Ocean Beach extends more than three miles along San Francisco’s rugged Pacific coast, offering visitors a stunning encounter with natural forces at the city’s edge. Drawing more than 30,000 visitors annually to stroll, bike, and surf, Ocean Beach is part park, part urban amenity, and unique to the city’s landscape. Unfortunately, infrastructure-eroding storm surges and predictions of sea-level rise threaten the beach’s security.

Since 2012, AECOM’s design planning team has been working with the San Francisco Planning Urban Research Association (SPUR) to create a sustainable long-term vision for Ocean Beach that addresses environmental conservation, sustainable infrastructure and stewardship.

“Our original vision looked at the enhancement of ecological and open space functions with the same urgency as protecting infrastructure from erosion and climate-change-related sea level rise,” explains Patricia Fonseca, landscape designer and project manager. “Our team will continue our work with SPUR and the community to transform Ocean Beach to be resilient to the effects of climate change as well as an even better place for people and nature.”