Sensitive, gardenesque landscape integrates a civic center into a residential community
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}

DETAILS

LocationAtherton, California, United States
ClientWRNS Studio
Size4.5 acres (site); 4 acres (landscape) 0.5 acres (buildings)

The vision for the Atherton Civic Center landscape is a community space set in a peaceful garden, designed to enhance the local ecology and mitigate the urban impacts of the new development. The landscape design integrates new architecture into the wider Atherton community through a strolling garden approach to site circulation. The planting areas are comprised of California native species, selected for site-specific micro-climates and hydrozones. A major component of the landscape design is an extensive tree preservation and enhancement plan to improve the health of the existing canopy of Valley Oaks and heritage cedar trees. In addition, younger specimens will be planted, creating a mixed-age stand to maintain the site’s character long-term as the canopy matures and ages. The under-story gardens boast a wide diversity of species, allowing for a naturalistic palette that can best adapt to the unique site features. In addition to best practices for stormwater management and LID, the design integrates quiet seating opportunities, spaces for informal play, and reading nooks.

Related Projects

CSCEC Steel Headquarters Office and Museum

CSCEC Steel is a division of the world’s largest construction company, China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited. CSCEC Steel is recognized as a leading global steel structure manufacturer; their projects include the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing, the Shanghai IFC, the new Abu Dhabi International Airport, and the 26th Universiade Main Stadium. To...

Guthrie Green Park

Guthrie Green transforms a 2.6-acre truck yard into a lively urban park in the heart of downtown Tulsa’s emerging arts district. Opened in September 2012, Guthrie Green has become the area’s leading destination, drawing 3,000 plus people weekly to activities that have enriched the urban experience and spurred district-wide revitalization. The high-performance ...

Century Metropolis

Century Metropolis is a civic development that serves the public interest of the Pudong district, the City of Shanghai, and all of China. More than a commercial complex, the project is an integrated development of public transit, cultural programs, open spaces for people, meeting and social gathering functions, business, hospitality, and shopping uses. Earmark...

Sonoma State Weill Lawn & Commons

Weill Lawn and Commons provide outdoor performance venues at Green Music Center, a world-class performing arts complex. The landscape architects prepared overall master planning and landscape architectural design.  A simple, dramatic grading plan unifies project elements, directs circulation, and buffers concert venues from adjacent roadway traffic. Weill Lawn...

Yorba Linda Library + Arts Center

Here a new public library and cultural arts center were artfully sited to create memorable outdoor spaces. Working in collaboration with Group 4 architects, SWA transformed an earlier parking-fronted concept into a plan that resulted in landmark building and outdoor space composition along one of Yorba Linda’s main streets. The outdoor space – the Paseo – serv...

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

This office building’s roof garden celebrates a potent image of the native Texas landscape: the level, grass-covered plains emerging from a wooded riparian area. A design vocabulary of native, drought-tolerant plant materials, especially selected to react to light and air movement, reinforces this design approach. The project serves as a two-acre rooftop garde...

Sonoma State Weill Lawn & Commons

Weill Lawn and Commons provide outdoor performance venues at Green Music Center, a world-class performing arts complex. The landscape architects prepared overall master planning and landscape architectural design.  A simple, dramatic grading plan unifies project elements, directs circulation, and buffers concert venues from adjacent roadway traffic. Weill Lawn...

Alief Park and Neighborhood Center

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Houston was compelled to reassess community preparedness. The 37-acre Alief Center, situated in one of the city’s most culturally diverse areas, addresses longstanding issues of disinvestment and environmental injustice while fostering physical and social resilience.

Elevated above the 100-year floodplain, the...