Lake Merritt Conservancy - Connect to Create - Oasis Architectural Design Contest - And the Winners Are...
Click on any of the video stills to go to the corresponding video presentation. Elevations, models, and supplemental materials are included as links in the descriptions.
Taryn Jones
Easiest to Operate and Maintain
Convertible Kiosk
Practical, and adaptable to different sites, and skillfully integrated with the design of the existing built environment, with space for an entrepreneur in residence.
Concept & Elevations
Physical Model
Evonn Balcziunas
Originality
Tea Tree Oasis
Novel design providing shade, solar power, ample seating, overhead lighting, and elements that offer tribute to the Ohlone and Lake Merritt's status as a wildlife refuge.
Tea Tree Oasis at Night
Concepts & Elevations
Frida VelizĀ
Artfulness
Tranquil Terrace
Minimalist design with sinuous retaining walls, effectively integrating the structure into the grade, recontextualizing the green space while appreciating its natural beauty.
Siow Fang Tan
Environmental Friendliness
Water Towers
Inspired, educational and functional design celebrating conservation, education & community, with a butterfly garden and a donor wall recognizing future patrons.
Concept & Elevations
Physical Model
Jack Liu
Best Overall
Organic Architecture
Novel and thoughtful design that keeps much of the site intact, providing capacity and supporting structures, while offering a buffer against vandalism and the elements.
Concepts & Floor Plan
Physical Model
Honorable Mentions
Our two inventive and thought-provoking Honorable Mentions can be found here:
What You Can Do
The Lake Merritt Conservancy Park Oasis Contest is intended as a first step in imagining as a community how we can create places of belonging for all stakeholders. This may be a number of places, each with a different theme, but ideally, all conveying that sense of belonging and providing access to nature and a sense of our place within it.
To address the inherent funding challenges, the Conservancy isĀ exploring how we may harness entrepreneurial opportunities, in combination with funds available through the Inflation Reduction Act and associated private money, to bring equitable economic opportunity and abundance to the Lake.
If you are interested in contributing to realizing this vision, you can make a donation, via the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation, our fiscal sponsor, here.
Alternatively, if youād like to volunteer your time or resources, please reach out.
Together we can make a difference!