PETERSEN STUDIO

The $49M San Diego CAC Waterfront Park and garage transformed acres of surface parking surrounding the landmark County Administration Center into downtown San Diego’s signature waterfront park.  The park celebrates the iconic Administration Center at its heart, with the north/south axis of the building extended across the site as the Promenade and Civic Fountain, a grand gesture of cascading water linking the open expanse of the Civic Green along the waterfront, to the more intimate garden rooms along the park’s interior edge.     

The 17-acre park has become a wildly popular regional destination and downtown event venue since its opening in 2014.  Jacob Petersen was Principal-in-Charge of the Waterfront Park Design Team, with prime firm Hargreaves Associates.  Davis Davis Architects led the design of the park architecture and the garage.

For the previous 80 years, the County Administration Center was surrounded by two large surface parking lots, providing convenient parking for CAC employees and visitors.  The Waterfront Park transformed this sea of parking into an open space legacy for regional residents and visitors.  Surface parking was replaced by a garage below the south half of the park and a large multi-level garage two blocks to the east.  The park’s success provides additional support for ongoing waterfront and downtown revitalization efforts.

The $49M San Diego CAC Waterfront Park and garage transformed acres of surface parking surrounding the landmark County Administration Center into downtown San Diego’s signature waterfront park.  The park celebrates the iconic Administration Center at its heart, with the north/south axis of the building extended across the site as the Promenade and Civic Fountain, a grand gesture of cascading water linking the open expanse of the Civic Green along the waterfront, to the more intimate garden rooms along the park’s interior edge.     

The 17-acre park has become a wildly popular regional destination and downtown event venue since its opening in 2014.  Jacob Petersen was Principal-in-Charge of the Waterfront Park Design Team, with prime firm Hargreaves Associates.  Davis Davis Architects led the design of the park architecture and the garage.

Photo: Jacob Petersen

The Promenade and Civic Fountain extend wing-like from the CAC building in a grand civic gesture of cascading water.  Fast-growing Tipu trees planted along Promenade edges provide a lightly-shaded canopy over the Promenade and Fountain seating terraces, and an attractive display of bright yellow flowers each spring.  The Promenade and eastern half of the park are slightly elevated to facilitate connections to building entrances, while enhancing views across the Civic Green to the bay beyond.  

Photo: Jacob Petersen

The Promenade and Civic Fountain extend wing-like from the CAC building in a grand civic gesture of cascading water.  Fast-growing Tipu trees planted along Promenade edges provide a lightly-shaded canopy over the Promenade and Fountain seating terraces, and an attractive display of bright yellow flowers each spring.  The Promenade and eastern half of the park are slightly elevated to facilitate connections to building entrances, while enhancing views across the Civic Green to the bay beyond.  

Photo: Jacob Petersen

Small park buildings integrating snack bar concessions, park information, restrooms and changing rooms are attached to the North and South Promenades to support park activities and provide functional services for park users.  The buildings were carefully designed by Davis Davis Architects to be materially complementary to the landmark CAC building, while reinforcing the contemporary design vocabulary of the park.    

Photo: Jacob Petersen       

The Civic Fountain functions as downtown San Diego’s urban beach, an interactive water-play feature scaled to accommodate hundreds of regional children.  Terraces along one edge of the fountain provide casual seating for park visitors and parents supervising children.  On windy days and during off-peak park use periods the fountain transforms into a shallow reflecting pool, conceptually drawing the surface of the adjacent bay into the heart of the park, and capturing the drama of San Diego’s colorful sunsets.  Sloped hardwood bridges cross the fountain basin at primary path corridors, linking the higher Promenade with the lower Civic Green.  Bridges allow all park users to experience the activity of the fountain interior from a dry prospect, adding a dramatic flair to park circulation, while referencing the waterfront’s pier and boardwalk heritage.

Photo: Jacob Petersen

The Civic Fountain functions as downtown San Diego’s urban beach, an interactive water-play feature scaled to accommodate hundreds of regional children.  Terraces along one edge of the fountain provide casual seating for park visitors and parents supervising children.  On windy days and during off-peak park use periods the fountain transforms into a shallow reflecting pool, conceptually drawing the surface of the adjacent bay into the heart of the park, and capturing the drama of San Diego’s colorful sunsets.  Sloped hardwood bridges cross the fountain basin at primary path corridors, linking the higher Promenade with the lower Civic Green.  Bridges allow all park users to experience the activity of the fountain interior from a dry prospect, adding a dramatic flair to park circulation, while referencing the waterfront’s pier and boardwalk heritage.

Photo: Jacob Petersen

The Civic Fountain functions as downtown San Diego’s urban beach, an interactive water-play feature scaled to accommodate hundreds of regional children.  Terraces along one edge of the fountain provide casual seating for park visitors and parents supervising children.  On windy days and during off-peak park use periods the fountain transforms into a shallow reflecting pool, conceptually drawing the surface of the adjacent bay into the heart of the park, and capturing the drama of San Diego’s colorful sunsets.  Sloped hardwood bridges cross the fountain basin at primary path corridors, linking the higher Promenade with the lower Civic Green.  Bridges allow all park users to experience the activity of the fountain interior from a dry prospect, adding a dramatic flair to park circulation, while referencing the waterfront’s pier and boardwalk heritage.

Photo: Jacob Petersen

East of the Promenade are smaller-scale garden rooms, designed as passive horticultural gardens in the north, and an active Family Area in the south.  The Grass Garden, Mediterranean Garden, and Diversity (sub tropical) Garden represent the extraordinary breadth of plant materials that thrive in California’s mild coastal climate.  Gardens and paths create a bold figure-ground pattern with seating and gathering spaces formed by the irregular confluences of paths.  The Family Area in the south includes multiple play structures, picnic tables, bocce, and a play hill with a large slide, set within an informal grove of flowering trees.  

Photo: Jacob Petersen

East of the Promenade are smaller-scale garden rooms, designed as passive horticultural gardens in the north, and an active Family Area in the south.  The Grass Garden, Mediterranean Garden, and Diversity (sub tropical) Garden represent the extraordinary breadth of plant materials that thrive in California’s mild coastal climate.  Gardens and paths create a bold figure-ground pattern with seating and gathering spaces formed by the irregular confluences of paths.  The Family Area in the south includes multiple play structures, picnic tables, bocce, and a play hill with a large slide, set within an informal grove of flowering trees.  

Photo: Jacob Petersen

East of the Promenade are smaller-scale garden rooms, designed as passive horticultural gardens in the north, and an active Family Area in the south.  The Grass Garden, Mediterranean Garden, and Diversity (sub tropical) Garden represent the extraordinary breadth of plant materials that thrive in California’s mild coastal climate.  Gardens and paths create a bold figure-ground pattern with seating and gathering spaces formed by the irregular confluences of paths.  The Family Area in the south includes multiple play structures, picnic tables, bocce, and a play hill with a large slide, set within an informal grove of flowering trees.  

Photo: Jacob Petersen

Garden gathering spaces create intimate venues for performances and events, private celebrations such as weddings and quinceaneras, and public art display.  Niki de Saint Phalle’s “Serpent Tree” creates a dramatic accent within the sub-tropical garden, while “Cat” provides a whimsical play opportunity within the Family Area.  Both sculptures are generously on loan from the Niki Charitable Art Foundation.      

Photo: Jacob Petersen

An estimated 25,000 people gathered on July 16, 1938 for the dedication of the County Administration Center on San Diego's bayfront.  The magnificent building was constructed with a $1M grant from the Works Progress Administration authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who presided over the dedication ceremonies.

The CAC building has been a center of City and County administration since 1938, and with the opening of the Waterfront Park has begun a new chapter as one of downtown San Diego's premier recreational destinations.                                

Photo: County of San Diego