POST Commemorative Sites:  Mindego Hill + Russian Ridge
San Mateo County, California

The Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) commissioned O|CB to design two commemorative sites on protected parkland.  The first, 'Council Circle' at Mindego Hill, commemorates the generosity of individuals who made possible the acquisition of heritage ranchland property for public enjoyment. The project includes a trailhead and approach path, culminating at the Council Circle, a clearing nestled into a hillside meadow.  The circle is a destination and observation point for hikers; its design responds to the site’s rolling topography, its diverse views, and extant fragments of its agricultural past.  Stone markers align to create a solar calendar which marks a visitor’s shadow cast across the circle.

The ‘Audrey’s Way’ commemorative site at Russian Ridge honors Audrey Rust, who, while president of POST, enacted a bold vision for land conservation.  This observation point provides a serene place for gathering, resting and sketching at one of the most beautiful vista points on the Ridge.  It is intended as a minimal intervention—a brushstroke on the land—to orient visitors’ attention to the stunning view beyond.  The elements of the site have been constructed with minimal site disturbance.  A trail leading north connects the adjacent Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve to Mindego Hill and the Council Circle.

Project Team for Mindego Hill: O|CB, Butano Engineering, IronGrain, SiteWorks.
Project Team for Audrey’s Way: O|CB, Butano Engineering, IronGrain, GoNative.