Located on San Francisco’s eastern edge, India Basin Shoreline Park — the last remaining natural area the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department controls along the Bay — is full of promise and begging for attention. The parks department and the Trust for Public Land have launched a design competition that aims to help realize the park’s potential. Nineteen firms entered and the five finalists — AECOM, Gustafson Guthrie Nichol, Surfacedesign, Inc., SWA and Stanley Saitowitz/Natoma Architects, and Tom Leader Studio — presented their design proposals at ºÚÁÏ´«ËÍÃÅin January. Each team shared the goal of creating a dynamic meeting place where locals and visitors can engage with the past while playing a part in shaping the future.
The competition focuses on two locations on the India Basin Waterfront: the 2.4 acres at 900 Innes Avenue and the adjacent India Basin Shoreline Park. 900 Innes marks the heart of the competition. Once home to a flourishing shipbuilding industry, the site's historical character and beautiful setting give it the potential to be the future social hub for India Basin and the Hunters Point community. (It’s currently a fenced-off brownfield). India Basin Shoreline Park was realized as a planned city park back in 2003. Though it currently has walking trails, a jungle gym and a basketball court, it remains both underutilized and underappreciated.
The five finalists were tasked with presenting a unique vision with the following necessary provisions:
1. A Blue Gree