


The park project fascinated me the moment I read about it. The Crocker is the perfect forum for this vibrant energy to come to life. Lord, FASLA, founding partner of SURFACEDESIGN said, ∺t the rich confluence of two mighty rivers, Sacramento, like its landscape, provides an opportunity to create a perfect mix of people, place, and culture. The firms were particularly inspired by the agricultural richness of the Sacramento region and the tapestry of trees that covers the city. In their initial proposal, Olson Kundig and SURFACEDESIGN imagined the new building as a porous structure that blurs the lines typically demarcating Museum grounds and activates outdoor space to keep visitors coming back time and again. The Crocker is dedicated to designing a project with true civic intent. This project is all about bringing energy to a public space that can and should be activated 18 hours a day, seven days a week, said Randy Sater, president of the Crocker Art Museum Association board of directors.

Crocker Park will be a highly engaging space where the Museums mission of using art to connect people to the world around them can unfold.
The goal of the project will be to create a beautiful civic amenity that addresses the Crockers programmatic needs and enlivens the experience of everyone who visits the Crocker campus, not just those who walk through the Museums doors. The Crocker Art Museums growth and Sacramentos plans for a more vibrant city center have highlighted the need for increased and improved visitor amenities and parking. The site will seamlessly integrate with the Crockers existing buildings, completing the Museums campus and providing opportunity for new, immersive, art experiences. Located just north of the Museums front door and bounded by 2nd and 3rd streets, Crocker Park will be transformed into a public, art-focused gathering place with a multi-level parking structure to include gallery, event, and program space. Olson Kundig and SURFACEDESIGN were selected unanimously by an architect selection committee of approximately 30 diverse stakeholders, including Museum board members, staff, and donors, elected officials, city staff, design professionals, and community leaders. More than 50 submissions from firms around the world were received for the Crocker Park project. The Crocker Art Museum is moving forward with an ambitious plan to develop three acres of unimproved land into a multi-functional civic space and has selected Seattle-based Olson Kundig as the lead architect in partnership with San Francisco-based landscape architects SURFACEDESIGN INC.
