The Bahamas, historically, has had a long standing relationship with the water's edge, offering vitality, commerce and prosperity. Over recent years, however this relationship has continually diminished due to demand for land and the consequent development along the pristine coastline. Along with land reclamation and industrial encroachment the capital city, Nassau, has become less than desirable as a tourist destination and place of civic pride among resident locals. The purpose of this study was to explore possibilities to reinvigorate the city, the all important cruise industry and also dually reestablish a connection to the water's edge through the introduction of a civic gateway functioning primarily as a cruise ship terminal.

The implementation of this transitional architectural intervention would serve both as a filtering mechanism for visiting passengers and a symbolic gateway to the city beyond. Additionally it could provide the ability to act as catalyst in transforming the waterfront and reestablish a central axis to the city. To successfully achieve this, a deep understanding of site context and local knowledge was necessary, via first hand observation, interviews and user accounts.

Terminals in general have a finality about them, a destination. The desire to avoid this typology and seeking origin and flow inspired a language expressing permeability, movement and openness. This starting point to the city through the implied structure elegantly marks a gateway to the city, transcending from the maritime environment to the local island heritage illustrated through change in scale, materiality and style. The two edge conditions identified are fused through the formulation of the structure that knits the very fabric of the culture across the disconnected relationship, The gateway, a metaphor for waves lapping up on a sandy shore, provides the necessary figurative transitional elements, while ensuring flexibility, variety, rhythm, and organization.

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