Courthouse Square Reunification

Carlile▪Macy was selected in November of 2015 for the design of the reunification of Santa Rosa’s historic Courthouse Square; the project completed in early 2017. The project lead team included Carlile Macy’s landscape architects and civil engineers teaming with Vargas Greenan Urban Design. The team provided community outreach with several focused meetings. The project required an intensive interdisciplinary design approach within Carlile Macy in order to meet the fast track schedule. The final evolution of the site design developed a large central open space with permeable paving and a central reinforced turf green in the footprint of the original courthouse outlined with salvaged granite from the courthouse steps. The central open space is flanked by sycamore bosques set in “Granitecrete” permeable paving. The courthouse footprint also features four custom programmable LED light columns with Luther Burbank botanical motifs. The design saved several of the existing large redwoods and one 150-year-old Bunya-Bunya tree. The terminus of the south axis of the square will feature a fountain with art panels by Ruth Asawa.

The project features a number of sustainable design elements, most notably innovative stormwater management that features the use of both extensive previous paving and “Silva Cell” systems. The Silva Cell system not only provides stormwater retention and filtration but also provides an environment that will foster the growth of large-scale shade trees in an urban setting.

Services Provided

Client: City of Santa Rosa
Date: 2017
Location: Santa Rosa, CA

  • Project scheduling to meet aggressive fast-track approval and construction timing
  • Master planning an community outreach facilitation
  • Landscape architecture including off-site tree procurement and fountain design
  • Civil engineering including stormwater design and mitigation calculations
  • Urban design with master planning and special feature design
  • Full schematic design, design development, contract documents, specifications, estimate of probable cost, bidding, and construction administration