Phase 1 of Watermark WestQuay is the first part of a major redevelopment of a key area within Southampton’s town center designed by ACME. e new scheme contains a 10-screen multiplex cinema, bowling alley, 24 restaurants and cafés, and a new public plaza and esplanade. Created for Hammerson, Watermark sits adjacent to their WestQuay Shopping Centre, drawing the development towards the sea. A soaring cantilevered box wrapped in a skin of curving silver tubes projects out over the new square, signaling the development from the city as a hub of activity.

Photo via ACME

Photo via ACME

The areas of newly created public realm around the building are open 24 hours a day, ensuring that the scheme is fully integrated into the fabric of the city center.It centers around a new public plaza, flanked by the Town Walls and a set of tapering steps leading down from the lower promenade, creating a natural auditorium in which to host a range of events. Lined with restaurants that open up onto the square, this flexible space will become a scene of lively activity throughout the summer months.

Photo via ACME

A water feature provides a focal point and combines fountain jets with a mirror pool which ebbs and flows much as the tides would have done when this location formed the water’s edge, while integrated lighting animates the space during the evening and night. During the winter space is designed to host an ice rink, Christmas markets, and other activities to ensure it remains vibrant with activity year round.