5 competing designs unveiled for Presidio Parklands in San Francisco

Demolition of the elevated Doyle Drive viaduct—and a new tunnel replacing it—is freeing up more space with views in San Francisco’s Presidio Parklands.

To fill this new void, Archdaily reports that the Presidio Trust invited five teams to envision “kid-friendly” plans for a 13-acre portion of the site, all of whom have unveiled their designs last week after three months of working.

The five teams competing are: James Corner Field Operations, OLIN with Olson Kundig Architects, Snøhetta with Hood Design Studio, West 8, and CMG Landscape Architecture. The winner will be announced in January.

Here’s a sneak peak of the unveiled designs:

Your Gateway Park
By Olin and Olson Kundig Architects

© OLIN Courtesy of the Presidio Trust

Presidio Point
By James Corner Field Operations

© James Corner Field Operations Courtesy of the Presidio Trust

Arcs & Strands
By Snøhetta and Hood Design Studio

© Snohetta Courtesy of the Presidio Trust

The Observation Post
By CMG Landscape Architecture

© CMG Landscape Architecture Courtesy of the Presidio Trust

PresidiO
By West 8

© Team West 8

More information about each can be found at Archdaily.

The design and construction contract for what is envisioned to be “the premier private academic health center in Mexico and Latin America” was recently awarded to The Beck Group. The TecSalud Health Sciences Campus will be located at Tec De Monterrey’s flagship healthcare facility, Zambrano Hellion Hospital, in Monterrey, Mexico.

Market Data | Apr 16, 2024

The average U.S. contractor has 8.2 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of March 2024

Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 8.2 months in March from 8.1 months in February, according to an ABC member survey conducted March 20 to April 3. The reading is down 0.5 months from March 2023.

Laboratories | Apr 15, 2024

HGA unveils plans to transform an abandoned rock quarry into a new research and innovation campus

In the coastal town of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., an abandoned rock quarry will be transformed into a new research and innovation campus designed by HGA. The campus will reuse and upcycle the granite left onsite. The project for Cell Signaling Technology (CST), a life sciences technology company, will turn an environmentally depleted site into a net-zero laboratory campus, with building electrification and onsite renewables.

Codes and Standards | Apr 12, 2024

ICC eliminates building electrification provisions from 2024 update

The International Code Council stripped out provisions from the 2024 update to the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) that would have included beefed up circuitry for hooking up electric appliances and car chargers.

Urban Planning | Apr 12, 2024

Popular Denver e-bike voucher program aids carbon reduction goals

Denver’s e-bike voucher program that helps citizens pay for e-bikes, a component of the city’s carbon reduction plan, has proven extremely popular with residents. Earlier this year, Denver’s effort to get residents to swap some motor vehicle trips for bike trips ran out of vouchers in less than 10 minutes after the program opened to online applications.

Laboratories | Apr 12, 2024

Life science construction completions will peak this year, then drop off substantially

There will be a record amount of construction completions in the U.S. life science market in 2024, followed by a dramatic drop in 2025, according to CBRE. In 2024, 21.3 million sf of life science space will be completed in the 13 largest U.S. markets. That’s up from 13.9 million sf last year and 5.6 million sf in 2022.