The Hills at Vallco features an 30-acre community park and nature preserve, which will not only be the largest community park in Cupertino, but also the largest green roof in the world. The Hills at Vallco plans include a vibrant, sustainable, walkable and safe new neighborhood with a mix of retail, dining, entertainment, recreation, offices, housing, open space and public amenities. To make this vision a realitySand Hill Property has engaged two world-renowned designers, Rafael Viñoly Architects and OLIN.
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley and nestled in between Apple’s current Infinite Loop headquarters and Apple Campus 2, The Hills at Vallco will include family- and entertainment-oriented retail shops, a new mix of dining options and community space for public events.
Parks & Open Space
The Hills at Vallco features an integrated 30-acre community park and nature preserve for all Cupertino residents to enjoy. This innovative green roof goes beyond previous green roof designs and provides recreational resources, 3.8 mile trail network for jogging and walking, vineyards, orchards and organic gardens, an amphitheater, children’s play areas and a refuge for native species of plants and birds. The community park and nature preserve are intended to be easily accessible, as well as very user- and pet-friendly. The Hills at Vallco will also include more trails than the Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve in Cupertino, while the shape of the rolling hills, preservation of existing trees and planting of new ones will provide a privacy buffer to the adjacent residential neighborhoods.
Sustainability
This environmentally-conceived plan will target LEED Platinum certification. Key elements to this goal are the use of recycled water for irrigation, heating, and cooling systems and recapture of rainwater to reduce water consumption. The sustainable park will feature native, drought tolerant and climate responsive landscaping that thrives on little to no water. The vast majority of existing trees will be preserved and hundreds of new trees will be planted. The green roof, natural ventilation and smart technology will ensure energy efficiency, keeping buildings and surroundings cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Sand Hill Property will partner with local water agencies and providers to extend recycled water directly to The Hills at Vallco.
Community Engagement
Before hiring the design firms, Sand Hill Property conducted an extensive community engagement process focused on how to best redevelop the outdated mall with an eye towards making life in Cupertino even better than it already is. The company hosted 20 community events, met with more than 1,050 residents and business owners and received more than 3,800 suggestions. This feedback included requests for a variety of restaurants, shops and entertainment, open space elements, protecting and improving schools, traffic and connectivity solutions, preserving existing trees and ensuring that the project created a true town center for Cupertino.
Transportation Solutions
The Hills at Vallco will also maximize transportation alternatives, particularly for pedestrians and bicyclists. Sand Hill Property will lead the effort to widen and rebuild the Wolfe Road/I-280 interchange and bridge, make intersection and traffic signal timing improvements, build a Transit Center onsite and fund a free community shuttle for Cupertino residents. This new downtown district, premised on a traditional town center design, will be connected throughout with pedestrian- and bike-friendly paths, which will also serve neighboring areas.
Sand Hill Property will be submitting development plans for The Hills at Vallco to the City of Cupertino in the coming weeks.
Images | Courtesy of Sandy Hill Property
