The new Goldman Tennis Center honors the incredible legacy of tennis in Golden Gate Park, providing a place for the next generation of players to delight in the game of tennis in a majestic natural setting situated within the gateway to one of the world’s most scenic and beloved parks.

For San Francisco’s tennis community, youth athletes, and pickleball players, this significant project is a true expression of the stakeholders’ vision and mission—fully embodying the motto, ‘Love All’. A complex public process of engagement, outreach, and robust discussions resulted in a timeless and resilient design that serves tennis enthusiasts of all ages, levels, and backgrounds. The transformation of one of the oldest public courts in the country into a vibrant, state-of-the-art public tennis center serves and inspires as players learn, compete, and create fellowship around the sport.

The Tennis Center minimizes its impact through energy, water, and site strategies—employing passive design, low primary energy, reclaimed water, and the use of renewable energy sources. Dedicated classrooms were designed to bolster youth tennis programs, which are afforded to kids from underserved neighborhoods throughout San Francisco. The design creates a linear, horizontal form integrated within the site context, in keeping with the precedent of other Golden Gate Park recreation facilities. Beautiful skylights, high ceilings, airy expansive spaces, and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the courts bathe the interiors in changing daylight, while reinforcing the connection to the outdoors.

The challenges of the previous year highlighted the importance for communities to have access to open space and opportunities for outdoor recreation. The 7,800-square foot clubhouse and upgraded courts are now ADA-accessible and code-compliant to ensure access for all. The project budget was $23 million and opened to the public in March 2021.

Photography: Cesar Rubio