Francisco Park

Francisco Park

Located on the former site of the Russian Hill Reservoir, in one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in San Francisco lies Francisco Park, the largest new public space to open in the City’s urban core in nearly 40 years. It is a rare event for 4.5 acres in the heart of San Francisco to go up for sale, and even rarer for that land to be acquired for the creation of a new public park. But that’s exactly what has allowed for the creation of Francisco Park, a $25 million idea that started in 2008 and opened to the public 14 years later. After decades of negotiation and uncertainty about the future of the land, the dream of a new neighborhood park became a reality.

After a long planning, design and permitting process, RANA was consulted in 2019 to help bring the park to life. In addition to completing construction and nursery contract-grow services for the project, RANA’s landscape architecture team crafted the planting design for the park. With roughly 70 plant species and more than 6,000 individual plants, the planting design comprises a mosaic of California-native plants selected for adaptability, ornamental character, and wildlife benefit. Paramount in the design was meeting the Client’s goal of incorporating plants that would benefit birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Planting zones are analogous to California’s native prairie and coastal scrub ecosystems, with careful blending from designed, planted areas to sections of preserved natural vegetation.

Francisco Park functions as a living library of native plant species for the Peninsula and beyond, a year-round source of inspiration for local gardeners, and a critical natural reprieve from the densely developed urban environment for both people and wildlife.

LOCATION

San Francisco, CA

CLIENT

Francisco Park Conservancy, MCK America’s Inc.

COMPLETED

2022