Green Building: Project FROG

Illustration: Transparency House, Inc.

From its setting in a national park, Crissy Field Center offers a wide variety of programs and amenities that connect the diverse population of the Bay Area to urban environmental issues.

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 over 800,000 people through school field trips, public workshops, after school programs, summer camps, and more. See our community impact map for a more detailed view of the communities we serve.

Overlooking the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, the Center is a wonderful place to sit, relax, and enjoy stunning views of San Francisco Bay or to take part in a dynamic and fun educational experience. We hope you'll join us for a program soon!

Crissy Field Center: Now and Then

Our Interim Home

In spring of 2009, the start of the Doyle Drive replacement project was moved ahead by 16 months, making it necessary for the Crissy Field Center to relocate. As a result, 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 NPS, Parks Conservancy, 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 snack bar which is furnished from top to bottom with reclaimed and recycled materials. The new site will serve not only as a hub of sustainability programming in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, 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

Our Permanent Home at 603 Mason

Built in 1939 as the original commissary for the Presidio, Building 603 reflects the Spanish revival style. In the 1960's Building 603 was converted to photography laboratory that modified the building by adding multiple interior walls and included darkrooms, an auditorium and projection room. In the mid-1970's, as the military downsized its operations on the Presidio the building was vacated.  

In 2000, Building 603 was remodeled as the Crissy Field Center. Construction workers were able to salvage fixtures and equipment for use by others before sustainably renovating the building to create classrooms, exhibit space, and a cafe. This building housed the Center's operations from 2001 to 2009. When the Doyle Drive/Presidio Parkway roadway is complete in three to five years, Crissy Field Center will return to 603 Mason Street and the interim modular units will be re-used or relocated to another park location.

Resources 

• Crissy Field Center Brochure (PDF)

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