A complete landscape makeover in Fairbanks Ranch included new paving, pergola with outdoor kitchen, remodeled pool and spa, an access stairway to and surroundings for the guest house, bio filtration swales, landscape lighting, planting with a significant reduction of the lawn and irrigation.
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The owners purchased a new custom home on a large property, a completely blank slate.
The design program included a large swimming pool with water sprays and a spa, a large, shaded outdoor kitchen and pergola structure with barbecue and lots of counter space for gathering and dining, incorporation of the existing cabana into the rear yard design, a large play set, fruit tree and veggie garden areas, a large storage and trash enclosure, and central fountain. We also created a raised sitting area with banquette to expand the rear yard.
The property was large enough we felt it was essential to have storm water detention on site. So with a large front yard, we incorporated a dry stream bed, which serves as a bio-filtration basin during rain events.
It was important to create a welcome feeling from the street. To accommodate the change in elevation we added a few steps up, to a mini bridge that “fords” the dry stream, further incorporating bio-retention into the design.
The owners, recent transplants from the Northeast, knew to ask for “eco-friendly” plants and succulents.
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The problem:
Due to a major building re-construction, everything in the courtyard would have to be demolished. This required a complete re-design.
Existing improvements included a concrete wall and water feature which separated the pool area from the remainder of the deck, rendering it all but invisible. Behind it was a sandpit which had never been used and cabanas which had become the locus of occasional sordid activity.
The barbecue at the rear was awkwardly placed, due to the restrictive placement of the steel trellis posts, which chop up the utility of the space.
The solution:
The owners wanted a game changer, an elegant, modern but timeless result, with the feeling of a coastal resort.
Since the water feature had to be re-built, we chose a transparent “rain curtain” which became the central focus of the courtyard. This feature and the fire pit behind it, are now visible from the street and create magnetic visual interest.
To increase room in the rear half of the courtyard, we extended the trellis posts to the perimeter planter wall. This allowed for two BBQs, a sink and under-counter refrigerator.
The perimeter planters were rebuilt with new waterproofing and drainage. Planting had to provide a dense screen between the pool and the adjacent private residential units. We chose a hedge of small palms with an abundance of color and texture. The new planters were finished with an earthy porcelain tile, which “grounds” the planting and reflects adjacent colors in the right light.
New lighting gives the space an outdoor room feeling at night.
We added lots of teak furniture with comfy cushions, as a finishing touch.
The Owners’ were so happy with the proposed design, they asked us to expand the scope of work to the entire perimeter of the property, including the building colors and all exterior lighting.
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Our dear friends had moved from a sprawling ranch in the country to a smaller property in town and wanted a Japanese garden. Their side yard fronted a “paper” street, so after gaining permission from the City, we designed this low maintenance, Zen Diego style kare sansui (枯山水), complete with raked gravel, boulders, “islands” of creeping thyme, stone lanterns and tree form Wisterias. The lower patio greatly expands the family’s outdoor living, suitable for large dinner gatherings. A nearby stone fountain completes the scene.
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With AVRP Studios and Ron Neal Lighting Design
Landscape and hardscape design for this award winning, luxury 25-story high-rise apartment building in San Diego, included:
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With ZGF Architects and Andropogon Associates
This world class, state of the art facility is California’s first truly sustainable laboratory facility, the first carbon neutral addition to the UCSD campus, and of course, is rated LEED Platinum. The new Venter Institute building is the site of the latest in genomic focused research.
As Landscape Architects of record (with Andropogon Associates of Philadelphia), an all native landscape was planned, with intensive and extensive roof gardens covering 12% of the building area. Magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean and public access to the Skeleton Canyon Ecological Reserve were preserved. All supplemental irrigation is from collected rainfall, stored in cisterns below the building and site. Several major, existing Torrey Pine trees were successfully transplanted.
Our firm provided extensive design support for all planting, all irrigation design and some assistance with hardscape development, and complete Construction Administration.
After construction, we completed the revegetation of the adjacent 4-acre site with native plants and temporary irrigation.
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Work included a completely new Landscape Master Plan for the entire 44 acre site, built circa 1971. In phases 1 & 2, seven greenbelts were transformed into water conserving landscapes. More than half of all lawn areas were removed, and replaced with low drought tolerant and procumbent groundcovers.
The proposed plant palette includes new, drought tolerant and xeriphytic plant species, which still provide continuity, color and texture to the landscape. A new Tree Master Plan was included.
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This landscape design set a new paradigm for water conserving plantings for a mid Century Modern classic building in Banker’s Hill San Diego, with an estimated water savings of over $4,000 per year. New hardscape and lighting were also added.
The previous landscape was all lawn, and was replaced with California native plants, brightly colored succulents and other very drought tolerant ornamentals. Strips of the highly water conserving ‘U.C. Verde’ Buffalo grass were used to facilitate pedestrian traffic across the wide parkway strip.
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This 25 foot wide garden lot has become a pair of outdoor rooms for the owners and their children. The rear patio boasts a fireplace, barbecue, banquettes, brick and bluestone paving, eyebrow trellises, festive lighting and perimeter landscaping. A private shower is made from a surfboard (the contractor’s idea!!!). The parkways on the street are landscaped in true Coronado “Crown City” fashion.
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Hardscape features include a Moorish courtyard and fountain with runnel, a double sided fireplace, a complete outdoor kitchen/bar and adjacent firepit, a swimming pool and spa with waterfall, trellis work, walls, steps, and last but not least, an outdoor walled poker room. Landscape features include a great variety of highly drought tolerant and xeriphytic plant species. An herb and veggie garden with fruit trees provides an edible landscape component. The project also features LED Landscape lighting.
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This recently completed re-construction project was for the 6th floor plaza, a roof garden at the Harbor Club in downtown San Diego. The Harbor Club consists of two high-end residential towers each with 100 condominiums; which at the time of construction had the highest height to width ratio of any buildings in California. Design work started with a new master plan, including all hardscape and landscape with a well planned color and materials board for the upcoming work. Included are a pool remodel, a new spa in a completely revised location, 3 separate fountains (one of which is a fire/water element), new outdoor lighting, barbecue and complete re-landscaping in the spirit of the original garden.
During demolition and re-construction, all materials (including specimen palm trees) had to be hauled to or from the site, more than 60 feet off the ground. A complete re-waterproofing of the roof deck began the re-construction. While the pool was simply remodeled, the spa was re-located to a completely different spot on the roof deck, no small feat considering its location. It now occupies a larger setting and a central location.
This 6th floor roof garden is constantly alive with perennial and annual flower color and fragrance. Palm trees rustle in the breeze, reminding the users of their proximity to the ocean and the subtropics. Brugmansia and Alyssum delight the visitor with their perfumed aromas. Night lighting produces a high-end resort quality on the roof top, which overlooks the harbor, Convention Center and other vistas of downtown San Diego.
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Our firm designed landscape and site improvements for a completely new and remodeled 12+ acre elementary and middle school campus in the heart of Rancho Santa Fe, designed in the style of Architect Lillian Rice. Work includes many interesting site features and elements, such as amphitheater-like gathering spaces, 2 fountains, interpretive exhibits, play areas, enhanced paving and extensive Mediterranean landscape.
One of the exhibits is The Entire History of the Universe. A graphic delineation, using a reverse logarithmic scale, for all time; from the Big Bang until the present day. Significant events throughout time (in every endeavor of study; science, history, culture, religion) are “marked”, along the longest axis of the school.
Immediately following the opening of the school, the sports field improvements were begun in earnest. This required extensive grading and perimeter landscape screening.
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This project encompasses an entire City block in the heart of San Diego’s Mission Hills neighborhood. All the streetscape was re-built to current standards, but also included enhanced paving connections from within the site, front porch style entries and trellising, street trees and a new bus stop.
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Work included a completely new Landscape Master Plan for the entire 44 acre site, built circa 1971, which responded to the City of San Diego’s order for a substantial conformance review. At the same time, replacement plantings for missing and aging trees, shrubs and groundcover were designed to completely update the look of the Community. Extensive liaison with the City was required, including a review of the original CUP (Conditional Use Permit) documents, submittals and plan check corrections through approvals.
The proposed plant palette includes new, drought tolerant and xeriphytic plant species, which still provide continuity, color and texture to the landscape. A new Tree Master Plan was included. Turf areas were greatly reduced and replaced with low drought tolerant and procumbent groundcovers.
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This getaway cabin is a refuge away from busy city life and surrounded by 1000 acres of cattle ranch, and has stunning views to Mt. Palomar. The owners asked that the landscape be a “non-landscape”; that it not look like a designed garden, but simply be part of the majestic surroundings. Functional improvements were treated in rural fashion; like driveway in gravel, walkways in decomposed granite. Steps and patio are in stone. A fireplace was nestled into existing boulders. Planting is native and naturalizing. Around the cabin, it is low and shrubby. The outer forty is a wildflower meadow, of native species. Several mature oaks were added into the scene.
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Along with newly landscaped medians, our firm designed a signage monumentation package for this upscale community in rural Ramona. The project required approvals from the Ramona Community Planning Group, and permitting through the County of San Diego. Work included construction documents, bidding and construction administration.
LED lighting was incorporated into the design, with electrical connections to be added in Phase 2. The landscaped medians are extremely drought tolerant, appropriate for the climate in Ramona and Southern California’s water future.
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Part of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) – San Diego Chapter’s “A Landscape in Transition” Garden Tour 2010
The project included re-design of an existing landscape, especially the front yard, to make it more water conserving, and shows itself as a model of possibility for future residential water conservation. More than 50% of the existing turf was removed. The remainder was replaced with the low water use ‘U.C.Verde’ Buffalograss, which is as drought tolerant as ice plant.
The scope included all phases of design and HOA approvals through construction documents and construction administration for some flatwork and masonry, planting, irrigation and lighting.
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Landscape Improvements for a new $9 million dollar congregation building designed by the prestigious firm of Stanley Saitowitz in San Francisco. Landscape included a lawn and gathering space, Olive trees geometrically placed on slope, parking lot and streetscape improvements.
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With LMN Architects of Seattle, Washington
This complete makeover for the heavily used plaza at the famous Old Globe Theatre in San Diego’s Balboa Park included re-grading and re-design of the existing plaza to accommodate increased use and accessibility, concurrent with the new, state of the art Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, a 20-million dollar replacement of the old Cassius Carter Theatre. Demolition began in July of 2008 and construction was completed in December of 2009. During large events, the plaza is filled with over 1500 people.
Design work included granite paving, interlocking pavers and high quality, sand-finished concrete in a radiating pattern. The plaza includes an outdoor dining pavilion and trellis, banquette seating, bronze inlay, lighting, audio-visual hook-ups, landscape planting, irrigation and site furnishings.
The grade in the middle of the plaza was dropped 21 inches to improve the sense of arrival from Balboa Park’s Prado. David Reed Landscape Architects was heavily involved throughout the entire project, including construction.
Approvals for the project were required from several jurisdictional groups and agencies, at the Federal and local levels.
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These site improvements include a new 4000 sq.ft., drought resistant play lawn for grade school children (with upgraded irrigation), a new full sized basketball court with 3 colors and striping, and a new poured-in-place sandbox. The next phase of work will consider a master plan for the entire site. Work was designed and built within 6 weeks.
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2010 Save Our Heritage Organisation, People in Preservation Adaptive Reuse Award.
2009 Orchids & Onions Awards, Orchid for Historic Preservation.
Originally built in 1906, the Coronado Lodge was a boarding house for some of America’s earliest aviators from the Glenn Curtiss flight school nearby. After decades of slow decline, the property fell into disuse and was ultimately abandoned. In 2005, the new owners rescued the blighted building, purchased adjacent property and developed a bold plan for an historic reconstruction of the original building, with addition of a surrounding building into a 17 room boutique hotel, the loveliest small hotel on all of Coronado Island.
Landscape renovation of this historic Lodge included new brick driveways, flatwork, reflection pool, fountains, treillage, fencing, site furnishings, lighting and lush landscaping, done in the Arts and Crafts style. Most of the landscape is essentially an extensive green roof. Plantings are generally subtropical; intended to highlight the kind of vegetation people have come to expect when they visit Coronado. King & pygmy palms, Jacaranda trees, Bougainvillea, birds of paradise, Camellia, Canna and Daylilies are but a few. Night blooming jasmine, Gardenia and roses add fragrance.
The 1906 Coronado Lodge is the proud recipient of two prestigious awards; the 2009 Orchids & Onions, Orchid Award for Historic Preservation and the 2010 Save Our Heritage Organisation, People in Preservation Adaptive Reuse Award. The 1906 Lodge is open and accepting reservations. Please visit them at: 1906lodge.com
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A curved flagstone path and Mediterranean planting welcome visitors to this lovely home. Complete landscape development on this 2.2-acre estate included a pool, spa, cabana, tennis court, outdoor cooking area, orchard, herb and vegetable garden, lawns, landscape and a large gated driveway.
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In the rear, hillside yard of this Mission Cliffs Estate, we utilized a simple arrangement of garden elements, following the lay of the land, preserving and framing views to the West, North and Northeast. A spa, as water element, commands the center of the garden. The paths are mostly gravel with small walls making up transitions in grade. A Bocce court becomes the final destination. Edibles were an important component as the garden plantings are reminiscent of the country villas of Umbria and Chianti.
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Work included site planning and design of a 24-Acre custom estate subdivision along El Camino Real in Rancho Santa Fe. Seven custom home sites were involved. Phase one work included a large scale linear berm almost 1000 lineal feet long, comprised of over 5000 cubic yards of earth, with drought tolerant plantings. This berm created real sound attenuation for road noise from El Camino Real.
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This custom home was carefully nestled into an almost unbuildable site. Rear deck and pools stand well above the adjacent grade and afford the owners wonderful vistas and sunsets. Design work included a large infinity edge swimming pool, a spa, several decks, waterfalls, terraces and hillside landscaping that are the stage for several large scale outdoor sculptures.
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Early in David’s career, he assisted his former employer in site planning and design for a large 8-1/2 acre villa and landscape. Work included design of a large Mediterranean courtyard, large, descending patios swimming pool and spa, herb and kitchen garden, tennis court, outdoor pavilion, orchard, and dense perimeter landscaping.
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In the planning phase; will be a LEED certified project. Landscape improvements surround and appoint a proposed Jewish Student Center at the University of California San Diego. Improvements include a public park space with a bike and pedestrian trail, using Torrey Pine trees and an all native plant palette.
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With Austin Veum Robbins Partners
This 1.1 acre garden in San Diego’s Balboa Park celebrates the contributions to our freedom made by our Veterans. The design is comprised of 3 components; a land, air and sea garden, united by a central gathering place and a small amphitheatre. The design of the Veteran’s Circle represents the principles of Honor, Duty and Country. Quotes from past Presidents are inlaid with bronze letters in colored terrazzo paving. An 18-foot bronze replica of the B-24 Liberator Bomber hovers above a reflecting pool, which mirrors the night sky, often used by navigators during night time bombing runs. During the height of World War II, San Diego was churning out 100 bombers a week.
The amphitheater made from local cobble and concrete, can sit up to 50 visitors for docent talks. A row of flags representing all branches of service and POW/MIA’s flies high above the walk that joins the Veterans Center to the garden. Accessible routes were designed from 3 directions. Five Bronze plaques tell the story of the garden, its donors and The B-24’s and the Bomb groups who donated to the garden.
Visitors are greeted by rows of red and white border roses, accented by cobalt blue Agapanthus in waves resembling our national flag. The poppy garden, designed with Flanders Poppies, the symbol of Veterans’ organizations, brings a sense of annual renewal. The design required careful siting around and protection of seven large Podocarpus trees, all over 70 years of age.
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The focal point in this home and garden is the dramatic vista of Downtown San Diego. Everything in the rear yard was designed to allow the view to be paramount. The curving swimming pool reflects the downtown sky and harbor, yet spills over ten feet down to the spa below. The visitor can descend with the water wall all the way down to the spa. The spa itself spills into a small trough, completing the cycle. Additional improvements include a steel framed shade structure which is completely adjustable, a modern patio deck and barbecue counter suitable for entertaining, lighted entry wall with address, landscape and dramatic lighting.
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Lake Murray used to have a playground, but it got old and went away….
The Community couldn’t accept that. Working with a determined group of Mom’s and Dad’s, a.k.a. the Lake Murray Park Playground Project, we have facilitated the design of a wonderful playground structure and surroundings, in this 3 acre section of Lake Murray Park in San Diego.
The project was 3 years in the making. Our role during the planning and design phase was to provide graphic support, design of the site, paving and donor tiles immediately outside the playground and accessibility improvements. The beautifully rendered plans added credibility to the project and assisted with fundraising and grant writing. The Moms and Dads designed the playground with the manufacturer. Our work also included submittals (to the Park and Recreation Department) of the accessibility improvements that were required before this project could be implemented.
The Community raised over $250,000 in construction funds for this project. When all the funds were raised and the city had made their improvements, we had a community build day scheduled. The City’s portion of the work had to be publically contracted and took a few months to bid and a few more to build. An entire weekend was planned for the community build of the playground, but the community efforts were so successful the project was completed by 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
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Design work and site construction for this 1 acre neighborhood park includes a tot lot, basketball court, curved trellises, play lawn, specimen white fruiting Persian Mulberry trees and a rainbow of flowering trees & shrubs in pinks, blues, reds, yellows and white. Construction was completed July, 2007.
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Traditional craftsman era community with a gated entry and one quarter mile of streetscape. Custom brick paving, walls, hand-forged iron gates, and vintage iron street lamps were included in the design. The streetscape culminates in a park-like setting with pergola, garden and birdbath.
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The central theme of this garden is a curving, free-form paved patio, visited by a large fanciful lizard. The pavement is in various colors and finishes of Lithocrete™ paving, trimmed with colored pebbles and glass beads. The lizard faces the eastern porch, has feet that extend beyond the patio, a dorsal “spine” set appointed with glass beads and shining mosaic sides. Its tail seems to curl around the yoga patio, which includes a radiant burst of green glass pebbles set in the paving.
Succulents and drought tolerant shrubs in several colors and textures appoint the surroundings.
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With Andropogon Associates of Philadelphia, PA.
This world class, state of the art facility is California’s first truly sustainable laboratory facility, the first carbon neutral addition to the UCSD campus, and of course, is rated LEED Platinum. The new Venter Institute building is the site of the latest in genomic focused research.
As Landscape Architects of record (with Andropogon Associates of Philadelphia), an all native landscape was planned, with intensive and extensive roof gardens covering 12% of the building area. Magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean and public access to the Skeleton Canyon Ecological Reserve were preserved. All supplemental irrigation is from collected rainfall, stored in cisterns below the building and site. Several major, existing Torrey Pine trees were successfully transplanted.
Our firm provided extensive design support for all planting, all irrigation design and some assistance with hardscape development, and complete Construction Administration.
After construction, we completed the revegetation of the adjacent 4-acre site with native plants and temporary irrigation.
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Nestled squarely in the middle of the Village of Hillsborough at Otay Ranch, this 1+ acre park is truly a neighborhood focus. The sloping site required careful finessing of grades to maximize function and play, while maintaining a safe environment for children. Site features include a large play structure, and curving steel trellis, post-tensioned basketball court, large sculpted play lawns and dense border plantings.
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Re-construction for this 2 acre, heavily used sports field included an extensive subsurface drainage system, a hybrid root zone profile, and a completely new irrigation layout, using recycled water. Work also included a complete maintenance manual showing the enhanced levels of maintenance required for this intensive use.
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2010 Pool & Spa News, In-ground Spa Master of Design Award.
Strong succulent textures and other nearly xeriphytic plantings are a counterpoint to stone and concrete walls and paving. The owners live their evenings in the rear yard, cooking, eating, and warming by spa and fireplace around a “broken” circle designed to remind one of California’s geology. A large slate wall spills forth with water into a pebbled basin. At the end of the garden, a large iron “torii bell” hangs, waiting to be rung. One low wall with bas-relief forming, pays homage to the venerable landscape architect, Isabelle Greene.
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1998 The National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1998 National Preservation Honor Award.
1998 The American Institute of Architects, California Council, 1998 Honor Award for Excellence in Historic Reconstruction.
1998 California Preservation Foundation Design Award for Restoration.
1998 City of San Diego, Historic Site Board, Grand Award of Excellence for Historic Preservation, presented to Architect Milford Wayne Donaldson. David Reed, Landscape Architects performed Design Restoration.
1998 California Preservation Design Award.
Complete restoration, including fountains, walls, walks, lighting, and formal landscape in the historic gardens that were part of the 1935 Exposition in the center of Balboa Park.
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San Diego International Chapter of American Concrete Institute Project of the Year, 2000. Dramatic sculptural patio and raised deck create a dynamic outdoor living space. Design includes a water wall and water gardens, planted grotto and fountain, framed and enhanced by trailing vines and lush plantings.
After a newly framed room addition had swallowed up part of the rear yard, the owners realized they needed help. Existing conditions included old and rotting railroad tie walls, and a steep, overgrown rear slope.
The program included a complete “re-make” of the rear and side yards and renovation of the front garden. The owners wanted to re-gain lost yard, maintain privacy and recapture a lost view to the bay. Existing brick paving was to be retained, where possible, with the remainder re-used in the new work. They wanted a restful setting, quiet greens, a possible water feature, warmth in the sun and yet, respite from it. The owners also had an affinity for plants.
The usable areas in the rear yard were small. Carving so deep into the existing slope would require large retaining walls. Somehow, these walls could not feel overpowering. Creating an intricately woven series of curving walls, forms and water features (there are 3), would require careful design, detailing and execution.
While the owners had a general program, they gave the Landscape Architect complete design freedom. The Landscape Architect’s work included all exterior improvements from walls and stairs, water features, paving, drainage, woodwork, lighting and landscape. The structural engineer worked for, and under the direction of the Landscape Architect. There was some consultation with the Geotechnical engineer. Since construction was an extremely critical component of the work, its prosecution was carefully guided by the Landscape Architect throughout the entire construction period. The role of the builders, especially the concrete contractor, was essential to the success of this project. Each of these poured-in-place concrete walls was essentially a one-time casting that had to be completely prepared, sequenced and finished before the next pour. Any patching would show in the finish.
The project demonstrates the effect good design (and a command of the elements) can have on the quality of a place, the ability of Landscape Architecture to be transformative or transcendental, to be able to foster tranquility, serenity, a sense of wonder and oneness with the environment, and awareness of the precious nature of its elements. This garden is a composition in time, with a constant framework (the masonry) altered by the seasons, the years, color, sky or mood (evening use).
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Bidding Documents and Construction Observations for almost 2 acre play field renovation on a windswept, sandy pit of land, using Seashore Paspalum turf. Previous installations had not worked well. This design utilized good soil chemistry and amendments, and a seashore appropriate turf.
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This historic home on Coronado Island required a complete re-development of the site and landscape, with swimming pool, spa, 2 fountains, bluestone paving, barbecue, firepit, brick walls steps and wrought iron fencing, gates and new plantings. The flavor and style of the original architecture was retained in all development.
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This 60+ D.U. mixed product infill residential development occupies most of a City block. Landscape Architectural work included, development of all finished paving on driveways and podiums, outdoor recreation area with trellises, seating, barbecue and screening, and all exterior landscape and streetscape. A large 70 year old Podocarpus tree on one corner of the site was preserved.
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This park design is intended to draw from the traditions of small town America and the grandeur of 19th Century parks. A first class modern play structure is at the very center of the park, with gathering space, tables and benches under a curving pergola. A vestigial orchard flanks the main entry. The remainder of the park is devoted to curving paths and gently rolling lawns inviting passive or active use. The park opened in March, 2001.
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Award winning pool design and landscape inspired by traditional European themes. Iridescent glass tiles on the spa add sparkle to the afternoon light, as the water pours over the infinity edge. The central feature of the garden is a cascading iron staircase descending from the rear of the split-level home into the garden.
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Scope of work for this 140+ unit apartment home community included complete hardscape, landscape improvement plans and permit approvals for a 30 acre site. On-site amenities included a recreation center with pool and spa, children’s play area and high intensity landscape. Work also included development and landscaping of a 1/4 mile stretch of new median on El Camino Real, a large native plant revegetation, and extensive use of reclaimed water irrigation.
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Complete site and landscape Development for a 244 unit, 13.5 acre garden apartment complex. Work included a recreation center with trellis, pool/spa and patios,barbecue area, flatwork and enhanced paving, site walls, sign monuments, gates and fencing. Landscape included streetscape on 3 sides, native planting, a buffer to the adjacent riparian area, play areas and a strong tree component.
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A formally structured, craftsman era rose garden with herringboned brick paving, curved trellis, seat walls and a tile mosaic fountain that blends with the scene. Over 100 roses were arranged in according to color, type and height. Intermediate paths are decomposed granite. A tile artist was hired to create an exact replica of our design, a vignette into a trompe l’oeil landscape, using gold mosaics and stained glass.
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An entire City block near downtown San Diego was redeveloped with 3 different types of infill housing. While the buildings took up much of the site, landscape areas were pivotal in conveying a sense of place and relation to the street. Turfblock paving in driveways, vine pockets floating staircases and a wide landscaped parkway helped achieve this result. The project was so successful, it became a case study for the Urban Land Institute’s book, Developing Infill Housing.
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There are few sights more transformative than a street full of Jacaranda trees in bloom. This 1-1/2 acre park is surrounded by Jacaranda trees two and three rows deep (There are 65 in all). The large oval play lawn is appointed with a promenade, trellises and a large play structure. Formal garden elements mark the corners of the site.
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The owner’s house sits well above this garden, so viewing it from above inspired the geometric arrangement. Nearly xeriphytic plantings relieve the need for more than occasional care, while the owners veggie garden is neatly contained within oxidized metal planter boxes. Blue glass provides a striking accent; some of it is lit from underneath.
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The gateway to Pacific Beach, this median design emulates the patterns in beach sands exposed by the ebb and flow of the tides. Strands of pavement are seeded with mica, to sparkle in the sunlight just as the beach does. Waves of feather grass, emulating sea grass, are the thematic planting element.
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A 1.5-mile section of this vital artery was dug up for the mid City pipeline, a new 48″ diameter water pipeline feed to the City and a subsidiary 16″ water main. Afterwards, the heart of the College area community was restored with a new landscaped median and community signs with solar powered lighting. Part way through the project, the City’s Landscape Advisor (R.E.) took ill. David was asked to step in and fulfill his duties for the remainder of the contract. Drifts of flowering shrubs and groundcovers in rich colors and textures offset a maintenance strip built to emulate native cobblestone. The tree palette offers flowers in Spring and Summer, and fall foliage color.
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