Here at International Coastal Management (ICM), we have some very exciting news to report.
We are thrilled to announce that our entry for the RE:BEACH - Oceanside Coastal Resilience Design Competition has been chosen as a finalist. We're traveling from Australia's Gold Coast to California's Oceanside to provide our expertise, enthusiasm, and fresh perspective to the area.
Being a part of such a monumental endeavour is an incredible honour for us. This competition is a fantastic chance for us to apply our extensive knowledge of the Gold Coast to the challenges facing the coastal community of Oceanside, California, from a global perspective.
If you've been following us, you know that we've accomplished successful, beach re-nourishment campaigns in other locations around the globe. With the same dedication to skill and creativity, we will take on the task of re-nourishing Oceanside in an innovative approach building on the lessons learned.
Our team is thinking ahead as well as designing for the here and now. We are looking short and long term solutions that help with sand retention and lessens coastal pressures knowing the problems will only get worse in the 21st century. Our Goal? Longevity. So that future generations can enjoy Oceanside's beautiful coastline into the future.
What we've learned from experience in a project like this is that there are multiple stakeholders at play and that the design should not only benefit the beach of Oceanside but also consider the downdraft effects as well as the local surf culture and environment.
As keen surfers (as well as engineers), we are mindful that disruption to existing surf breaks is very undesirable. Therefore, we will be focusing on areas away from the well established breaks.
The Gold Coast is home to some incredible, world famous beaches. The success of the beaches is due to decades of careful planing, on-going work and monitoring programs. We hope to integrate these experiences and knowledge into our Oceanside approach.
We also recognise the value of giving back to the local stakeholders and end users. Through a series of open seminars, we hope to get to know the locals and pick their brains. The first of these sessions will take place in Oceanside City Hall from 4 to 7 p.m. on August 29, 2023. Everyone in the neighbourhood is welcome to join us and share their thoughts.
The journey throughout this design phase is going to be amazing. Our goal is to build a approach that is not only admired by the people of Oceanside but also serves as a living testimony to the synergy of international knowledge and regional context.
As such, stay tuned as we want to introduce a little piece of the Gold Coast vibe to Oceanside. For more information about the project and history, check out RE:BEACH project.
Cheers!