When natural beauty and urban spirit come together, something truly magical happens.
At the juncture of community and creek, Oak Knoll welcomes you on foot, bike or car over the iconic Rifle Range Bridge to gaze at the bubbling waters and sun-dappled woodlands below. Hidden here is an idyllic sanctuary that speaks to both your outdoor and urban sides. With plenty of fresh-air pursuits, parks, trails, a community clubhouse, future village center and, ultimately, more than 900 new homes welcoming neighbors and friends—leaving over a third of the land’s 167 acres as wide-open-wonderful space to enjoy.
Visionary from the ground up. Because we know an opportunity like this will never come again.
Before the first home was ever built or designed, the Oak Knoll team put millions into the community’s infrastructure to ensure its longevity for generations of families. Then they restored the clubhouse, daylighted the creek and commissioned a public art program to breathe life into Oak Knoll’s layers. Creating a soon-to-be-burgeoning home, with close proximity to the city, where you don’t just live—you’ll thrive. And you’ll never have to leave.
Nature
Wherever you roam at Oak Knoll, nature will always lead you home.
Within this pocket of pristine beauty, nature is all-encompassing, restorative and unfolding at every turn. Rifle Range Creek, newly freed from its underground culvert, runs its way over fascinating rocks of all sizes to nourish new flora and fauna and create a refreshing focal point for creek-side pursuits.
Landscaping returns to its native California palette for the enjoyment of all. We’re planting 8,000 live oaks throughout the community, harvesting new plant life from preserved cuttings, removing invasive eucalyptus and safely relocating 25 large-specimen oak trees to signature locations. They join buckeyes, willows, wildlife and wildflowers for your endless wonderment.
Parks & Open Space
From neighborhood spots to creek-side greenways, Oak Knoll’s plentiful parks offer countless possibilities.
Amidst Oakland’s urban density, celebrate your love for the outdoors with a romp in the park. Whether you’re searching for solitude or camaraderie. Whether you want to fly a kite, catch some views, spread out on a picnic blanket or play frisbee with your canine companion. Neighborhood gathering spots ramble throughout the community, so you’re never more than a short walk from open green space.
Nestled at the community’s main entrance, Creekside Park is sprinkled in artful stone seating and tables, so you can pause and take in the scenery as the creek babbles by. Or marvel at the towering oaks as they extend their shade for sunny Oak Knoll days.
Created by national Bay Area sculptor Yoshikawa Wright, these life-size puzzle-piece artworks intentionally amplify qualities in the natural surroundings while honoring the veterans cared for at the former Oak Knoll Naval Hospital.
Cross the restored Rifle Range Creek via a stunning leaf-patterned bridge, reminiscent of an old railroad trestle, created by San Francisco artist Bruce Tomb. The lifeblood of the hills, the creek flows freely through the oak-studded community and can be easily crossed by foot, bike or car.
Whimsical themes infuse the bike racks and resting places peppered throughout Oak Knoll—all designed and handcrafted by local Oakland artist Mark Bulwinkle.
The community’s highest perch will be accessible by a hardy hike up to the knoll, where the serenity of Memorial Park invites quiet contemplation. Sprawl out and take in the jaw-dropping San Francisco Bay views. Then linger for a stunning sunset and keep your eyes peeled for majestic hawks circling in the sky.
Traipse the sprawling network of crushed-granite trails through Woodland Park, where sculptural park seats, designed by artist David Duskin, are perfectly placed for a midday coffee break or an impromptu family picnic under a procession of eponymous oaks.
Or venture further into hundreds of acres of protected regional parklands beyond, including Leona Canyon Regional Open Space Preserve, where a pristine wooded canyon is sheltered by a 290-acre sanctuary.
Oak Knoll Village Center
Every community needs a hub for everyday necessities. Ours is at your front door.
Just off the 580 freeway at Mountain Boulevard, the future Oak Knoll Village Center will bring visions of buzzing conveniences and community camaraderie to fruition. Spanning over 70,000 square feet of prime street front along the scenic highway, this vibrant neighborhood gathering place will tick all the boxes for modern urban style with a friendly vibe.
Imagine starting your day with a craft-brewed latte, fresh pastry and a nod from the barista who knows you by name. Grabbing a deli-made lunch from the friendly grocer for a healthy picnic under the oaks, where you’re bound to bump into neighbors doing the same. Meeting friends for an alfresco happy hour of lite bites at the café. Picking up seasonal specialties from favorite purveyors at the bustling market. Treating the kids to ice cream on a warm weekend day. Or simply window-shopping and people-watching.
With lively new places to work, meet, relax and socialize, both indoors and out. Local-spirited boutiques and eateries. Original tilework crafted by Oakland designer Johanna Poethig and unique artwork throughout. Effortless walkability, plus plenty of parking for all modes of transportation. We’re forging a lively neighborhood hub befitting our charming and inviting community.
Club Knoll Community Clubhouse
Built in 1928 to promote the spirit of good fellowship. Newly restored for the very same reason.
The heart of community beats steadily within the lofty spaces of the Club Knoll community clubhouse—standing sentry within walking distance of every residence, where its iconic belltower rises amidst the graceful oaks.
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Imagine weekend gatherings with new friends at the outdoor fireplace under twinkling lights. Flawless weddings in the voluminous Grand Hall. Joyful social events with Oakland Hills neighbors. And coveted parties on the sprawling terrace, where the views unfurl over an awe-inspiring tapestry of oak-strewn hills, billowy clouds and the creek that runs through it all.
Massive, rambling and restored inch by inch with care, Club Knoll welcomes one and all with romantic Spanish-style architecture, several massive stone fireplaces (inside and out), a traditional Spanish garden, two floors of gathering places and historic design details everywhere you look—including impressive timber scissor trusses that adorn the ceiling of the Grand Hall.
Once the largest and finest clubhouse in the East Bay, this historic social haven played host to family get-togethers at the Oak Knoll Country Club before transforming into the gracious Oak Knoll Officer’s Club in the Naval Hospital days. Now, it’s ushering in a new era of unforgettable gatherings. Formerly built in a sheltered spot on the fringes of the site, Club Knoll has been painstakingly relocated to the center of the community to be more accessible to all. So new memories and stories will once again fill its hallowed surrounds.
Public Art Collection
Five artists bring their original works to Oak Knoll’s spectacular natural setting.
From the beginning, art was a key element of the Oak Knoll design—a way to spark our imaginations, foster a sense of place and bolster community pride through creativity.
In April 2016, the Oak Knoll development team identified five outdoor spaces ideal for original public art and defined the artist selection process. Then they worked with Oakland sculptor Philip Dow to solicit proposals from Bay Area and California artists. From September 2016 to June 2017, selection panels—composed of arts professionals, community members and the developer’s representatives—were assembled for each of the public art sites. The winning commissions bring together incredible vision, talent and passion, enhancing the community and making history in the Oakland Hills.
Meet The Artists
YOSHIKAWA WRIGHT
Yoshikawa is the recipient of numerous national sculpture awards. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Boulder, he apprenticed as a sculptor in the stone quarries of Shodoshima, Japan. Career highlights include creating a Memorial Arch for the Los Angeles Fallen Firefighters Memorial, large travertine water walls for the five-star Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach and water sculptures for two Wolfgang Puck restaurants: Spago in Beverly Hills and Chinois in Las Vegas.
Creekside Park
This two-acre park is at the primary entrance to the Oak Knoll community, between Mountain Boulevard, Creekside Parkway and Rifle Range Creek. It will have pedestrian access from both Mountain and Creekside with a path that leads to picnic areas. The new park will adjoin the restored creek and be landscaped with a native California palette.
Artist Gallery
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Creekside Park Proposal
Prior to developing his concept for Creekside Park, Yoshikawa interviewed veterans who served at the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital. He was struck by the words and sentiments that expressed their willingness, and their duty, to be of service to others. Connections and relationships emerged as a common denominator, because through these connections and relationships, we are healed or made whole. Black granite sculptures in the form of interlocking puzzle pieces will represent implied, potential or actual connection. With each piece of granite hand-chosen from a local quarry for its healing properties. This abstraction will be expressed in three different locations in the park. Working closely with PGA Landscape Design of Oakland, Yoshikawa is creating distinct natural environments, or “cul-de-sacs,” for viewers to engage intimately with the art.
MARK BULWINKLE
After earning an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1973 and working locally as a ceramist, Mark attended John O’Connell Technical School, becoming an industrial welder—a move he deems central to his education as a craftsman and artist. While working as a union boilermaker, he still found time to create the “Thrillah on Manilla,” enveloping his small Oakland bungalow with thousands of rusted steel figures. Through the ‘80s, Mark exhibited nationwide in numerous galleries, among them the Berggruen Gallery. He currently takes on private commissions, including 28 sculptures at the East Bay Plaza in Oakland/Emeryville and a gateway at the Lou Harrison estate in Joshua Tree.
Oak Knoll Public Amenities
Throughout the Oak Knoll community, there are multiple opportunities for bike racks and benches as sculptural takes on utilitarian space. As an obvious addition to Oak Knoll’s walkable and bikeable neighborhood, bike racks encourage pedal power. Benches may be located at common areas, such as the pedestrian pathways connecting Club Knoll to neighborhoods and the future Village Center.
Artist Gallery
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Amenities Proposal
At some point in Mark’s long love affair with steel, he developed a technique he calls “steel bamboo,” a process of flaring the ends of short sections of galvanized pipe and welding them together to create structural elements very much in keeping with his art’s organic themes. For Oak Knoll, steel bamboo embellished with steel critters will be configured to create utilitarian art. Mark will create, build and construct bicycle rack compositions on the north and south sides of Club Knoll. Benches, doggie-bag dispensers and trash receptacles will be strategically placed along the pedestrian trailheads at Club Knoll, Creekside Parkway, Oak Leaf Boulevard and the pedestrian bridge.
All the amenities have been fabricated and are gathering a natural patina at Mark’s west Oakland outdoor studio.
JOHANNA POETHIG
Johanna is known for her monumentally scaled murals and architecturally integrated public art, socially engaged collaborations, multimedia installations and performance. She is currently lead artist for a $1.5-million-dollar project to create public art for 34 AC Transit bus stations along a nine-mile transit corridor, from downtown Oakland to San Leandro. Other projects include art for the Bernal Library in San Francisco, a historic building in downtown Chicago and San Francisco’s Juvenile Justice Center. Johanna received her MFA at Mills College and is a professor emeritus of painting and public art at California State University, Monterey Bay.
Oak Knoll Village Center
The future Oak Knoll Village Center will comprise a full-service grocery store, eateries and daily conveniences, providing services to the Oak Knoll community and surrounding neighborhoods. At its heart is an intimately scaled pedestrian plaza, featuring a landscape of mature oaks. The plaza will provide expanded frontage for retail and restaurant façades, outdoor dining and a place for neighbors to meet and socialize. Designed for walkability and flexibility, the Village Center’s fluid layout allows space for a potential farmer’s market or outdoor public event.
Artist Gallery
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Village Center Proposal
Because of their intricate patterns, range of color and amazing forms, plants offer endless possibilities—making them a favorite subject for art of all kinds. Johanna’s proposal explores our response to the beauty of plants by appreciating their aesthetics juxtaposed to the science that helps us uncover the systems that create life. This project is in its infancy. As the site plan and building façades are developed, Johanna will be working with the Village Center architects to ensure her concepts are seamlessly incorporated.
BRUCE TOMB
Bruce established his interdisciplinary practice in 1998. He has taught at UC Berkeley, Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo and is a senior adjunct professor at California College of Arts in San Francisco/Oakland, teaching Architectural Design and Sculpture Studios since 1989. Through both commissioned and experimental projects, Bruce has investigated dynamic relationships between people, sites, buildings, technology and environment. Past endeavors include the (de)Appropriation Parklet, a memorial to free speech supported by the San Francisco Arts Commission through an Individual Artist Commissions grant, and a collaboration with Chip Lord and Curtis Schreier on the Ant Farm Media Van v.08 [Time Capsule] and the Time Capsule Triptych, both the subject of the 2016 book, The Present Is the Form of All Life.
Rifle Range Creek Bridge
A 120-foot-long corten steel, gusset-truss vehicle and pedestrian bridge, anchored by 30-foot-long stone-clad abutments, spans the Rifle Range Creek. The bridge serves as the primary access to a majority of the Oak Knoll community. It can be viewed by pedestrians hiking a 10-foot-wide trail along Creekside Parkway, motorists entering the residential neighborhoods and residents and visitors walking across the bridge, as well as visitors to the adjacent Oak Knoll Village Center.
Artist Gallery
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Bridge Proposal
The art component for the vehicle bridge is a cast-iron railing running along the outermost edges of the pedestrian walkways. The goal of the project is to provide an intimate version of 19th century technology to complement the robust bridge trusses. The corten-steel bridge structure has a mottled rust coloration that gives it a rugged painterly quality. Likewise, the cast-iron system is uncoated to create a living surface that rusts in a similar manner. The castings’ intricate design highlights this graceful aging process with the lively surfaces of a Penrose geometry, holding light and shadow. When viewed up close from the pedestrian walkway, the two-sided castings present leaf forms. When the bridge is viewed from afar, the railing’s pure geometry resonates with the triangulated trusses.
DAVID DUSKIN
David was trained as an artist, blacksmith and metal fabricator. Currently, he works on public and private commissions. While his work includes both traditional sculpture and architectural metalwork, his focus is on conceptually driven art in which the work and the site collaborate. David has installed large-scale work in upstate New York, floating work in the San Francisco Bay and a bridge, guardrails and gates that are integrated into a creek restoration at an Alameda County library.
Woodland Park
Woodland Park is a three-acre natural area adjacent to Rifle Range Creek that will be preserved during development. A loop footpath of decomposed granite will be installed through its length, parallel to the creek, with a trailhead at the foot of the new pedestrian bridge.
Artist Gallery
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Woodland Park Proposal
To draw residents and visitors through the wooded landscape, David proposed a single work—composed of many parts. The sculpture is most vertical at the entry point to attract attention. There, a palette of colors, a language of forms and a dialogue between materials and the landscape is established. The work becomes more spread out and horizontally oriented as it leads people through, encouraging them to look, linger and take full advantage of the wooded trail and views of Rifle Range Creek. As people move along the path, the visuals are punctuated by several other sculptural elements made of forged, inflated and fabricated corten steel, stainless steel and granite boulders. The forms, materials and colors will harmonize with the location, providing points of focus while allowing the environment to take center stage.
