Team West 8 One of Five Firms Selected to Develop San Francisco’s Presidio Parkway

On the 22nd of April The Presidio Trust, in conjunction with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service announced that Team West 8 is one of five “internationally acclaimed design teams” selected from a pool of 25 respondents. The goal is to develop a conceptual design and programming for 10 acres of new parkland atop a dramatic bluff complete with panoramic views to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

The Presidio Parkway is undoubtedly “one of the most iconic and beautiful (areas) in the world,” said Craig Middleton, Presidio Trust Executive Director. “We look forward to working with the teams and with the community to create a breathtaking new place to welcome the public to the Presidio.”

This unique opportunity is the result of the demolition of the 75-year-old freeway leading to the Golden Gate Bridge. It is being replaced by the Presidio Parkway, a new at-grade tunnel-covered roadway that will connect the two most expansive public spaces in the Presidio: the historic Main Post and Crissy Field.

The landscape component of the project also encompasses three acres of newly designed parklands adjacent to the Crissy Field Center. It includes youth facilities and education programs offered by the Trust, Conservancy, and National Park Service.

In March 2014 Team West 8 responded to a request for qualifications (RFQ) issued by The Presidio Trust. It sought a cross-disciplinary approach to create a signature destination that would welcome diverse audiences.

West 8 pulled together a stellar team with strong connections to San Francisco, and with deep experience matched to the unique challenges of this project. The team includes SITELAB urban studio, Bionic, Jensen Architecture and local graphic artist Wendy MacNaughton.

The two month design process sponsored by the Trust in conjunction with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service kicks off in May and will culminate with a presentation to the public in Fall. The goal of the exercise is to expand the Trust’s thinking about the potential for the new “Gateway to the Presidio.”

For more information on the project read the Trust’s official press release