AIA Honors The Bay “One Park for All” with a 2026 Regional & Urban Design Award

The Bay is the City of Sarasota’s first signature waterfront park. Located where the city’s iconic Boulevard of the Arts meets the Sarasota Bay, The Bay is a living demonstration of 21st century sustainability principles, a memorable community gateway, and a loving reflection of Sarasota’s unique natural and cultural context.

Sarasota, Florida – June 10, 2026 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is honoring Agency Landscape + Planning, Sweet Sparkman Architects, and its design team with a 2026 Regional & Urban Design Award for The Bay “One Park for All”, located in Sarasota, Florida.

The Regional & Urban Design Award honors the best in urban design, regional and city planning, and community development. Agency Landscape + Planning, Sweet Sparkman Architects, and its design team were honored at the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design® (AIA26) Awards Gala, June 10 in San Diego. 

“Recognition from the national AIA is a profound honor for our entire team,” said Gina Ford, co-founder and principal landscape architect of Agency and The Bay’s design team leader. “The Bay ‘One Park for All’ is a rare opportunity to shape a signature civic space at the intersection of landscape, ecology, and community. We are proud to share this award with Sweet Sparkman Architects and our extensive team of experts. This recognition affirms that design excellence, environmental resiliency and community engagement are mutually-reinforcing values.”

A compelling first phase following an unprecedented and inclusive master planning process, The Bay is the City of Sarasota’s first signature waterfront park. This 10-acre park brings together active, changing spaces for Sarasota’s diverse community, regional trail and mobility connections, and intimate places of deep nature immersion within the City. Conceived as an active, sustainable gathering place for Sarasota’s diverse community, this “One Park for All” is a model of environmental stewardship, a highly-anticipated first-phase realization of a community-driven vision, and a well-crafted expression of Sarasota’s heritage. The Bay is a legacy destination now, and for many generations to come.

“This site has a long and storied history in Sarasota — but for many years, it was a place the community could see but never truly experience in full,” said Jerry Sparkman, co-founder and principal of Sweet Sparkman. “The transformation of this waterfront into The Bay Park represents the vision and inspiration of generations. We are deeply grateful to the AIA for recognizing the significance of this work, and to the City of Sarasota and The Bay Park Conservancy for the vision and trust that made it possible.”