Sunnyvale, California 

A confidential high-tech company sought outdoor campus renovations to meet the needs of their employees at two newly leased building sites in Silicon Valley. We provided a wide variety of programmatic activities such as an outdoor fitness area, outdoor cafes, basketball court, entry areas, transitional planting areas and community gardens to provide a varied and enriching environment. 

As all existing parking was not required by the new tenants, we extended the usable outdoor space by painting the asphalt, thereby visually expanding the pedestrian realm into the parking lot. New, oversized boxed trees screen the remainder of the parking lot and define the pedestrian zone. This tactical urbanism approach will allow the parking lot to be used by pedestrians today while minimizing the cost to reinstall the parking when the lease expires.

Reflecting the innovative corporate culture of the client, we provided a contemporary design that features a richly textured landscape using a wide variety of landscape materials and innovative combinations. The flexible design encourages casual interactions, important to the employee culture. 

Valerie Conant managed this design from concept  through construction while working for another firm.