Landscape Information
The site of a former shipyard, this nine-acre park is situated on the shore of the Oakland estuary in the San Fracisco Bay. Adjacent to the Union Point Marina, a former industrial area transformed into a mixed-use residential neighborhood, the project was initiated by the City of Oakland and the Unity Council, a coalition of local non-profits. An initial master plan was created by EDAW; later revised and implemented by landscape architect Mario Schjetnan of Grupo de Diseño Urbano (GDU) in collaboration with Oakland-based PGA Design. Opened in 2005, it was Schjetnan’s first project in the United States.
The irregularly shaped, relatively level park is disrupted by a series of manmade dunes along the eastern boundary. Constructed from gravel and capped contaminated soil, the berms are swathed in native grasses and flowering shrubs. Connectivity is provided by walking and biking paths, integrated with the San Francisco Bay Trail, with bridges spanning over the top of smaller dunes. The largest dune, Union Point Hill, located at the southern end of the park, is approximately 23 feet tall and ascended via an elliptical ramp. From the top, visitors experience harbor views to Alameda Island and Coast Guard Island. Adjacent to Union Point Hill a large “ceremonial circle,” designed with local Native Americans, hosts traditional dances and events. Across a broad lawn, a second pedestrian path follows the curve of the shoreline, punctuated by Wave Oculus, an interactive sculpture extending out into the water by Ned Kahn, and Sigame, a sculpture by Scott Donahue (2001). At the park’s northern end, a semicircular plaza surfaced in bicolored precast pavers features a playground and pergola shading a picnic area. The plaza is spatially segmented by a row of deciduous and palm trees that line a shoreline esplanade, looking out over the marina. Various maritime artifacts are placed throughout the park referencing the site’s former use.
