Bay Area Transect, a collaboration between Arrowstreet, Copley Wolff Design Group, and HTM Office/Madrid, received the Merit Award in the 2018 Architecture at Zero design competition. This international competition presented by PG&E, San Francisco State University, and the AIA California Council challenged entrants to create a net zero energy Bayside Community Education and Visitors Center.
The proposal combines site-sensitive planning, net zero design, and innovative placemaking strategies to build a vision of connecting science, society, and the sea.
A water counterbalancing funicular connects the waterfront with existing facilities at the top of the hillside, eliminating the need for vehicles and connecting a pedestrian walking path that offers panoramic views to the bay.
Throughout the landscape, passive and active interventions provide educational experiences while supporting the net zero goals and on-site renewable power generation.
The Visitor’s Center gently distributes the program across 4-tiers to minimize site disturbance and maximize daylighting and views to the bay. The natural grading of the site and proposed stacking of the building allows passive ventilation measures to significantly reduce energy. The Boathouse, is a multipurpose waterfront pavilion that acts as an activated terminus of the site funicular and connection to the tidal marsh boardwalk and renovated pier.