03The signature landmark
The Giant Strawberry
Visible from the street and designed as the park’s unmistakable anchor, the 20-foot tower layers accessible routes, climbing, sensory moments and multiple ways to slide.
Strawberry Recreation District · Mill Valley, California
A new landmark
for play in Mill Valley.
A vibrant, inclusive destination designed for ages 2 through adult—made to bring generations together through movement, imagination and joy.
01 · The vision
One park.
Every generation.
Strawberry Park is envisioned as a vibrant, inclusive destination where physical, social and sensory play come together.
Custom-themed unitary surfacing strengthens accessibility and visual identity, while an adjacent multi-purpose synthetic turf field expands opportunities for open play, sports and programming.
Bird’s-eye viewLooking northeast
- 2–Adult
- Designed for every age
- 4
- Signature play structures
- 12,799
- Sq. ft. poured-in-place surfacing
- 5,293
- Sq. ft. synthetic turf
02 · Explore the park
Six ways into
one big idea.
Select a numbered zone to explore how each part of the plan contributes to play value, inclusion and Strawberry Park’s distinct sense of place.
0303 · Design journey
Iterative.
Collaborative.
The final concept did not arrive fully formed. It was shaped through listening, testing and refinement.
Each round preserved the central promise—a joyful strawberry landmark—while improving scope, visibility, challenge, inclusion and connection to the surrounding recreation district.
A bold beginning
A 22-foot strawberry-shaped tower visually anchored the site and introduced graduated levels of challenge.
Focused and refined
Scope and complexity were reduced while maintaining inclusive, multigenerational activities and varied challenge.
A complete destination
The play area expands toward the fields with four standout structures, stronger theming, shade, seating and immersive surfacing.
What we heard · How the design responded
Feedback became form.
01
Maximize play value and extend toward the fields.
Four signature structures, more independent play, added shade and seating create a larger, more complete experience.
02
Make the Strawberry visible from the street.
The Giant Strawberry becomes the park’s central visual anchor, carefully positioned as a recognizable Mill Valley landmark.
03
Bring the barn theme into the park.
Barn-inspired play in the Jr. Berries area and custom raised surfacing weave the story throughout the site.
4′6′10′20′
Interior PlayValuation®
More than a tower.
Multiple levels combine physical challenge with communication, sensory discovery and places to gather.
Physical Play
- Multi-tier accessible path
- Climbing walls
- Internal net climber
- Tube and roller slides
Social-Cognitive Play
- Integrated talk tubes
- Bells and 3-in-a-row panels
- Color-drenching acrylic windows
- Gathering areas at two levels
05 · Video experiences
Walk it before
we build it.
Full-site flythrough
Tour the complete park.
Interior experience
Step inside the Strawberry.
06 · Evidence-based design
Play value
by design.
A beautiful park matters. A park that intentionally supports lifelong development matters even more.
The PlayValuation® methodology helps ensure that physical and social-emotional opportunities—and the site attributes that support them—are represented throughout Strawberry Park.
Movement experiences build strength, coordination, confidence and lifelong physical literacy.
- 01Balancing
- 02Climbing
- 03Crawling
- 04Rocking
- 05Sliding
- 06Spinning
- 07Swinging
- 08Upper Body
The complete environment supports access, comfort, identity and meaningful time together.
- 01Site Enclosure
- 02Inclusion
- 03Primary Pathways
- 04Seating
- 05Planting Pockets
- 06Trees & Shrubs
- 07Topography
- 08Shade
- 09Signage
- 10Surfacing
- 11Amenities
- 12Cultural Themes
Play On! · Youth physical activity
Designed to keep kids moving.
Developed with SHAPE America and authored by experts from Louisiana State University, Play On! promotes fitness, learning and fun through six essential elements of play.
- 01Balancing
- 02Brachiating
- 03Climbing
- 04Sliding
- 05Spinning
- 06Swinging
07 · Materials and colors
Built for beauty.
Engineered to last.
Durability, ease of maintenance and sustainability meet a bold, cohesive visual identity.
Steel, aluminum, acrylic and dimensional materials work together to support comfort, compliance, reliability and an immersive experience.
Strawberry Tower cladding
Wood-like warmth. Built without wood’s constraints.
The tower is clad in a composite incorporating discarded rice hulls sourced from American farms. Engineered in the USA through a zero-waste, closed-loop process, it delivers a tactile wood experience with improved durability and maintenance.
Powder-coated steel
HDPE
Shade fabric
Aluminum
Acrylic
Composite cladding
08 · Every angle
See the park
come alive.
Scroll through the defining views and experiences of the Round 3 concept.
01
Street Views and Site Highlights
The Giant Strawberry creates a memorable street presence while the broader park remains open and connected to its surroundings.
02
View from the District Office
The layout maintains clear visual relationships between the recreation district office, play areas and adjacent amenities.
03
Jr. Berries & Custom Theming
A scaled environment combines strawberry and barn-inspired theming with age-appropriate activities and imaginative play.
04
Freestanding Play
Independent events create multiple routes through the park and different ways to climb, balance, move and explore.
05
5 to 12 Play Area
Varied challenge levels invite school-age children to build strength, confidence and physical skills through active play.
06
Community Engagement
Play, gathering and social experiences encourage children, adults and families to participate together.
07
Immersive Unitary Surfacing
Custom-themed surfacing supports accessibility while extending the park’s color, identity and storytelling across the site.
09 · Project overview
A complete vision.
A turnkey path.
G&G Builders and the project team will deliver a complete, turnkey scope—from excavation and site preparation through construction, equipment, surfacing and final improvements.
Project investment
$2,425,632.67The quoted investment includes playground equipment, poured-in-place surfacing, the synthetic turf field, installation, freight, applicable taxes, sidewalks, all excavation and site work, the bathroom building, the seated concrete retaining wall, fencing, gates with panic hardware, two concrete staircases with railing and related turnkey site improvements.
10 · Project team
A combined 175 years of experience.
Design, construction, visualization and project leadership—working as one team from concept through completion.
Leo Seavey
California Design Consultant
Sonoma County, California+
Leo Seavey
California Design Consultant
Sonoma County, CaliforniaLeo brings more than 35 years of playground design, function and construction experience. He works closely with designers and researchers to deliver thoughtful, intentional play spaces throughout Northern California and is a long-standing member of NRPA and CPRS.
415-246-9022lseavey@mrcrec.com
Matt Miller
Principal of Sales & Business Operations
New Jersey · MRC Headquarters+
Matt Miller
Principal of Sales & Business Operations
New Jersey · MRC HeadquartersMatt oversees sales, business operations, project execution and strategic growth for MRC Recreation. Since joining MRC in 2011, he has helped expand the company’s presence while building partnerships with municipalities, schools, landscape architects and developers.
800-922-0070 ext. 1049mmiller@mrcrec.com
Martha Rainey
Pacific Regional Sales Manager
Oregon+
Martha Rainey
Pacific Regional Sales Manager
OregonSince joining MRC in 2014, Martha has helped Pacific-region communities create imaginative, inclusive and multigenerational play spaces. Her background in CAD, project management, construction coordination and fundraising combines technical precision with creative vision.
800-922-0070 ext. 1037martha@mrcrec.com
Nik Duritza
3D Rendering Artist
New Jersey+
Nik Duritza
3D Rendering Artist
New JerseyNikolas brings a foundation in landscape architecture and more than 10 years of experience collaborating with engineers, architects and design professionals. He transforms complex concepts into visual stories that help clients and stakeholders understand project intent.
800-922-0070 ext. 1019nduritza@mrcrec.com
David Hill
Regional Manager for GameTime
Tennessee · GameTime Headquarters+
David Hill
Regional Manager for GameTime
Tennessee · GameTime HeadquartersDavid has 23 years of playground experience, including more than 14 as a GameTime Regional Sales Manager. His work centers on intergenerational and equitable recreation environments grounded in research-based best practices.
david.hill@gametime.com
Diana Molina, ASLA, CPSI
Landmark Designer
Texas+
Diana Molina, ASLA, CPSI
Landmark Designer
TexasDiana develops custom, site-specific GameTime designs. She has 15 years of landscape architecture experience, including nine years focused on destination playgrounds, and has designed more than 200 projects across the U.S. and Canada.
Gerard Callahan
President of G&G Builders
Livermore, California+
Gerard Callahan
President of G&G Builders
Livermore, CaliforniaGerard leads G&G Builders, a construction company specializing in park and playground environments since 1998. His team of more than 20 professionals brings turnkey expertise, accountability and a commitment to durable community spaces.
gcallahan@ggbuildersinc.com
Next step
Let’s bring
Strawberry Park to life.
One landmark. Four signature play environments. A destination where every generation can move, connect and play.
Leo SeaveyMRC · California Design Consultant415-246-9022lseavey@mrcrec.com