Case Studies

Build it and they will come definitely is an axiom that applies to the recently opened plaza at Gale Ranch, designed to serve the residents of the affluent and fast-growing area on the east side of San Ramon, California. It is therefore no surprise that the developer sought an extraordinary entrance to this 126,000-square-foot retail and office development. It was key to create a memorable element representative of the development’s scale and vision. Enter David Gates of David Gates & Associates, a landscape architecture firm hired by the owner to create a visual reference point for this mixed-use development. It was David Gates vision to create an ‘iconic art’ element for the community to relate to – for the community to identify themselves with and create a sense of place. The result is a classic and timeless water feature positioned at the front entrance of the complex.

Academy Black^® granite was chosen to create an artful organization using light of the sun, texture from the stone and movement of the water.

• The location of the Academy Black^® quarry in proximity to the project makes the product sustainable and fewer fossil fuels are required to utilize the material, which helps achieve LEED criteria.
• Academy Black^® granite: As quarried blocks, fountain caps and wall tile (in Thermal and Polish finishes). The intricate design includes 5,689 square feet of stone and 16 feet in grades to create perceived movement and large scale.
• All pieces were sawn to fit together. The design also includes a back component – a front and back face with a vertical wall of water that encloses a seating area for two restaurants.
• More than one million pounds of stone was used on the fountain, with the largest stone weighing 43,000 pounds.

Learn more about the project in this video