South Park is the oldest public space in San Francisco. Originally intended to be an English picturesque strolling park, it had fallen into disrepair and was been subject to ad-hoc improvements over the years. The South Park Improvement Association hired Fletcher Studio to work with the neighbors and community leaders to develop a master plan for the park.
Urban Design & Architecture Design Awards 2018
Second Award | Category: Landscape Design
Architects:David Fletcher
Studio: Fletcher Studio
Team Members: David Fletcher, Cory Hallam
Country: United States
Website: www.fletcher.studio
The design alleviates two major issues including poor drainage and slopes that exceed ADA limits. The new design may be described as a contemporary interpretation of the picturesque. Multiple amenities are arrayed along a meandering programmatic pathway. The new park includes a custom play area and structure, stages for performance, a large open meadow, and plazas of varying scales.
Infrastructural improvements include bulb-outs and chicanes for traffic calming, bio-infiltration swales and flow-through planters, and a rainwater cistern for irrigation usage. Native plant species encourage local wildlife to inhabit the park and recently provided a safe refuge for a Cooper’s Hawk family to be born.
