
Submissions of qualification must demonstrate to the committee that the firm is capable of creating a structure "that’s both a city icon and a recreational hub." At the same time, this structure must adhere to a budget, and incorporate public demands from the mayor’s Pier Working Group.
The selection committee will draw from submissions to create a shortlist of up to eight firms, each of which will receive a $30,000 stipend for the creation of an initial design proposal. These will be reviewed, and the shortlist will be narrowed down to three finalists. The finalists will be voted on by the public via online survey, and will eventually be ranked by the committee. Negotiations with the top-ranked firm will then be opened by the city council.
Deadline for submissions is September 15th. See the official announcement and submission rules here.
Story via the St. Petersburg Tribune
