Five Internationally-Renowned Teams to Present Design Ideas
14 new proposals for future of new acres of Presidio Parklands to be discussed on September 4.
Presidio of San Francisco, CA (September 4, 2014) — Today, five internationally-renowned landscape architecture and design teams will share their concepts with the public for 14 new acres of Presidio parklands. The new parklands will be created by the replacement of the elevated highway (Doyle Drive) that has cut through the Presidio for seven decades, with a below-grade roadway covered by tunnels. The Presidio Trust, in partnership with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and National Park Service, asked the five teams to develop creative concepts to inspire ideas about what could happen at the site.
“This is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to create and design new parklands,” said Craig Middleton, Presidio Trust executive director. “We are extremely pleased with the caliber of the work of the five design teams and look forward to hearing the public’s feedback on these early concepts.”
The five teams:
Each will describe their concepts at a public meeting at the Observation Post at 211 Lincoln Boulevard in the Presidio beginning at 7 pm. Media are invited to attend.
The presentations on September 4 will initiate the “Imagine Phase” of the project, during which the public is invited to submit their own concepts and program ideas for the new parklands, as well as provide feedback about the design teams’ concepts. This public input will be a key element in shaping the final concept for the New Presidio Parklands. The three partner agencies will engage in a public process that will draw feedback from across the Bay Area, the nation, and the world.
“These are exciting and creative concepts for a 21st century park destination full of visitor activities, scenic beauty, and programmatic offerings in the Presidio,” said Greg Moore, president and CEO of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. “Showcasing these draft concepts kicks off a public process to engage the community in sharing their ideas and envisioning the extraordinary potential for these new Presidio Parklands.”
The teams were selected from 25 respondents to a request for qualifications in March 2014. They were provided with a stipend and tasked with developing conceptual design and programming for the new landscape. The project encompasses three interconnected sites:
- The design and construction of dramatic parklands atop the new Presidio Parkway
- A revitalized Crissy Field Center Youth Campus with a new “Learning Landscape”
- A reimagined Presidio Visitor Center
“We want the new parklands to welcome and engage the public,” said Frank Dean, superintendent of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). “The design concepts prepared by the teams should stimulate the creative thinking of the many stakeholders who know and care about the Presidio, as well as those future audiences we hope will discover this remarkable place.”
The New Presidio Parklands Project is expected to be completed in 2018.
The Presidio Trust
The Presidio Trust, a federal agency, is an innovation in the management of a treasured American place. The Trust was created to save the Presidio and transform it for a new national purpose. The Trust’s vision is that the Presidio will be forever a public place: vital to the Bay Area, important to all Americans, and recognized for achieving broad benefits for the nation. Today, the Presidio welcomes visitors, is home to a vibrant community of residents and tenants, and inspires greater good through programs that draw on its history and natural resources. The Presidio Trust serves the public with events, lodging, venues and recreational opportunities.
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit membership organization that supports the Golden Gate National Parks–the most-visited unit in the national park system in the U.S. Since 1981, the Parks Conservancy has provided over $300 million in aid for site transformations, trail improvements, habitat restoration, research and conservation, volunteer and youth engagement, and interpretive and educational programs. Conservancy-funded projects, in partnership with the National Park Service and Presidio Trust, are visible across the parks’ 80,000 acres — including the Presidio, Crissy Field, Muir Woods, Lands End, Alcatraz, and more. The Conservancy’s work is made possible through the dedication of its members and donors; contributions from foundations, businesses, public agencies, and generous individuals; as well as earned income from the operation of park stores, cafes and tours. Learn more at parksconservancy.org.
The National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior charged with managing the preservation and public use of America’s most significant natural, scenic, historic and cultural treasures. The NPS manages the Golden Gate National Parks, as well as 400 other park sites across the United States. For more information, visit nps.gov/goga.