CALLE ORIENTE PARK

MILPITAS, CA

Client: City of Milpitas

This 1/2 acre mini park was completely reconstructed to better serve the needs of the neighborhood. Prior to redesign, the park was dilapidated, almost entirely paved with asphalt, and had a full-size basketball court and non-compliant playground equipment. Harris Design’s solution was to remove a non-functional handball court from the center of the park, freeing up the space for use as a central picnic area that interacts with the play space on one side, and the more active basketball and turf area on the other. The design used smaller-scale site furnishings and flowing curvilinear lines to define several small use areas, which creates the perception of being in a larger park. The basketball court was scaled back to encourage non-competitive use and increase the space available for plantings and site furniture. Shade structures protect the play equipment and picnic tables.

ORCHARD GARDENS PARK

SUNNYVALE, CA

Client: City of Sunnyvale

Harris Design was responsible for public outreach, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, cost estimation, and construction administration for Orchard Gardens Park. This existing neighborhood park has been expanded by an additional third of an acre and adds important new amenities that respond to the needs of the community including an entry plaza to the park’s community building, reconfigured sidewalks that help draw visitors into the park, sensory gardens, fitness equipment, picnic and game tables, and much needed new parking. Innovative stormwater management strategies that include rain gardens and infiltration basins replace the need for traditional and costly drainage systems. New entry and interpretive signage marks this location as the main entry point for the John W. Christian Greenbelt, an important natural green space that extends east to west across the entire City of Sunnyvale and serves as an important link for the City’s neighborhoods.

SIEMPRE VERDE PARK

SAN LEANDRO, CA

Client: City of San Leandro

The makeover of this 2-acre park was designed with the widespread and active participation of the local community.  Harris Design facilitated public workshops to identify community desires, concerns, and issues, and then prepared a plan reflecting the consensus of the participants.  The new spatial layout includes a variety of park spaces to create a truly multi-generational environment.  The park has play areas for younger and older children, fitness equipment for teens and adults, shaded seating and game tables, a quiet garden area with a paved center suitable for the local tai chi group, ping pong tables and basketball half-courts, picnic tables and barbecues, and accessible pathways that wind through the various spaces and around the central turf area.  To address a primary neighborhood concern, the turf area is configured to allow passive use and informal ball play by small groups, while not being attractive for organized sports.  The main pedestrian entrance to the park is framed by the semicircular arch of a decorative metal gateway, with laser-cut patterns and lettering.  

The project is Bay-Friendly rated, and features native and drought-tolerant planting, bioretention basins, and a new well providing water for restroom and irrigation uses.

BLUE FIESTA PARK

PATTERSON, CA

Client: Ryland Homes

Blue Fiesta Park cerates a focal point for a new neighborhood in the rapidly growing community of Patterson. Only 1/2 acre in size, the park provides a range of amenities and serves as a neighborhood gathering place. A water spray play area forms the heart of the park, creating a central element around which the park is organized. The design of the park spirals outward from the water play area in bold flowing lines that are reinforced by the plantings and the crisply defined turf area edge. Two shade structures provide refuge from the strong summer sun and valley heat. The structures are aligned on axis and incorporate stone column bases that utilize the same type of architectural stone as the adjacent housing stock. The park entry sign is integrated into a low stone wall that ties in with the shade structures and surrounding subdivision architecture to create a unified and harmonious composition.

ZOLEZZI PARK IMPROVEMENTS

SAN JOSE, CA

Client: City of San Jose

Harris Design prepared construction documents and provided construction review services for the rehabilitation of this neighborhood park in San Jose. Originally constructed as a developer turn-key project, the park was in need of an upgrade to provide the variety of amenities needed to serve all neighborhood residents. The park now provides for inter-generational use in response to the needs of residents in the adjacent senior housing facility and others throughout the neighborhood. Five “wellness stations” provide exercise equipment tailored for older users, and a new pathway creates additional loop routes for the seniors who walk the park for exercise on a daily basis. A half-court basketball court provides additional opportunities for younger neighbors. For the youngest park users, the two play areas were completely rebuilt with new equipment and surfacing.

HAMPTON PARK

PIEDMONT, CA

Client: City of Piedmont

Hampton Park is a two-acre park renovation project located in a residential neighborhood in the city of Piedmont. Harris Design prepared both the park Master Plan and construction documents for the project. Park upgrades and new amenities include improving significant drainage issues on the site, the resurfacing of heavily used tennis and basketball courts, a renovated play school area, the conversion of an existing all-turf baseball field into a new synthetic infield/natural turf outfield system, new park entrances, spectator seating and site furnishings, and new planting and irrigation. By working closely with the civil engineering subconsultant and adapting low impact design principles, Harris Design has ensured that the project is exempt from complex and costly Provision C.3 requirements.

OHLONE DOG PARK

BERKELEY, CA

Client: City of Berkeley, Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront Department

Ohlone Dog Park is the oldest formally-recognized dog park in the United States. Located in a dense residential area, it receives a great deal of use. The City of Berkeley decided to invest in capital improvements that would make the park more usable and reduce future maintenance costs. Harris Design provided preliminary design, construction documents, and construction review assistance. Objectives include improving site drainage, surfacing, site furniture, and accessibility, and adding a separate area for small dogs. Early on, Harris Design organized and implemented a successful neighborhood input meeting, where the project was explained and several conceptual design plans presented and discussed. The valuable feedback obtained at this meeting and at later presentations to the City Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront Commission has been used to develop a cost-effective and well-received design for the dog park. In addition to creating a new small-dog area, the design provides accessible entrances and paths, a variety of seating options, engineered wood fiber surfacing, and grading and drainage improvements including a planted swale to slow and filter runoff.