Presidio Tunnel Tops

A public park with impressive views

Encompassing 14 acres, the Presidio Tunnel Tops is a new attraction in the Presidio, a national park site in San Francisco. A public park designed for everyone to enjoy, the Tunnel Tops features many amenities throughout the site and is accompanied by impressive views.
 

In the uppermost level, picnic sites, barbecue areas, and fire pits are available to park-goers. The next level features expansive artificial turf lawns which make up the central area of the park, a space perfect for games, sunbathing, and picnicking. On the lower level, an enormous outdoor playland, the “Outpost,” is situated adjacent to the Crissy Field Center and Learning Labs, and across the street from Crissy Marsh.
 

HLB Lighting was commissioned to design the lighting that would bring the Tunnel Tops to life at night. Careful considerations of the landscape architecture and surrounding nature allowed lighting designers to develop an appropriate lighting plan for each space.
 

Designers focused on the principle of hierarchy of light to guide the entire lighting design for the Tunnel Tops. BEGA pole-top luminaires with a frosted lens were specified to create comfortable illumination along the pathways and gathering areas in the upper level.
 

Deeper into the park, the series of connective pathways are illuminated by BEGA bollards. This includes the “Cliff Walk,” which leads to three scenic overlooks which point toward breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, and Alcatraz.
 

With two paths to follow to the lower level, the “Bluff Walk” offers a slow stroll down to the Outpost play area, with additional bollards illuminating the pathway. The second route is a staircase along the “Presidio Steps,” a set of terraces built into the hillside and facing the Golden Gate Bridge.
 

Bollards in the smaller scale option are installed at the lower level, reinforcing lighting hierarchy while maintaining design continuity. Lighting at the lower level is paired with curfew controls, to indicate the nightly closure of the playground, and to limit light pollution into the adjacent marsh.
 

Designers incorporated additional lighting throughout the park, with handrail lighting for safety along stairways, accent lighting below sculptural benches resembling driftwood, and recessed wall fixtures used in various areas like the Presidio Steps and the three overlooks.
 

After seeing the renowned BEGA Black finish of the fixtures specified by lighting designers, the landscape architect on the project was inspired to continue this look and feel throughout the entirety of the Tunnel Top design. All other fixtures, poles, furniture, and design elements were customized to match the timeless, iconic BEGA Black finish, including the waste receptacles.