US landscape architecture firm Foster Conant & Associates recently received the 2013 Award of Honor in the Commercial category from the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) for the redesigned West Bay Street area around Baha Mar .

The ASLA is a premier professional association for landscape architects with members based in the US and 42 countries around the world. The award, judged by industry peers, recognizes inspired and imaginative landscape architectural design that adds to the body of work in the landscape architecture profession.

The West Bay Street project, considered a “remarkable display of landscape architecture” by the jury, utilizes environmental factors to engage the local community and to create a safe, unique experience for pedestrians and drivers.

Energy efficient lighting is used to light the roads, while large, indigenous trees have been transplanted from the old West Bay Street Park and arranged along walkways to provide shade.

The park also includes signature décor such as coral pink sidewalks, crushed queen conch shells used in the five round-a-bouts and Casuarina tree benches designed and produced by Bahamian artist Antonius Roberts.