2025 ASLA Honor Award in Urban Design for Water Street Tampa
Every year, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) honors the best in professional landscape architecture with its prestigious professional awards. This weekend Reed Hilderbrand will accept an ASLA Honor Award in Urban Design for Generosity of Place: Water Street Tampa’s Continuous Canopy, a transformative framework that envisions a vibrant neighborhood distinguished by pervasive tree canopy, walkable blocks, and lush streetscapes.
Water Street Tampa, the 563-acre district developed by Strategic Property Partners (SPP), evolved from a fragmented industrial landscape into a connected, wellness-driven district designed for human comfort, environmental resilience, and civic life. Reed Hilderbrand’s public realm master plan, commissioned at the project’s inception, set a bold vision for a mile-long urban forest anchored by mature live oaks and generous pedestrian spaces.
Water Street Tampa’s urban design prioritizes immersive shade and pedestrian-oriented streetscapes. Sidewalks were designed to allow 1,200 cubic feet of soil per tree—supporting the growth of more than 82 live oaks and 512 other trees across the district that will achieve 75% canopy coverage within a decade. The district’s streetscapes and open spaces invite daily use—from quiet reflection under the canopy to local events and performances—reinforcing the project’s civic purpose. Upon completion of the public realm plan, Reed Hilderbrand served as the development’s global landscape architect overseeing the district’s first phase.
This framework represents a holistic vision for shade and health in urban spaces,” said EB Randall, Principal-in-Charge at Reed Hilderbrand. “By weaving continuous canopy through downtown Tampa, the city streets become cooler, more inviting, and alive with possibility.”
Water Street Tampa addresses climate change and urban resilience through permeable surfaces, rain gardens, and a combination of both Florida Friendly and native plantings that respond to Gulf Coast conditions. The neighborhood achieved certification in 2023 as the first-ever WELL Standard Community, a global benchmark for wellness and sustainability in the built environment.
The ASLA Honor Award in Urban Design also acknowledges the achievements and contributions of numerous designers to Water Street Tampa’s first phase, including: Elkus Manfredi Architects, COOKFOX, Morris Adjmi, Kohn Pedersen Fox, HOK, Nelson Byrd Woltz, Stantec, EDSA, Oona Johnsen Landscape Architecture, Irrigation Consulting, Inc., Tillotson Design Associates, JBC Landscape Architects.
Learn more about the 2025 ASLA awards here.