China Basin Park: A Dynamic Urban Connector

Honor Award

Urban Design

San Francisco, California, United States
SCAPE
Client: Mission Rock Partners: San Francisco Giants and Tishman Speyer, in partnership with the Port of San Francisco

“

A beautiful addition to the urban waterfront. This project feels simple and lowkey, yet the thresholds and interfaces that connect disparate sections within the design are quite refined in their simplicity. It is a park that feels like it will become a special place for the neighborhood and residents who live and grow up there.

”

- 2025 Awards Jury

Project Credits

Mission Rock Partners: San Francisco Giants and Tishman Speyer, in partnership with the Port of San Francisco, Client

Min Design, Architect

Miller Company, LBE

Pine & Swallow, Soils

Pannu Larsen McCartney, Structural Engineer

BKF Engineers, Civil Engineer

Urban Design Consulting Engineers, Engineer

Langan, Geotechnical and Environmental Engineer

Brookwater, Irrigation

Peterson Associated Engineers, Engineer

Webcor, Contractor

PritchardPeck Lighting, Lighting

Project Statement

China Basin Park is a 5-acre waterfront park and cultural centerpiece of San Francisco’s new Mission Rock neighborhood. Urban design concepts drove the form of the park: a sculpted lawn frames views of the bay to the east, a Central Plaza greets pedestrians from the south, a shady grove meets the intimate scale of the basin, and an amphitheater faces the San Francisco Giants ballpark. China Basin Park magnifies local environs—the region’s headlands, coastal edges, and wetland ecologies are echoed throughout the design. Designed to reduce risk from sea level rise and storm events, the park anticipates threats of climate change while connecting visitors to water, providing expansive views, and creating an iconic destination for San Francisco.

Project Narrative

Foregrounding the living systems of the San Francisco Bay, China Basin Park is a 5-acre waterfront park designed and built as the heart of Mission Rock, a new mixed-use neighborhood across from Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. With dramatic views, diverse amenities, and strong connections to the wider community, China Basin Park is a symbol of optimism for the city. The park welcomes visitors on quiet mornings to experience intertidal ecology and birdwatching and transforms into a vibrant plaza on lively game days when it becomes an extension of the San Francisco Giants ballpark and a place to meet friends and watch the game.

Mission Rock was developed with strong values in mind: to foster an inclusive community, build resiliently, and create an iconic destination for San Francisco. As the anchor of the neighborhood, China Basin Park embodies this mission.

Each piece of the park magnifies the region’s environs, forming distinct realms within the park that come together as an iconic urban public space. At its western entrance, the park opens up to the Gathering Grove, shaded by native Arbutus trees and lit by catenary lights. The Gathering Grove is an ideal area for cultural events, fitness classes, music, art fairs, and other programs. Its trees also mitigate wind impacts along the western half of the park.

Just past the Grove, the Central Plaza captures the energy of the ballpark, Mission Rock neighborhood, and surrounding communities. It features an all-gender restroom integrated into the topography. To the north, the Shoreline Sands bring visitors closer to the waterfront. Inspired by textures of local beaches, the area features reclaimed eucalyptus logs as interactive seating. Further east, the Stadium Seats encourage groups to gather and watch the action at Oracle Park across McCovey Cove. The seats mirror the terraced form of the seating at the ballpark.

Framing views of the water, ballpark, skyline, and Bay Bridge, the Great Lawn offers flexible space for play, gathering, cultural events, picnicking, and reflection. Sculpted to create the illusion of undulating green space spilling into the water, the lawn is surrounded by Monterey cypress trees, reminiscent of the region’s headland landscapes.

The 11,000-square-foot Stormwater Garden treats, stores, and conveys runoff from the entire development, incorporating green infrastructure through a series of elevated boardwalks crossing the garden. Water-tolerant native species enhance the park’s biodiversity.

The park connects Mission Rock with the region through the San Francisco Bay Trail, connecting the southeastern waterfront to a 350-mile trail network, downtown San Francisco, and South of Market. Once complete, the Bay Trail will provide a continuous pedestrian and cycling corridor around the San Francisco Bay.

In addition to linking the park to the broader region, the Bay Trail also serves as the front line against sea level rise. Elevated approximately five feet above existing grade, the trail functions as a primary line of protection for China Basin Park and Mission Rock from coastal flooding: it marks where the park’s elevation lifts up above future sea level rise and conversely pushes down toward the water through the Shoreline Sands. This multi-benefit design reduces risk from sea level rise and storm events, while simultaneously enhancing connections to the water and creating immersive experiences of the San Francisco Bay and McCovey Cove.

Products

  • Furniture
    • “Drifter Bench” Benches by Forms + Surfaces
    • “Village Collection W/ Arms” Chairs by Kettal
    • “Apex Receptacle with Rain Shield” Trash Receptacle by Forms + Surfaces
    • “Park Center Table” Tables by Landscape Forms, Inc.
    • “Drifter Picnic Set” Tables by Streetlife
  • Drainage/Erosion
    • “4” ADS Single Wall Corrugated Polyethylene Pipe” Non-Perforated Underdrainage Pipe manufactured by ADS Company
    • “30% Monofilament Woven Fabric” Filter Fabric provided by Carthage Mills
    • “Turfgrids 36MLGF” High Use Turf Soil Reinforcement Fibers by Fiber Soils
    • “Urban Accessories Flat Rainbow Trench Grate” Trench Drain by Urban Accessories
    • “Urban Accessories Flat Rainbow Trench Grate” Catch Basin by Urban Accessories
  • Fences/Gates/Walls
    • “Connect Rails” Leaning Rails as manufactured by Landscape Forms, Inc.
    • “Webnet Stainless Steel Mesh” Stainless Steel Rope Mesh by Jakob Rope Systems
  • Lumber/Decking/Edging
    • Thermally Modified Wood as provided by Kebony US, Thermory USA, or Accoya
    • Metal Framing Anchors as provided by Simpson Strong-Tie Co., Inc., Cleveland Steel Specialty Co., or Harlen Metal Products, Inc.
    • Decking Tiles as manufactured by Bison Innovative Products
  • Soils
    • Filter fabric as provided by Mirafi
  • Hardscape
    • Abbey Range Limestone as supplied by Rhodes Architectural Stone
    • “Paver-Grate System” Suspended Paver Tray as manufactured by Ironsmith, Inc.

Plant List

  • Marina strawberry tree, Arbutus ‘Marina’ multi-stem
  • Marina strawberry tree, Arbutus ‘Marina’ standard
  • Feltleaf ceanothus, Ceanothus arboreus
  • Eastern redbud, Cercis canadensis
  • Oklahoma redbud, Cercis ‘Oklahoma’
  • Monterey cypress, Hesperocyparis macrocarna
  • Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia
  • Chinese flame tree, Koelreuteria bipinnata multi-stem
  • Fernleaf Catalina ironwood, Lyonothamnus floribundus asplenifolius
  • Coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia multi-stem form
  • Coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia standard form
  • Cork oak, Quercus suber
  • Island oak, Quercus tomentella
  • Cathedral live oak, Quercus virginiana ‘Cathedral’
  • Sky Climber live oak, Quercus virginiana ‘Sky Climber’
  • Drake Chinese elm, Ulmus parvifolia ‘Drake’
  • Kinnikinnick, Arctostaphylos uva ursi
  • Coastal sagewort, Artemisia pycnocephala
  • Coyote brush, Baccharis pilularis
  • Pacific Reedgrass, Calamagrostis nutkaensis
  • Foothill sedge, Carex tumulicola
  • Ceanothus gloriosus, Ceanothus gloriosus ‘Anchor Bay’
  • Blue blossom ceanothus, Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var.
  • Cape thatching reed, Chondropetalum tectorum
  • Purple Chinese houses, Collinsia heterophylla
  • Red twig dogwood, Cornus stolonifera ‘Farrow’
  • Pacific bleeding-heart, Dicentra Formosa
  • California fuchsia, Epilobium canum ‘Ghostly Red’
  • Sea cliff buckwheat, Erigonum parvifolium
  • Giant wildrye, Elymus condensatus
  • Beach strawberry, Fragaria Chiloensis
  • Salt heliotrope, Heliotropium curassivicum
  • California gray rush, Jancus patens
  • Mat rush, Lomandra longifolia
  • Silver lupine, Lupinus albifrons
  • Sticky monkey-flower, Mimulus auranticus
  • Pink muhly grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Lenca’
  • Catmint, Nepeta x faassenii ‘Walker’s Low’
  • Passion fruit, Passiflora edulis
  • Jerusalem sage, Phlomis fruticose
  • Eve case coffeeberry, Rhamnus California ‘Eve Case’
  • Californian black sage, Salvia mellifera