Oak Leaf Benches
Title: Oak Leaf Benches
Year: 2024
Media: Steel, Wood (Cypress);
Size: 5’ x 6’ x 18”
Location: Westport Cupertino, 21267 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA.
Client: Pacific West Communities, Inc. Art Consultant: Dorka Keehn
Before urban development, the Cupertino area was largely oak savanna, especially dominated by Coast Live Oaks and Valley Oaks. As agriculture expanded and later the region became part of what’s now known as Silicon Valley, much of that habitat was cleared or fragmented.
The five benches are symbolic: each one represents the leaf form of a different oak species that historically or commonly grew in the region.
Together, the installation functions as a reminder of Cupertino’s natural past and its relationship with native oak ecosystems.