Advancing Civic Engagement + Habitat Creation
The Count of San Mateo believe the headquarter to be an important symbolic addition to the region’s built environment. The civic campus engages with the public, provides efficient and transparent governance, and is uniquely sustainable and energy efficient. Anchoring the government center is the San Mateo County Office Building, a new structure on campus designed by Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill. The structure configuration features a north and south public plaza – connecting residents through and around the building, creating a social corridor between the downtown Redwood City Theater District towards the south and the San Mateo County Government Center towards the north. These improvements to the campus create a destination for public programming – the north side café provides a heart to the center, while the two public plazas lend additional gathering space during events in the Board of Supervisors Chamber, and other activities, including receptions and public events.
As the nation’s first civic building made of mass timber, the new San Mateo County Office Building, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill targets Zero Net Energy (ZNE) and LEED Platinum Certification. CMG’s native and low-water landscape design contribute to these energy goals through diverting all stormwater to onsite bioretention planters that absorb and treat 100% of the site’s runoff – as opposed to diverting that water to an offsite municipal treatment facility. These solutions reduce environmental impact throughout the building’s life and help the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors achieve their ambitious five-year plan for capital improvements for the civic campus.
Image Credit: Dave Burk © SOM
Planning for the San Mateo County Government Center and County Office Building has dramatically shifted how county leaders approach future projects, adding new focus on sustainability, public health, and new public open space. The ambitious project is an example of a local government who is taking firm steps to address the challenges of climate change through smart design.
