Berkeley, California

This two day design charrette is to show how Zone 0 (No in-ground vegetation, no climbing vines, no combustible mulch, no wooden or combustible fences that attach to structures and/or replace the first 5 feet with a non-combustible alternative) and Zone 1 can look at 736 Grizzly Peak Blvd., Berkeley CA. The goal of this is to show how a simple Zone 0, with no vegetation can allow Zone 1 to become more prominent, across a range of different design styles. In this case, the design style is “perennial/English cottage" garden.

The history of fire in Berkeley, CA includes the 1923 Fire and the 1991 Tunnel Fire. The city of Berkeley has done a recent evacuation study, and KQED reported on it here.

These design drawings were shared with a public forum hosted by the Berkeley City Council in the Fall of 2026 and organized into a pattern book for use by residents of Berkeley and Paradise, California.

Before

After

Winter Perspective

Summer Perspective

Plan

Planting Palette and Materials