Mikyoung Kim Design is working with the Village of Bal Harbour on several projects that will unify and update their public spaces.  The Cut Walk Jetty will connect pedestrians with the oceanfront, thereby energizing and activating public life, accommodating diverse programming, and incorporating areas for outdoor dining, performance, and gathering.

Initial design concepts draw inspiration from the ocean’s dynamic movement. Removed from the vehicular traffic, a tiled promenade begins alongside busy Collins Avenue and extends outward along the Jetty, curving gently into the sea. The ground plane is transformed by a kaleidoscopic stone mosaic that mirrors the water’s palette of hues. With room for both pedestrians and cyclists, it beckons visitors to traverse the seaside at a human scale, with room for both contemplation and interaction. Lush plantings subtly delineate the promenade from the hotels and other mixed-used properties.

With sensitivity to the site’s unique ecology, a wooden boardwalk layers onto the promenade. Its materiality and configuration suffuses the site with a warmth and texture, contrasting with surrounding hotels’ sleek modernity and stature. Similarly referencing the harbor’s ebb and flow, the boardwalk gently bends northward from the shoreline into the ocean, shading visitors with an organic canopy structure. Outward from the canopy, three sections of stepped seating fluidly emerge into the water, providing visitors a restful vantage point with a serene ocean view.

Local landscape architect: Cadence