Agenda - City of Santa Monica

station plaza to the Pier, and to merge the experience of arriving in Santa Monica with
arriving at the water’s edge. However, based on material restrictions in Metro’s Design
Criteria, maintenance concerns from Metro and the City, and concerns about universal
access to the amphitheater, PWP redesigned the space to be a series of terraced
gardens that can be equally shared by all pedestrians whether they use the stairs, the
ramp, or pass by the station.
The new north entrance design simplifies wayfinding and enhances the north ramp.
The garden terraces are designed with bold landscaping to create a s ense of place,
featuring fragrant and colorful plants and signaling arrival. Whether exiting from the
north ramp or stairs, the pedestrian would step out of the station directly onto the
Colorado Esplanade, where additional visual cues of ripple-patterned pavers and string
lights create a dramatic yet uniquely Santa Monica arrival experience and a sensory
connection to the water’s edge.
Design: Colorado Esplanade Streetscape and Circulation Infrastructure Features
The Colorado Esplanade design includes the incorporation of functional and safety
design improvements that are woven together respectfully with adjacent private and
public spaces. Implementing a community priority to reduce visual clutter and simplify
the complexity of the existing conditions, PWP applied a limited design palette of five
defining elements to unify functional elements and to orient and direct people through
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