Embodying a commitment to sustainable placemaking, the India Basin project proposes the transformation of acres of overgrown former industrial lands on San Francisco’s bay into an active waterfront destination and a vibrant, diverse village. Developed in collaboration with city government agencies and residents of the area, SOM’s comprehensive design reconnects surrounding communities with the shoreline, cultivates economic opportunities, and provides mixed-income housing.

A rugged piece of urban land located north of the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood, the site provides connection to the tranquility of San Francisco Bay and a breathtaking panoramic view that spans from downtown San Francisco to the East Bay mountains. The multiphase, mixed-use project creates a complete community that is human in scale with all basic services and amenities located within short walking distance. It interweaves parks, plazas, and open space with new pedestrian and bicycle-friendly connections, as well as buildings for residential, commercial, and community-serving purposes. Serving as the gateway to this new neighborhood and parkland, the India Basin Market Plaza and Boardwalk will provide a local and regional amenity for culture, commerce, and recreation.

The design also embraces the existing wild character of the land, responding to its specific hydrology and topography and celebrating the connection to San Francisco’s ecological history. A robust stormwater management strategy links streetscape streams and bioswales (landscape elements that remove silt from runoff water) with a landscape of canals, reservoirs, and wetlands. Captured water will be retained for irrigation, street cleaning, and other uses. India Basin preserves the site’s salt marshes and grasslands, while forming an attractive and safe place to live for current and future residents.