This week, the City of Oceanside, in partnership with Resilient Cities Catalyst and GHD, announced the finalists for RE:BEACH – Oceanside Coastal Resilience Design Competition. After a global call for entries, the project team has selected three uniquely qualified and innovative teams to move forward in this collective effort, bringing their world-class environmental engineering expertise to Oceanside to identify the most innovative, sustainable and doable solutions to restore and preserve the sandy beaches in Oceanside.
“We are thrilled with the interest and participation from global climate adaptation and coastal resilience experts and can’t wait to see what our finalists come up with as potential solutions over the coming months,” said Oceanside Coastal Zone Administrator Jayme Timberlake.
Engineering firms from across the world were invited to apply to participate in RE:BEACH. A jury and advisory committee comprised of local, state, and national experts weighed in on reviewing initial proposals from the global teams, with the City and project team making the ultimate decision on the finalists, based on experience, proposed approach and track record of delivering innovative solutions:
SCAPE Landscape Architecture with ESA and the Dredge Research Collaborative: SCAPE is a New York City based landscape architecture and urban design firm with offices in New Orleans and San Francisco. The team works to create well-designed, ecologically restorative and socially engaged landscapes through diverse forms of design. Scape Studio aims to use this project to bolster the transformative potential of natural spaces.
Deltares with Deltares USA, and MVRDV: Deltares is a nonprofit, solution-driven Dutch firm which boasts a robust knowledge of major societal issues and realizes the urgency behind finding equitable, sustainable solutions. Deltares’ mission revolves around working passionately to find answers to some of life’s biggest environmental questions.
International Coastal Management: An Australia-based firm that aims to meet the objectives of the project, while also acknowledging the unique opportunities and challenges of Oceanside’s coastal environment. From the Gold Coast in Australia to Europe and the Caribbean, the team of coastal engineers has experience with various technical coastal designs, having completed projects for SeaWorld, the Gold Coast Waterways Authority, the Nature Conservancy, and more.
The SCAPE, Deltares, and International Coastal Management teams know that solutions of the past won’t work in the 21st century, which is why they’ll work to find novel solutions to mitigate erosion from the compounding impacts from climate change, the Oceanside Harbor, and nearby industrial development.
Each of the three finalists will develop conceptual plans and strategies for innovative and sustainable sand retention infrastructure that enables the preservation of sand along Oceanside’s shoreline and reduces coastal stressors on our built environments. The chosen teams aim to generate innovative, proactive solutions to improve Oceanside’s beloved coast, while simultaneously creating a healthier environment for everyone to enjoy, whether you surf, swim, run, or gather.
“This is far more than just a technical solve,” said Sam Carter, Founding Principal of Resilient Cities Catalyst. “By including the points of view of industry leaders from different parts of the globe, these competitors are taking part in a big picture approach that will set our beaches up to evolve with the changing climate.”
The implementation of a coastal structure to restore and maintain sandy beaches is a process with deeply held opinions and points of view. To accommodate its audience, the project team will hold a series of public workshops and provide additional opportunities for public input and engagement. All stakeholders are invited and encouraged to join us on August 24, 2023, in the City Council Chambers at Oceanside City Hall to provide their feedback on the RE:BEACH design alternatives created by the three awarded firms. The competition will have three series of design rounds, each featuring their own unique workshop. The project will be brought to the City Council in early 2024 for final approval.
“With the competitors chosen, we are looking to launch into design and need public assistance on developing the suite of benefits that a project like this may offer the Oceanside community,” said Ms. Timberlake. “We have three public workshops planned for the end of summer and fall. Given the communities undeniable connection to the coast, we are expecting and encouraging those who love the coast of Oceanside to come join the process of determining the future of our beaches.”
The finalists came together in Oceanside for the first time on July 10 to visit the project site and gather more information and insights about coastal erosion challenges in the area.
