Honoring Design Solutions to Urban Ills

"'Mr. Hood has transformed several of Oakland's neglected parks,'' said a statement from Mayor Brown's office, 'into community assets that helped reshape their neighborhoods.' A prime example, the mayor's office said, is the recently completed Splashpad Park, a nearly $900,000 remake of a dilapidated plot near Lake Merritt that was surrounded by traffic and almost sold by the city for development before area residents objected...the site with its forlorn fountain epitomized the kind of challenge that Hood finds invigorating. Using layers of plants and varied surfaces, including crushed granite, wood, brick, concrete and grass, Hood has sought to provide 'rooms' for different activities."

Thanks to Erin Clark