Green Building: Project FROG
Illustration: Transparency House, Inc.
From its setting in a national park, Crissy Field Center is an education facility that offers a wide variety of programs that connect the diverse populations of the Bay Area to urban environmental issues. With our focus on engaging people who traditionally have had little—if any—access to national parks, the Center has developed strong partnerships with schools and community centers in under-served areas, providing a majority of its programming for free or at low cost.
Working in partnership with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the Presidio Trust, the Center actively engages people with their environments by focusing on the convergence of the urban and natural environment through multicultural perspectives. Since its opening in May 2001, the Center has served close to 600,000 people through:
See detailed maps of the schools and organizations that we have served over the years.
Overlooking the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, the Center is a wonderful place to take part in a dynamic and fun educational experience. We hope you’ll join us for a program soon! You can also support our educational programs by visiting our Beach Hut Café. Sit, relax, and enjoy stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and beautiful Bay.
Crissy Field Center
Our Interim Facility
In spring of 2009, the start of the Doyle Drive replacement project made it necessary for the Crissy Field Center to relocate. The Center moved its operations from the corner of Mason and Halleck Streets to temporary structures along the eastern edge of Crissy Field in December, 2009. This quick turnaround was made possible by a fast acting, multi-agency partnership involving the Parks Conservancy, National Park Service, Project FROG (Flexible Response to Ongoing Growth), and Caltrans, with support from the Presidio Trust.
Now housed in one of the nation’s greenest park-based buildings, the Crissy Field Center is a model of sustainability for program participants and park visitors alike. The Center’s facilities include a media lab, resource library, arts workshop, science lab, and gathering room which meet strict criteria for environmental, technological, and user performance and provide “healthy” environments to optimize learning. The facility is also home to the Beach Hut Café, which is furnished from top to bottom with reclaimed and recycled materials. The new site serves not only as a hub of sustainability programming in the Golden Gate National Parks, but also as a convening spot and resource for local community organizations, visiting diplomats, politicians, and educational leaders on both national and international fronts.
Learn more about Crissy Field Center’s interim relocation in the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Press Room or see the resources below.
Designed for a Sustainable Future
Crissy Field Center used as many green elements as possible into the design and construction of the new 7,200-square-foot interim facility. Advanced pre-engineering substantially reduced the demand for raw materials and makes the construction site virtually waste free. Fisher Development, Project FROG’s installation partner, used a solar-powered generator to further minimize environmental impact. Other sustainable features and practices include:
- Exterior panels made from old-growth redwood salvaged from the historic Cal Park Hill Railway Tunnel, paired with EcoClad—a bio-composite material engineered from post-consumer paper/wood fiber and bamboo fiber
- InterfaceFlor carpet tiles made with 70 percent recycled content
- Energy-efficient lighting systems with daylight sensors and occupancy controls
- A 2,500-gallon rainwater catchment tank providing enough water to cover more than half the annual toilet flushing needs
- Plans for a solar-thermal heating system to generate hot water for all the snack bar operations
- The liquid hand soap is biodegradable, and is made with vegetable and fruit extracts, and naturally occurring minerals
- Sustainably sourced furniture and cabinets were removed from the building at 603 Mason and are being reused in the new facility
Click here to download the “How it Works” facility guide (PDF)
Certified San Francisco Green Business
The San Francisco Green Business Program team is made of up of three City agencies: San Francisco Department of Public Health, SF Environment, and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The Crissy Field Center has been a certified San Francisco Green Business for the past 5 years. We have met environmental standards in four areas: waste reduction, water conservation, pollution prevention, and energy conservation in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations.
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