China Basin Park

Perched on one of the most iconic bays in the world, San Francisco is slowly reconnecting with its waterfront after decades of industrial use. Just across from Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team, the new neighborhood of Mission Rock is redefining what it means to live and play on the waterfront.

China Basin Park anchors Mission Rock, unlocking new waterfront open space along McCovey Cove that enhances everyday life and connects to the regional network of the San Francisco Bay Trail. SCAPE partnered closely with a diverse set of stakeholders, including the MLB team, Tishman Speyer, and the Port of San Francisco to bring this community gathering place to life.

The design is inspired by a figure eight, pulling energy from its context into an urban park with a mosaic of destinations creating lively open space.

The park welcomes visitors on sunny afternoons to lie on the Great Lawn, on quiet mornings to experience intertidal ecology and birdwatching, and on game days when the park transforms into an extension of the San Francisco Giants ballpark. Learn more about how SCAPE designs Parks that Welcome.

Varying elevations within China Basin Park function as resilient infrastructure. Elevated approximately five feet above existing grade, the Bay Trail functions as the transition point between higher ground and more frequently flooded space. More urban portions of the park are lifted above future sea level rise levels, and more flood resilient areas, like the Shoreline Sands, are pushed down toward the water.

Buffering the park’s edge, a massive Stormwater Garden conveys and treats runoff from the entire development and invites visitors to learn about the local environment, incorporating green infrastructure through a series of elevated boardwalks crossing the garden.

Opened in 2024, China Basin Park embodies all that Mission Rock stands for: fostering an inclusive community, building a resilient future, and celebrating what makes San Francisco special.