village at bridgewater commons
bridgewater township, somerset county, new jersey
shopping center, landscape design
Adjacent to, but nonetheless an integral part of the overall Bridgewater Commons Mall, General Growth Properties, Inc. expanded the retail experience with the development of a small Lifestyle Center, known as The Village at Bridgewater Commons. It could be accessed by vehicle from the outside via one of the perimeter roadways, or on-foot or by car along internal connections to the Mall proper. The external roadway entrance extends to become the spine upon which The Center is organized in the creation of “street” frontage for the shops and the articulation of pedestrian walkways, sitting areas and small plazas, providing for pedestrian circulation and opportunities for al fresco dining and social interaction. Parking is exclusively placed at the rear of the stores to create a truly pedestrian-oriented shopping experience.
Cee Jay Frederick Associates served as the principle land planner and site designer in the attainment of all entitlements and approvals and Project Landscape Architect in the schematic and detailed landscape/hardscape design. In doing so, emphasis was placed upon the “richness” and quality of the streetscape via the articulation and aesthetic expression embodied in the paving surfaces, particularly as expressed in its patterning; the quality, placement and variety of the street, parking lot and pedestrian area plantings; and the selection and arrangement of the street “furnishings” expressed in terms of the lighting, seating, bollards, and planters used throughout the curb-to-building areas. As such, the landscape design concept and expression is relatively limited in nature, being characteristic of the “streetscape”, except for a limited number of locations where a broader area, or “patch” of land, is provided to address some functional requirements, or simply to afford some greater opportunity for a more assembled landscape aesthetic, generally in response and to enhance the pedestrian experience.
