Global architecture firm Perkins&Will, in collaboration with ARUP, Grimshaw Architects, EPS , AIM Consulting, and the City of Sacramento, have transformed the city's historic train station into a self-reliant and regenerative transportation hub, making it one of the most sustainable public areas in California. The design team worked alongside the local community to create a people-centric 31-acre master plan that reflects what the community envisions for a public train station and gateway to the city of Sacramento.
The Sacramento Valley Station is the primary rail station in northern California and the seventh occupied station in the country. The new master plan capitalizes on land value through the development of mixed-use projects to reinforce the connections between Old Sacramento, Downtown Sacramento, and the emerging Railyards District. The design focused their plans on user experience, creating a walkable and livable district, and developing a network of alternative transportation modes to eliminate on-site parking demands and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
All buildings within the master plan will run on 100% renewable energy through a combination of onsite and offsite power generation. The water used throughout the project is collected and recycled to meet all of the community’s non-potable water needs. Since California is highly susceptible to drought seasons, the Regenerative Utility Center, which houses the district's energy and wastewater treatment facilities, will serve to educate the citizens and celebrate sustainability and the efficient use of natural resources.
Alongside its main function as a transportation hub, the master plan will also include a range of affordable housing, commercial spaces, and public plazas for an active and inclusive community. Office spaces, hotels, recreational services, and public amenities will offer citizens of Sacramento and visitors a community-focused hub, making the area "more than just a point along a journey, but a destination of its own", as stated by Geeti Silwal, a principal and urban designer at Perkins&Will.
The principles of the Vision Plan represent a holistic approach to city building that can be inclusive for regional mobility and sustain our planet. Achieving this certification aligns our significant city and regional resource with our Mayor and City Council’s agenda on climate action. -- Greg Taylor, Project Manager, City of Sacramento
The Sacramento Valley Station plan was awarded the Living Community Challenge's Vision Plan Certification for most Aspirational Sustainability, a challenge that provides a framework for master planning, design, and construction, seeking to build a relationship between people and all elements of the built environment. The Living Community Challenge (LCC) awards plans that target seven key metrics: place, water, energy, health and happiness, materials, equity, and beauty, and the winning project was the first of its kind to find solutions for these metrics and be recognized for them.
