Bjarke Ingels Group-BIG has released design for an hourglass-shaped observation tower for San Diego's waterfront Central Embarcadero, which will be part of a massive $2.4 billion Seaport San Diego Union-Tribune project. 

A 500-foot (152,4 meters) tall observation tower will be built in San Diego’s bayfront area as part of 1HWY1’s larger redevelopment effort planned for downtown’s Central Embarcadero, reports San Diego Union-Tribune. 

Composed of multiple-sized cylindrical plates, the tower's initial program contains 385 rooms in the base of the tower. Also proposed is a 170,822-square-foot aquarium, a 110,247-square-foot event center, 261,411 square feet of retail space, and 159,454 of office space will be designed for ocean research-related enterprises.

Reportedly, in June, 1HWY1 submitted a formal project proposal to the Port of San Diego, which has permitting power over the tidelands. 

From ground-level view of the BIG's proposed observation tower. Image courtesy of Seaport San Diego.

The Seaport San Diego also reported that staff at the agency are vetting the plan, which has evolved since the developer’s first successful bid to redevelop the site. Staff expect to present Seaport San Diego to Port Commissioners for preliminary approval in August or September.

BIG is inspired by San Diego’s indoor-outdoor culture, as well as the city’s waterfront topography, BIG’s hourglass-shaped tower centers around a stack of spinning discs to evoke different images at varying elevations and vantage points. 

The tower will contribute as the focal point of the Seaport San Diego project, which envisions 70 acres of land and water along Harbor Drive to be celebrated with diverse programs.

"Nothing like this has been done on the water in California," said Yehudi "Gaf" Gaffen, who runs 1HWY1.

"There is the ability for everyone, rich or poor, to get up high and see the view,” Gaffen said. "It is a celebration and recognition of location, the beginning of Highway 1."

Image courtesy of BIG

The roundness of the structure is provided to reflect the circulation and flow of people in and around the structure. When someone stands outside the tower on the ground might look up and connect the building with a cascading, hanging garden, while a viewer at the very top could look out at the horizon and feel the sensation of floating above the clouds.

San Diego Coastal Planner Melody Lasiter shared her concerns about BIG's project and said: "we have concerns about the bulk and scale of the project in general."

"The tower’s height, the width of the base and its location on the promenade are all problematic elements," she said. 

"Our major concern is that the existing development down at Seaport Village right now is easily accessible for a wide range of incomes. There’s a lot of passive space, and anyone can go to Seaport Village and walk around. With the redevelopment, it might not be that way," Lasiter said. "Our focus is the public’s ability to recreate there at low or no cost."

BIG's proposed observation tower. Image courtesy of Seaport San Diego.

Lasiter added that BIG's project has potential too much, but it is too close to the water where sea level rise can be seen every time. It may create obstructed view corridors and limitations on public access are crucial factors.

The project will go under investigation for its environmental impact and the Coastal Commission won’t officially have an approval until much later an environmental impact report is completed and approved by the port.

According to Seaport San Diego Union-Tribune, a determination that Seaport San Diego is inconsistent with the Coastal Act would be a significant blow to proponents. It could indefinitely stall any makeover to the Central Embarcardero.

Hovewer, the 1HWY1 team stated that more than 70 percent of Seaport San Diego’s footprint is reserved for parks, promenades, plazas and other public amenities, described on the developer’s planners note. "And the height of the tower? It’s democratizing access to unrivaled waterfront views," the argument said.

"It’s no surprise at all that the Coastal Commission is concerned about (the tower). That’s a very uncommon amount of bulk and mass in the coastal zone," said Allison Rolfe, an environmental consultant who is advising the development team on how best to navigate the murky waters of the state regulatory agency, which she knows well. 

BIG only released two initial renderings about the project, it is expected to be released with more details soon.

> via Seaport San Diego Union-Tribune