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05-10-23 | Feature
APDW was also responsible for the design and development of the Waterfront Park, the 10-acre open space public "commons" of the community. Phase One of the park encompasses 3.5 acres and was completed in 2022. Once an estuary and Oak woodland, the former Naval Air station was built on the northwestern end of Alameda Island, on bay fill of the wetland landscape. A particular focus of the Waterfront Park design was placed on the interconnecting systems of the local environment, protection strategies for rising tides, green infrastructure, and discovery of the cultural landscape. The key site plan components of the park form generated through this lens are "Taxiway," "Terraces," "Promenade" and "Overlook."
The expansive taxiways, Sea Plane Lagoon location, nearby USS Hornet Museum Ship, and remnant post-industrial, military landscape inspired the cultural landscape design including the park's historic Taxiway timeline. Imprinted in black concrete bands with embedded metal letters and installed by Suarez & Munoz, the landscape contractor, are selected highlights of the existing site and former base's milestones that create the Taxiway timeline. Historic planes were selected from the plane squadrons housed on the base during World War II to be painted with solar reflective paint at four landing nodes of the "Terraces." The planes are discovered as visitors amble through the park. Educational signs were digitally silkscreened with text and plane images onto a pre-folded metal panel designed by the landscape architects. Adjacent to the Taxiway timeline, benches complement the post-industrial feel and flank the Corten-steel sculpture "Beken," by artist Godfrey DeWitt. The sculpture acts as a new landmark beacon to the park in the site's vast landscape vistas.
The park provides 500 feet of amphitheater terrace views of bay vistas with recreational access to the historic Sea Plane Lagoon. Other recreational factors include promenades and benches for strolling, a steel mesh guardrail that allows for fishing and viewing, and barbeques, game tables, and shade pavilions for picnicking. Chairs in wood grained aluminum are positioned in groups of two along the waterfront "Promenade" edge to easily stimulate conversation. The guardrail is designed with a tilted oval ledge to accommodate
leaning to watch the everchanging views of wind, water, birds, and boats.
The Waterfront Park was designed specifically to protect the development from over 66 inches of sea level rise and storm surge. The design incorporates sea level rise resiliency strategies that address sea level rise inundation over time through the "Terraces" that step down from the Taxiway to the Waterfront Promenade. Each terrace is built of gabion rock walls with Sitecraft bench tops and are designed ecologically to address sea level rise inundation over the next forty years. A planting palette comprised of native plant communities common to the San Francisco Bay mirrors the natural ecological systems of the native shoreline capable of withstanding occasional inundation to accommodate the rising tides. Native plant communities also figure into the stormwater management throughout the park.
Bridging the Past with the Future - Waterfront Park
San Rafael, California
Waterfront Park, a new development found in Alameda, California, was built on a former decommissioned Naval Air Station. To pay homage to the site's previous history, planes were selected from the squadrons housed in the base during World War II and painted with solar reflective paint on the hardscape. There are also educational signs of the historic planes found around the site. (Inset)
Gabion rock terraces step down to the Waterfront Promenade and accommodate a range of seating opportunities, native plant communities for sea level rise inundation, and pedestrian and bike trails for recreation.
Imprinted in black concrete bands with embedded metal letters installed by the landscape contractor, are selected highlights of the existing site and former base's milestones that create the Taxiway timeline. This photo was taken while the Taxiway was under construction.
"Beken" by Godfrey DeWitt is a Corten-steel sculpture that provides a new landmark at the Waterfront Park.
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April Philips Design Works, Inc. (APDW) of San Rafael, CA, was contracted as landscape architect and urban planner to create a 68-acre community master plan to transform a brownfield, post-industrial site into a new, vibrant coastal community. Located on a former decommissioned Naval Air Station on Alameda, CA, inspired by an adaptive reuse approach, the master plan addresses and responds to key regional issues of the San Francisco Bay Area. These include resilience, designing for sea level rise, creation of housing and jobs, and transit.
APDW was also responsible for the design and development of the Waterfront Park, the 10-acre open space public "commons" of the community. Phase One of the park encompasses 3.5 acres and was completed in 2022. Once an estuary and Oak woodland, the former Naval Air station was built on the northwestern end of Alameda Island, on bay fill of the wetland landscape. A particular focus of the Waterfront Park design was placed on the interconnecting systems of the local environment, protection strategies for rising tides, green infrastructure, and discovery of the cultural landscape. The key site plan components of the park form generated through this lens are "Taxiway," "Terraces," "Promenade" and "Overlook."
The expansive taxiways, Sea Plane Lagoon location, nearby USS Hornet Museum Ship, and remnant post-industrial, military landscape inspired the cultural landscape design including the park's historic Taxiway timeline. Imprinted in black concrete bands with embedded metal letters and installed by Suarez & Munoz, the landscape contractor, are selected highlights of the existing site and former base's milestones that create the Taxiway timeline. Historic planes were selected from the plane squadrons housed on the base during World War II to be painted with solar reflective paint at four landing nodes of the "Terraces." The planes are discovered as visitors amble through the park. Educational signs were digitally silkscreened with text and plane images onto a pre-folded metal panel designed by the landscape architects. Adjacent to the Taxiway timeline, benches complement the post-industrial feel and flank the Corten-steel sculpture "Beken," by artist Godfrey DeWitt. The sculpture acts as a new landmark beacon to the park in the site's vast landscape vistas.
The park provides 500 feet of amphitheater terrace views of bay vistas with recreational access to the historic Sea Plane Lagoon. Other recreational factors include promenades and benches for strolling, a steel mesh guardrail that allows for fishing and viewing, and barbeques, game tables, and shade pavilions for picnicking. Chairs in wood grained aluminum are positioned in groups of two along the waterfront "Promenade" edge to easily stimulate conversation. The guardrail is designed with a tilted oval ledge to accommodate
leaning to watch the everchanging views of wind, water, birds, and boats.
The Waterfront Park was designed specifically to protect the development from over 66 inches of sea level rise and storm surge. The design incorporates sea level rise resiliency strategies that address sea level rise inundation over time through the "Terraces" that step down from the Taxiway to the Waterfront Promenade. Each terrace is built of gabion rock walls with Sitecraft bench tops and are designed ecologically to address sea level rise inundation over the next forty years. A planting palette comprised of native plant communities common to the San Francisco Bay mirrors the natural ecological systems of the native shoreline capable of withstanding occasional inundation to accommodate the rising tides. Native plant communities also figure into the stormwater management throughout the park.
Filed Under: CUSTOM RESIDENTIAL, FEBRUARY, LASN, APRIL PHILIPS DESIGN WORKS, INC., LASN
