Tommy Church Memorial Design Competition

Program for The California Delta: A Once and Future Park

The objective of this competition was to re-imagine the California Delta region as a park with local, regional and national appeal. The Delta region is under tremendous development pressure despite the diverse resource value it presents to both the region and the State. If one could demark and design an area to be permanently free from the stresses associated with the expansion of residential development and urban growth, what would it look like? How could the transformation of current land uses in the Delta into a park match the economic standards being used to justify rampant residential growth?

Entrants were instructed to determine and illustrate the boundaries of the new Delta Park, considering the ecological, social, economic and political ramifications of such a powerful action, particularly how the boundary will alter existing patterns on either side over time. Agriculture was to be maintained as an on-going aspect of the future Delta Park, as it provides both necessary habitat for avian wildlife as well as recreational opportunities. Entrants were also instructed to assume that the role of the Delta in the California water supply system would remain unchanged despite the Delta's park status. In addition, the role of the historic "legacy towns" that are important to the continuity of California’s social and cultural evolution was to be clearly addressed. Finally, entrants were instructed to design and describe how visitors from around the world will interface with this new park at the human scale.

This design competition was open to individuals and teams of students from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, as well as from other UC departments, encouraging interdisciplinary teams. Entries were to be submitted as two boards, 30 inches by 40 inches in size. The team of jurors utilized the following criteria in evaluating entries: logic of boundary definition; clarity of Delta Park experience concept; suitability of proposed program to the social and ecological contexts; understanding of economic sustainability; creative and communicative presentation of ideas.