Petaluma Factory Outlet Village

Challenge

The site, along the Petaluma River, needed to accommodate occasional flooding; requiring the ground plane to be easily and quickly restored for public access.

Solution

• Create a minimal and elegant paving scheme that would be attractive and yet withstand the flooding
• Use grasses that could stand inundation as the backbone of the parking lot planting
• Incorporate the adjacent agricultural grasslands and oak woodlands into the planting scheme
• Place the colorful perennial plantings in elevated agricultural water troughs (a new use of this element at the time) to protect them from flooding

Special Features

• Use of colorful plantings draws visitors to see what perennials are available locally
• Development remains successful 25 years after its initial design.