Anurban beach (alsocity beach and sometimesbeach club) is an artificially-created environment in an urban setting which simulates a publicbeachfront, through the use of sand,beach umbrellas, and seating elements.
There are many variations of urban beaches. Urban beaches are often found along waterways, though some are inserted into town squares or other spaces far from water. The beach may be a seasonal installation over a roadway or parking lot, or it may be permanent.
Urban beaches are not necessarily publicly owned, though they generally remain open to the public (sometimes with an admission fee). Where river or ocean swimming is not possible, many urban beaches include water features -- for examplefountains,wading pools or misting towers -- for cooling off. Some urban beaches feature entertainment, or food and beverage areas. A few include sports facilities such asbeach volleyball.
Most urban beaches are designed to appeal to a general population, including families, young singles, and older citizens. Although an urban beach may not have facilities for swimming, swimwear is commonly seen alongside the more usual attire seen in major urban centers.
The popularity of urban beaches increased in the early 21st century as the concept was championed by urban planners, landscape architects and local politicians.[1]
Natural urban beaches located at the sea have attracted tourists for a long time, such as theCopacabana of Rio, the central beach ofSan Sebastián or theCity Beach inStralsund. However, many of the urban beaches are used especially by the locals for relaxation. A good example of this is the beach ofBarcola, which used to be connected to the center ofTrieste by tram and now by bus. People of all ages take the opportunity to spend their free time or lunch breaks away from the heat of the city on the cool sea breeze.[2] There are even considerations to rebuild the sandy beach in Barcola, which was largely overbuilt by road construction in the 19th century.[3][4]
Although many cities had experimented with temporary sand installations for various festivals and artistic projects, the modern urban beach concept as a summertime public amenity in the middle of the city was popularized by theParis-Plages, a program of seasonal urban beach installations along theSeine.[5] The Paris Plages is the world's largest urban beach, and it transforms a stretch of the riverbanks into a beach experience complete with sand, deck chairs, and water activities.[6] Some European urban beaches claim to predateParis with similar elements and programming.[7]
Many waterfront restaurants and bars around the globe have beach-themed sections, and as these have grown larger and added size and features there has been some crossover with urban beaches. For example, the two artificial beaches inNew York City and many of the manmade beaches in German cities feature enclosed beach areas open to visitors, but the spaces are managed by private entities as food and drinks venues and close frequently for concerts and events. Strictly speaking, such locations are private enterprises and not true urban beaches, which can include commercial ventures but should maintain an atmosphere of public space.
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This list is only of urban beaches as defined above, open to the public on a free or admission basis. It does not include fully private artificial beaches, natural beaches that exist in urban areas, playgrounds, dedicated waterparks or hardscape fountain plazas.[8]
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Media related toArtificial beaches at Wikimedia Commons