Union Pier Village:
Charleston's New Connected Community
The intention of this project was to create an urban masterplan that reintegrates Charleston's old industrial Union Pier waterfront into the local neighborhood, transforming a disconnected site with limited public access into a vibrant, mixed-use community. The project must reconnect the city to its maritime heritage while addressing contemporary needs through three distinct districts—Residential, Community, and Commercial—each featuring diverse programming from housing and civic amenities to waterfront recreation and urban agriculture. The ultimate goal was to create an urban masterplan he assignment was made over a ten week period using Revit, Rhino, Twinmotion, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Procreate.
Statement of Intent
Union Pier Village reimagines Charleston's underutilized industrial waterfront as a complete, connected neighborhood that bridges the city's historic fabric with sustainable contemporary urbanism. Through three integrated districts—Residential, Community, and Commercial—the project transforms a disconnected pier into a thriving mixed-use community featuring diverse housing, civic amenities, waterfront recreation, and urban agriculture that celebrates Charleston's maritime identity. The design prioritizes public realm excellence and ecological performance through comprehensive green infrastructure, carefully detailed streetscapes, and strategic pier interventions that activate the water's edge as a dynamic public amenity. This phased development represents a human-centered model for coastal regeneration, demonstrating how thoughtful urban design can reconnect communities to their waterfronts while addressing contemporary needs for housing, sustainability, and resilient growth.