The project includes replacing the existing outdoor pool and surrounding landscape with a new pool and new site work. The Orinda Park Pool membership treasured their existing pool – an old pond that was given a concrete lining in the 1920s. The pool is located on a neighbor hillside site surrounded by heritage oak trees. The members liked the pool’s unique shape and wanted to retain the pool and surrounding site’s character while making safety, accessibility and technical upgrades. The membership also wanted to preserve the heritage oak trees on the site.

Mark Cavagnero Associates worked closely with the membership to develop a new pool design that retained the character of the existing pool as much as possible while including a series of safety upgrades required by code. The sloped concrete deck around the pool--which sloped more than 3 feet from one end of the pool to the other--was carefully leveled to seamlessly align with the surrounding landscaping, trees and buildings. A new wood deck, wood retaining walls and wood fencing were designed to complement the pools organic shape and integrate into the surrounding hillside setting.