In conjunction with Cupples Design, Calichi Design Group was awarded 7 of 13 sites for the OUSD Living Schoolyards program — a CalFire grant-funded initiative to improve outdoor areas for K-12 students, support health and wellness, and enhance a sense of community.
Calichi will ensure the work meets OUSD Design Guidelines and will act as liaison for DSA and OUSD maintenance. The scope includes stormwater management, raised beds for self-sustaining food gardens built around water recirculation and capture, general site design, heat mitigation, sustainable shade canopies, and pollution impact mitigation for outdoor play areas.
Living Schoolyards transform traditional asphalt yards into green, climate-adaptive spaces. They're one of the more rewarding things a civil engineer can work on.