Verde Design was selected to deliver a comprehensive enhancement package for the athletic facility at Crystal Springs Uplands School, which is an independent, coeducational, college prep day school in Hillsborough. The scope of the renovations encompassed the replacement of the school’s inadequately sized natural turf field with a league-standard synthetic turf soccer field, which is also suitable for accommodating eight-person football league games.
The project presented several challenges that needed to be navigated effectively. The presence of mature redwood and oak trees on the site limited the design area and necessitated the implementation of protective measures. Additionally, the proposed field was bordered by steep slopes on three sides, which required careful grading and the construction of retaining walls to safeguard the existing trees. Furthermore, the Town of Hillsborough mandated that the 1.72 million gallons of rainwater collected by the synthetic field annually be detained and filtered prior to entering the town’s stormwater system. To address this requirement, we devised a subfield detention system, a dispersal system, and a vegetated buffer strip designed to slow runoff and filter stormwater on-site. Our team produced the engineering and construction documents that executed the site design and drainage strategies while ensuring minimal visible and environmental impact, thereby fulfilling the objectives of the school and other project stakeholders.
