Set within a North Berkeley neighborhood characterized by large homes and leafy, narrow streets, the historic John Hinkel Park is a 4-acre hillside park featuring steep, rocky slopes and mature oak groves. Carducci Associates collaborated with the City of Berkeley to restore elements of the city’s only pre-1920s building in a public park, which had been destroyed by fire. This restoration included new picnic areas built using reclaimed lumber and native rock. Our team also renovated weathered picnic and play areas. Navigating competing interests, Carducci Associates led the community towards a design that respects the city’s Landmark Status constraints, complies with ADA requirements, and introduces children to the beauty of California’s oak woodlands.