World Class Design Concepts for Small Marin Town

As the second step in a three-step process, seven area landscape design firms submitted conceptual design solutions for the Town of San Anselmo’s, Reimagine Creek Park Design Competition. Click on each design firm to view their website. Click on CONCEPT to view their design for Creekside Commons::

April Philips Design Works –San Rafael  -  CONCEPT
Dilworth Elliot Studio–San Francisco (in partnership with Reed Gilliland; Sherwood Design Engineers; and San Anselmo-based artist, Bill Albright)  -  CONCEPT
Fletcher Studios–San Francisco  -  CONCEPT
Hood Design Studio - Oakland  -  CONCEPT
RHAA – Mill Valley  -  CONCEPT
SWA Group –San Francisco  -  CONCEPT
Terrain Studio –Oakland  -  CONCEPT

The competition is being conducted in concert with the County’s San Anselmo Flood Risk Reduction (SAFRR) construction project to remediate conditions that have led to the serious flooding in the Town. The existing building at 634-636 San Anselmo Avenue is being demolished to eliminate obstacles to the Creek’s flow. “The removal of this structure creates a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make improvements to Creek Park,” explains San Anselmo Town Manager, David Donery.

While San Anselmo Creek flows through the middle of downtown San Anselmo, it has never been integrated as an asset or capitalized upon as an important feature. The competition invited landscape architects to submit their professional qualifications. Fifteen firms indicated their interest and a volunteer community advisory committee representing the Town selected seven teams to develop design concepts. “With no monetary award, we were trying to make it easy by simply asking for big ideas,” says Brian Colbert, Town Council representative.

The competition submissions exceeded all expectations and were without exception, superlative. The solutions were imaginative, intellectually inspired, and innovative in capitalizing on options and opportunities. They were especially thorough in detailing all aspects of the park’s features including a new commons area along San Anselmo Avenue where the building will be removed. “We asked for back of a napkin ideas and received linen tablecloths,” is the way the Town describes the quality of the submissions.
Determining the short list of four who will move to the competition’s next step was a challenge. The firms selected as finalists are:

April Philips Design Works
Fletcher Studios
RHAA
SWA Group

These four teams will present their concepts and answer questions at the San Anselmo Town Council meeting on May 28, 2019, at 7:00 pm in the Council Chambers. The meeting is open to the public and all of the concept boards will be on display at that meeting.

At the June 25, 2019, Town Council meeting the Town Council will select the winning design firm & concept. For more information and to view all of the submitted concepts, please visit the Town's website at http://www.townofsananselmo.org project website: http://reimaginecreekpark.com/