EcoConnections Site Design
Timeline
July - August 2019
Focus
Landscape/Environmental Design
Design Team
Caroline Bosch, Daniella Slowik, Espoir Delmain, Chii Xu
DISC [Design and Innovation for Sustainable Cities] is an immersive program within UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design that gives students the opportunity to tackle the multi-dimensional issues affecting global cities today. I participated in the program in the summer of 2019, and worked in a team of five to explore design-based solutions to transit-oriented development at the West Oakland BART station.
The design process spanned the entire five weeks, beginning with an initial field visit. Our final solution centered around a proposed “earth wave” park that would flow over the existing BART station in a wave-like form, connecting to a city wide, multi-use trail system.
Project Overview
Increasing ecological resilience and social cohesion at the West Oakland BART Station
The goal for our transit-oriented development project was to increase ecological resilience and social cohesion in a city dominated by impermeable surfaces.
After taking into account the cultural, historical, economic, and environmental pieces at play, we developed a plan that would address each one.
Research and Design
Potential for expanded green space and urban renewal
After our initial site visit, we performed a SWOT analysis using printed photos, string, thumbtacks, and post-it notes. We noted a base infrastructure in West Oakland that would support expanding public green space, bike infrastructure, and food and housing resources. We also mapped and quantified the impending threats of climate change and took those threats into account when designing our solution.
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Existing public park, community garden and art community. Some bike infrastructure in place.
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Uninviting public spaces and parks, extensive paving
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Vacant lots = potential for more green space and an extension of the existing community garden. Wide ramps = space for plant buffers, bike lanes, shade trees.
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Superfund proximity, high levels of diesel particulate matter, high respiratory hazard index, sea level rise/groundwater infiltration
Group sketching and hands-on ideating using a physical prototype of the site led our team to a solution that would include interconnected and flexible infrastructural, architectural, and landscape transformations.
EcoConnections
A culturally and ecologically integrated West Oakland
Our final solution centered around a proposed “earth wave” park that would flow over the existing BART station in a wave-like form, connecting to a city wide, multi-use trail system. This solution addressed the problems of inadequate green space, extensive paving, and a noted reliance of personal vehicles as a primary mode of transportation. The trail system would be planted with native species, and would feature bioswales to capture and filter stormwater, permeable pavement to allow for groundwater infiltration, and bike storage in the form of terraced seating.
The site design accompanied a simulation board, which could be used to test out different developmental strategies. In our simulation board, we designed pieces that represented our proposed park, flexible outdoor community space, permeable pavement, terraced bike storage/seating, stackable micro-units, and housing, retail, and community buildings.
We also created nine “scenario cards” which explained each facet of our solution and it’s expected long-term impact on the new transit-oriented hub.
