Isla Vista, CA
Pelicans fly by practically at eye level across views across the water of the Channel Islands.
Working with the Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District, we turned this one-acre bluff top site into an inviting space for recreation and relaxation amid the bustle of campus life.
Plants that are native to the islands, including a meadow of ferny yarrow (instead of lawn), are used throughout the landscape, which also includes drinking fountains, stone couches (gently bermed into the meadow), picnic tables and even a ping pong table, all constructed from terrazzo.
For those of us within Van Atta Associates who attended UCSB the creation of Pelican Park in 2001 was a true labor of love.
Working with the Isla Vista Recreation and Parks District, we turned this one-acre bluff top site that serves the nearby university’s student body, into an inviting space for recreation and relaxation amid the bustle of campus life.
Whether as a place to study, lounge, procrastinate or enjoy the amazing sunsets, this park is truly prized by its community.
