Urban Design + Community Design

Providing architectural + urban design to small town America

Given our unique background in finance, real estate, urban design, and architecture, we have the opportunity to work with our surrounding community to provide solutions to needs that are both functional, but also well designed. In many cases, small towns and community organizations identify needs they have or problems that they need solved, but lack the visual tools necessary to develop an actionable vision. In some cases, by engaging a creative mind with a different perspective, a single solution can solve multiple needs at the same time providing enough vision to raise needed funds.

We approach every project knowing that first and foremost it must function for the desired use, but that ultimately it must be approved by many public organizations that have varying agendas and demands, as well as eventually be funded in order to get built. We understand these processes well and can utilize our background to create a vision that can be funded and approved.

2Kings Urban Projects

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Case Study:

Harborside Park

The Importance of Good Urban Design

it makes a difference

The NC Maritime Museum had an undeveloped lot sitting next to their watercraft center in Beaufort, NC. They needed a deck for museum activities and a new dock to launch small craft. Their thought was that it could also be used by the Town of Beaufort during the day when not in use by the Museum.

Given their needs, the image at the bottom right represents the solution that the NC Maritime Museum and an engineering firm came up with. It was a flat deck at grade with the street. A new entry to the dock is shown on the West end of the waterside railing. A small pop up tent was added in case of needed cover for any events.

This is solution is perfectly adequate for their needs. However, questions that we asked:

How will people occupy the space?
Is the walkway on the view side of the dock going to cause conflict with seating on the porch?
If events are held on the deck, how would you control access?
What about providing intimacy from the street during those events?
If the public is going to use it, where are the closest rest rooms?
What will the feeling be on the deck with no vegetation?
Where are your sources of funding coming from - do you need a vision with some great marketing to entice donors?

What 2Kings provided was a creative solution that met multiple needs of both the Maritime Museum and the Town in one single project. In addition, we helped shepherd the project through the requirements of both the state and local historic committees, as well as provided a vision that generated excitement for donors.

Original Cost Estimate: $210,000 Original Goal: $250,000
Completed Project Goal: $350,000 Amount Raised: $361,000

Learn More about Harborside