Creekside Commons
Location: Downtown San Anselmo
Date: 2019
Size: 1.1 acres
Client: Reimagine Creek Park Community Advisory Board, Town of San Anselmo
Collaborator: Fletcher Studio, Ware Architects, Lotus Water, CHS Consulting
Description: Matsys worked with a highly collaborative team of design professionals on this invited competition for a reimaging of the Creekside Commons in downtown San Anselmo. The team focused on revitalizing the existing Creek Park in downtown San Anselmo as Creekside Commons, by expanding on existing resources, integrating new green infrastructure, expanding the park’s open space, all while improving connectivity to downtown. The Common’s retains the park’s current wild feel, while improving site amenities, connectivity, and hydrological performance.
Matsys focused on the design of three iconic structures distributed throughout the park. The design of the pavilions for Creekside Commons focused on creating a shared design language that can be adapted to the specific needs and functions of each place. This language is first established by the flowing geometries made from timber that resonate with the surrounding natural landscape. In addition, each pavilion is designed as a hanging garden that will help blend the pavilions into the park while providing additional shade. Although each pavilion's goal is to encourage and support public gatherings, each pavilion accomplishes this in different ways.
The Entry Pavilion, on the corner of Center Avenue and Sir Francis Drake Avenue, serves as a prominent landmark and gateway for the park and city of San Anselmo as people travel on the heavily trafficked adjacent streets. The large opening of the gateway welcomes the public into the park and the larger community of San Anselmo. The East Creekside Pavilion, located where the large Oval gathering space meets the Creek, serves as a bandshell and produces a natural stage for community events. The West Creekside Pavilion, located along the San Anselmo Avenue, creates a shaded gathering space overlooking the creek and will become a natural spot for taking a break while shopping downtown. During bigger community events when San Anselmo Street is closed to traffic, the West Creekside Pavilion can serve as a secondary performance stage.