Walter Hood in the New York Times

New York Times feature with Walter Hood about Crown Memorial State Beach

Mr. Hood, whose landscape architecture firm designed the grounds of the de Young Museum in San Francisco, lives in Oakland, and he spends a lot of time traveling. In August, he accepted a Cooper Hewitt National Design Award at the White House. (His words have been edited and condensed.)

read more at the SOURCE: New York Times – A beach with a different view

The Urban Land Institute Announces Winners Of The 2009 Global Awards For Excellence Competition

Highline NY

IMAGE SOURCE: Flickr – bettyx1138

Five outstanding developments have been selected as winners of the 2009 Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Global Awards for Excellence competition, widely recognized as the land use industry’s most prestigious recognition program. The winners are: the American University in Cairo – New Campus, Cairo, Egypt; California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco; The Rise, Vancouver, British Columbia; West Chelsea/High Line Rezoning Plan, New York City; and Zhongshan Shipyard Park, Zhongshan, China.

SOURCE: The Urban Land Institute

Westborough Park to receive $2 million improvements

Westborough Park in the center of South San Francisco is about to get a $2 million facelift and playground equipment. The funding will come from development fees set aside for the project.

San Francisco Examiner reports

The city is currently outreaching to architecture firms for proposals to do the park improvement work.  They’ll accept proposals until the end of November, City engineer Ray Razavi said.

A landscape architect should be hired by early 2010, he said………..South San Francisco officials hope to have the upgrades completed by the spring of 2011.

[SOURCE: San Francisco Examiner - South City park to receive $2 million improvements]

San Francisco tilts toward wind power

SFGate.com (San Francisco Chronicle) reports

The two famous windmills in Golden Gate Park could soon have a lot of company as a broad array of city officials, business leaders and environmentalists push for streamlined, modern versions to spring up at famous spots all over the city.

Wind turbines could soon be built at Twin Peaks, Treasure Island, the Civic Center, Ocean Beach, the San Francisco Zoo, city parks and the airport as demonstration sites for how urban wind farms could help power San Francisco – and to educate residents in the hopes they’ll put them on their rooftops.

Read more at the SOURCE: SFGate.com: San Francisco tilts toward wind power

Bike sharing comes to S.F. – but only briefly

San Francisco Chronicle reports

San Francisco got a taste of modern bicycle sharing when a truck pulled into Golden Gate Park on Sunday and dropped off seven bikes attached to a unique pay station that was portable, wireless and juiced by solar panels.

For five hours, hundreds of park visitors tested out the Bixi system, which since May has allowed Montreal residents – with the swipe of a credit card or prepaid pass – to unlock a bike from one station and drop it off at another.

SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle – Bike sharing comes to S.F. – but only briefly

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