Phase I:
Installation of Berms and ADA Pathway
César Chávez Park is a 90-acre park surrounded on
three sides by the beautiful San Francisco bay. As a visitor walks
from the parking area, s/he passes through the grassed and irrigated
half of the park defined by paved-meandering paths, trees, picnic
areas, barbecues, restrooms, etc. Midway, one crosses a major park
transition to the more remote northern half of the park, which is
an area of un-irrigated and undeveloped rolling mounds. It is there
that the Interim Solar Calendar (ISC) is located on a 1.5 acre site.
The current ISC will be relocated in a novel way to make way for
Phase I.
The primary architectural feature of Phase I is a circular earthen
berm around a level central circle, 90’ in diameter, with
a 700 foot wheel chair accessible pathway up to the site. The berm
ranges from 7’6” in height on the east to 5’ on
the west.
Circular earthen berms are one of the most ancient architectural
forms, and stand out as a universal symbol of unity. They provide
a sense of enclosure, of being in a special place, and a curious
sense of virtual time-travel. Simply entering the earthwork will
provoke the imagination and trigger inquiry.
The berms will also have the practical protective value of providing
a shield against urban light and sound pollution from a major highway
to the east, and against regular strong winds.
The berms can be considered the "walls," or context,
for a series of planned integrated art and science educational instruments
and activities. The center circle and inner pathways will be made
of a combination of grass, sand-set masonry, and ADA-approved surfaces
that will allow for drainage and settlement. Once formed the berms
will have to settle for 6 months to a year before they can be finally
shaped and landscaped. Because the site was a former landfill, only
the most minimal penetration of the surface is permitted.
Thanks to Steven Oliver Construction Company, some funding for
this phase has been secured through an in-kind grant of soil, the
hauling of the soil to the site, and possibly the formation of the
berm. The in-kind offer can be valued at $150,000. Up to $400,000
of additional funding will have to be raised to complete this phase.
Landscaping: A landscaping plan is being developed
that is drought-tolerant, low maintenance, and expressive of seasonal
variation and color.
Phase II:
Creation and Testing of Prototype Exhibits
Phase III:
Final Artistic Interpretation of Prototypes
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