WRT has received a Merit Award from the Northern California Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) for the San Francisco State University Master Plan.
"Creating a laboratory for sustainable living" was the mantra that guided WRT-along with the university administration and the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees-through the master planning process at San Francisco State University. The effort sought to create a campus environment that prepares students as sustainably-minded world citizens. In creating the master plan, WRT was tasked to embody CSU's new mandate for sustainability, reflect the University's new strategic plan to become a pre-eminent urban university, and to accommodate enrollment growth by 20% beyond the existing plan (an increase of 5,000 FTES).
WRT's master plan breaks down existing boundaries around the university and creates a permeable, connective framework of public open space and natural and hydrological systems that transform the campus into an integral part of the community. Working with the University's biology department, the master plan team researched the historic hydrology and ecology of the campus' central valley. The resulting element of the plan-to restore the once-flowing surface creek along with a portion of the riparian, coastal scrub and upland forest-also creates a recreational, pedestrian, and bicycle corridor connecting the campus to Lake Merced, an important urban open space resource. The restoration includes the phase out and decommissioning of a five-story parking structure to be replaced by dispersed perimeter lots. The plan maintains a zero-parking-supply increase by developing on-campus housing, expanding the shuttle system, improving transit accessibility, and enhancing the bicycle and pedestrian network. The plan also establishes college main streets that create centers of community life necessary to transition from a commuter campus to a residential campus. With housing units set on upper levels, ground floors offer space for cafes, book stores, shopping, bike repair, and other services.
Finally, the plan provides a detailed, phased implementation plan tied to specific budgets within the plan and to the university capital improvement plan. Already several initiatives from the master plan are underway, including the design of the new Creative Arts complex, planning for the new health and wellness center, agreement on a Memo of Understanding (MOU) with the City & County of San Francisco for transit improvements, and the drafting of a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategy.
