All posts by Michael O'Connell

Ehow.com Garden Care Information

In my surfing looking for details on maintenance of a particular plant, I came across an excellent general garden care website from ehow.com. On the site they have good overviews and step by step instuctions for fertilizing, lawn and shrub care, pest problems, pruning, and other common garden questions.

The rest of the site has good information for do-it-yourself instructions for a number of other topics.


Different Types of Fencing

We are currently working on a couple of projects where we have employed alternative fencing types, instead of traditional wooden fencing. When designing fencing there are several options for detailing, both for wood designs, and for alternatives.

These two projects both used wire elements to give a more architectural feel to the design, and to prevent a boxed-in feeling.

In the first, we used heavy grade welded wire fence panels framed with wood to create a fence that would act as a trainer for vines. For the other project we used wire cables to prevent deer from entering a property, while still preserving views. The client did not want a fenced in feel, and did not like the aesthetic of a tradition welded wire deer fence or chain link. Vines and shrubs will be used to screen where necessary.

Photos to come…

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Great California Weather

I am back in the office this week after spending part of last week attending the wedding of a friend in Lincoln, Nebraska. We are fortunate in California, not only for our notorious good weather, but also for the wide range of plants that are available. In a large part of the country, where cold winters and snow are prevalent, as was the case with Lincoln, landscapes consist of large lawns and a few shrubs.

Now we certainly have similar landscapes utilizing large lawns and border plantings in California, but we also have a wide range of options in ornamental plants that thrive in this climate. We do pay a price for this however great weather and location however. You won’t find many town homes selling in the low $100,000’s or nice homes selling in the $200,000’s.
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An Arid Western View


Reflections on Blogging

As we approach 70 entries and over 3 months in our landscape blog, I pause to reflect a bit on blogging in general.

Our concept behind having a blog for O’Connell Landscape, was to give a living aspect to our site. Something that would be continually updated and that would let clients and potential customers see “behind the scenes.” Now this blog differs from some other blogs, in that, we typically don’t do blow by blows of what is happening in the company. Rather, we try to post items that would be of interest concerning gardening, materials, landscape architecture, the occasional rant, etc. This allows anyone a good general reference, and hopefully allows potential customers to see a bit of our background and expertise.

Hopefully, we have been successful to some degree in our initial goals. We have had some good feedback from clients that have seen the blog, and from strangers that may find us via Google or other means. The blog is work, typically it takes between 30 minutes to an hour per post depending on the content. But, it is an enjoyable activity, and gives some diversity to the information available on our website.

From the Comments Section

I received an interesting comment from a visitor last week concerning some errors in word usage in one of our posts. Comments are always much appreciated, as it gives us feedback for the site. In my defense, in the last 30 days we have posted on the site close to 10,000 words amounting to approximately 40 pages of text and images, and I am sure there were more than those 2 errors to be found. Should the commenter wish to take on a pro-bono editorship in Turned Earth, I am sure we could keep him busy.

On a Whole Other Level

For those wanting to see blogging taken to an art form, check business author Tom Peter’s blog/website. The staff there really put out a richness of information, that makes this serial seem paltry by comparison.


Isamu Noguchi- Landscape Artist

Finishing off a week of lengthy landscape treatises, we turn to renown sculptor and at times landscape artist Isamu Noguchi.

Isamu Noguchi was a unique figure among American artists of the twentieth century. He excelled in a wide range of genres and in countless media, in a career that spanned genres from the development of Modernism through Post Modernism. He created intriguing sculpture pieces, stage sets, paper lanterns, public spaces, landscape sculptures and architecture. His use of media extended from his favorite stone, to wood, metal, clay, mixed materials, and most importantly space. It was in the dimension of space that Noguchi thrived and his ability to bring art into the landscape was the hallmark of his career . Whether his work was a simple piece of carved stone or acres of a public park, Noguchi had an amazing flair for conceptualizing and designing things that were spatially engaging and which broke out of the box of traditional sculpture and art. Throughout his career he was always pushing the edge of what was considered art, and searching for ways to explore, and redefine personally what art indeed was. His experimentation, relentless drive and passion to create, pushed the limits of the art establishment throughout his over sixty-year career. With the larger canvas of the landscape, his stone sculptures reach a new and more powerful significance. Drawing on a rich cultural heritage and experiences from Japan, the United States, and time spent in Europe, Noguchi transitioned techniques and themes found in his sculpture into larger landscape projects.

His forays in the landscape strayed from the traditional staples of sculpture. His landscape compositions are a unique fusion of both art and landscape. An examination of Noguchi’s origins places him in the proper perspective. Throughout his career, Noguchi sought to define himself and his work through a unique blending of his own personal context, in concert with his own artist’s prerogative. Noguchi was born in Los Angeles in 1904, the son of a Japanese poet, Yone Noguchi and an Irish-American writer, Leonie Gilmore. This duality of cultural backgrounds, heritage from his childhood spent in Japan, and later experience living in the United States would shape Isamu’s life and work. Noguchi referred to himself as an outsider because of his mixed-heritage and a less than stable family life that included a strained relationship with his father. Uneasiness and a lack of security shaped Noguchi’s life. According to Bruce Altshuler in his book on Noguchi, “Noguchi said he could feel at home everywhere because he was at home nowhere.” Perhaps it was this uneasiness, one that sat at the very core of his being, which would signal the purpose for his immense and diverse life’s work as an artist.

Noguchi’s landscapes were far reaching in their scope, representative of the currents of the rest of his art as a whole, and spanned the many decades of his career. From his landscape Play Mountain (1934), which was a conceptual idea for a children’s playground that he conceived of early in his career, to his later works of landscape artistry, Noguchi maintained and continued to develop a refined design style and interaction between his art and the landscape. As time progressed, he polished his skills of combining sculptural elements with elements of the larger landscape.

CALIFORNIA SCENARIO

Of particular distinction is Noguchi’s work at what he entitled California Scenario (1980-82). It is here, at the end of his career, that Noguchi perfected his art. With an artists’ hand Noguchi crafted this amazing work of plant, water, and stone. Just off of the 405 freeway in Costa Mesa, California there are two clusters of uninspired office buildings sitting close to the freeway. To the casual driver, or unknowing passerby, this office park, the South Coast Plaza, seems to be of little distinction. Similar developments are commonplace throughout the Southern California landscape. Entering into the complex in the direction of the freeway reveals subtle changes. Paths of flagstone of a rose hue draw inward, hinting at something more. Continuing into this space, there is a fountain of stone, capped by stainless steel, marking the transition into a different spatial envelope. Here, sandwiched between two glass monoliths scraping the sky, sits a divine 1.6 acres. Here lies Noguchi’s scenario.

Noguchi’s scenario is the embodiment of California through an artist’s eyes. Using primitive and somewhat simple forms and representations, Noguchi captured in this work the essence of California, while at the same time maintaining a purity and clarity in sculptural form.

California Scenario is a composition of balances. Each element, each factor in the overall composition aids the larger message, while any factor solely by itself would illustrate only a diluted meaning. There is energy in this place, and it is odd that what is considered a landmark of landscape design and artistry should sit in such an inauspicious setting. The common user of this space may be a cigarette indulgent employee housed in the nearby office buildings for which Noguchi’s artistry is unrealized; yet perhaps even the most unknowing viewer is affected by Noguchi’s Zen-like composition. The space seems to command a certain recognition by those whose pass through it. This design is executed extremely well as the spatial layout and symbolic meaning flow together in perfect harmony.

The forms and symbols chosen to represent California in the work reflect both a basic understanding of archetypal units of California, and of an overall mystery. A stack of boulders, hand picked from the California desert is one such symbol. The individual piece titled by Noguchi, The Spirit of the Lima Bean, is both a wonder of construction and visually remarkable. Simple in its meaning, the large grouping of rocks reflects the essence of the Lima Bean, the crop that was farmed in the area prior to development. The rest of the meanings in the work are of the same simplicity, yet they maintain effectively what Noguchi was trying to accomplish. A large sculptural form to represent the mountains, stream paths to represent the valleys and to show the movement of water, a stand of redwoods to represent the mountains. In a corner a large mound of sand and cacti represent the desert. Each of these isolated elements is effective in its simplicity. Just the two words California Scenario, and the meanings of the basic elements become clear and command appreciation. Yet, like all great works of art, not only can the meaning differ with the individual, but also it is clear that Noguchi conceptualized something more complex.

Perhaps the best thing about the space is it forces no messages. Some may see a stack of rocks where there is a small ledge perfect to sit and smoke a cigarette; others may see the broadly sweeping and diversified California landscape. Noguchi’s hidden jewel, enclosed in industrialism, sits still today as it did when Noguchi first installed it, slowly aging and growing wilder by the day.

Noguchi was an amazing artist not because he was just a great sculptor. He achieved greatness through an all-consuming passion for his art, and a unique appeal. As the Latin America Daily Post referred to him so eloquently, “He is a curator. A curator of time and space. A creator of a continuum of the universe that is only known to him.” For those preoccupied with landscape and with space, he did something magical. He created spaces of living art and sculpture, greater than any landscape design or piece of chiseled rock alone. He created places of meaning, metaphors beyond the scope of traditional art.

GREATER SIGNIFICANCE

Clearly Noguchi did not want to leave the world of art, just redefine its boundaries. In an interview with Noguchi in 1981, the Latin American Daily Post beautifully articulated the artist’s ability for capturing space, “This is a man who has brought clarity to natures order. It is a vision of time and space made tangible by one who lives in the present, but scans all and perhaps more, of what is Homo sapiens.”
Noguchi in his landscape works created an outstanding sense of concept, often tapping into mythology from around the world, which gave a human level of meaning to his often abstract stone and sculptural works.

Isamu Noguchi grasped the concept of the Arts, not art alone, are a reflection of human life and existence. Art is not anything but an opinion, created by man for our own amusement, inspiration, and expression. Noguchi beautifully defined and created a wide range of works in his art, taking the known boundaries of what was considered art and pushing them further. This is what he did in the landscape, using the principle mediums of stone, form and space. Interestingly, Noguchi was not widely accepted in the art world as much as he was in the world of architecture and design. This isolation did not faze Noguchi though, he was resolved to take sculpture and artistry to the next level. Bruce Altshuler in his book on Noguchi eloquently surmises the aims of Noguchi’s landscape art. “For Noguchi, in the chaotic void of the modern world- a world without religion and threatened with nuclear destruction- meaning must be created, and its creation required spaces that would encourage social ritual. The structuring of those spaces was to be
the new calling of sculpture, and it reining metaphor was the garden.

Indeed Noguchi’s aim had multiple objectives. He sought to further sculpture while at the same time creating spaces and using the power of external three-dimensional space. He also sought a fellowship with nature, this was the reason why he had an affinity with stone and its expression in both the natural and man-made landscape. The article in the Latin American Daily Post expounds on this desire,
“This continuum of Isamu Noguchi is a realm of time and space which he describes with a halting simplicity and directness. His is a modest statement that it is nature, not man who prevails… [Noguchi represents] a man and his vision of the kinetics of nature. Sky, light, shadow, water, occasionally flora, and stone. Almost always stone.”

Despite all his works, in his essence Noguchi was a stone sculptor. Yet as stone is both natural and expressed in space, this did not preclude him from pursuing and designing places to express his sculpture. In the end this is exactly what Noguchi did, he created space in the landscape to display his sculpture of stone and space together as one.

Through his work with the landscape, Noguchi expanded his own artistry, and left a legacy far beyond the stone of the studio. In his landscape compositions, scattered from Paris to Japan and points in between, Noguchi created a theater for his legions of stone; a wonderful and mysterious tapestry through which the stone could be brought to life. — Noguchi’s carvings through the larger landscape transcend what he could do alone with any artistic medium or with any landscape by itself. Noguchi gained the rarified distinction of landscape artist. Perhaps Noguchi didn’t even see himself by this title, but he did have the realization that the landscape afforded him a much wider, sweeping appeal than through some stuffy museum alone.

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California Scenario – “The Spirit of the Lima Bean”
Sources

1. Altshuler, Bruce. Noguchi. New York: Abbeville Press Publishers. 1994.

2. Ashton, Dore. Noguchi East and West. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1992.

3. Cummings, Paul. Artists in Their Own Words. New York: St. Martins Press. 1979.

4. Latin America Daily Post. “Isamu Noguchi Neither An Artist Nor A
Sculptor, But A Curator Of Time And Space.” Brazil. 1981

5. Noguchi, Isamu. The Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum. New York: Harry
N. Abrams Inc. 1987.

6. Torres, Ana Maria. Isamu Noguchi: A Study of Space. New York. Monacelli Press. 2000.

7. Tracy, Robert. Spaces of the Mind: Isamu Noguchi’s Dance Designs. New York: Proscenium Publishers. 2001.

Reflections on the Getty Center, Los Angeles

What would you do with a billion dollar building budget? That was the question administrators and architect Richard Meier had to answer when taking on the building of the Getty Center, an art museum and research facility in Santa Monica. The center whose architecture and layout was principally designed by Meier, sits on a majestic hilltop surveying the entire Los Angeles basin. The Center is mainly composed of a central group of buildings, and is complemented with smaller garden primarily designed by environmental artist Robert Irwin. While the Center constitutes a great endeavor as both a piece of architecture and as a museum, there is something missing, something that its billions could not buy.

This is not to say that the Getty Center is a failure or is not a great facility, for indeed it truly is amazing by any circumstances. However, having been to the likes of the National Gallery in Washington D.C. and the unparalleled Louvre in Paris, my expectations for the Getty were high when I visited one sun scorched afternoon. The main problem observed with the Getty is its inability to put its many and complicated parts together into an effective whole. Among the major observed problems were a lack of unity of buildings and a poor interrelation between the buildings and garden.

First of these faults is the poor cohesiveness in the built form. Meier’s architecture attempts to be overpowering and grandiose with its modernist and classical allusions, yet it lacks the bold vision that would have made it successful. Architecturally the buildings seemed to be too concerned with alternating forms and materials than in really making one statement. Meier has his buildings undulating and changing between a variety of different basic forms; this is in addition to changing materials between travertine rock and aluminum paneling, which is distracting and detracting. The result is a building that makes no clear statement, and whose facades look as if they were two designs melded together. It might have been better if Meier had gone with more modernist ideals of simplicity and purity in form. In this way the Getty Center might have had a more universal and powerful appeal.

The overall composition of the center also shows weakness in the relationship between the gardens and buildings. The gardens of the Getty make their own statement that intentionally veers from Meier’s vision. The designer of the garden Robert Irwin had many fights with Meier over form and relationship of the garden. Ultimately Irwin chose his own independent design vision. While Irwin’s garden by itself is quite impressive it fails to hold its own and blend successfully with Meier’s buildings. The gardens do not have equal footing with the buildings, and as a result the garden is put in a subordinate and not a complementary role. Its forms while interesting and effective, do not play off the architecture in an effective manner.

Overall, the Getty Center is an impressive complex and is obviously poised to make a huge contribution to the world of art. Yet from the standpoint of form and space it leaves much to be desired. It seems as if the Getty Trust tried to do a little bit of everything and lacked focus in making the place exude one expressive and unifying feeling. Unfortunately Meier could not do what I.M. Pei did for the Louvre. Pei was able to combine design theories, philosophies and histories, as well as differing forms into a bold and unique design expression. Meier and the Getty Center did not succeed to the same degree in their pursuits, and this lack of unity detracts from the Museum’s experience.

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For More:
Getty Center Website
Richard Meier & Partners Website

Sources:

Perl, Jed. “Acropolis Now.” New Republic 26 Jan. 1998: 25+.

Beardsley, John. Earthworks and Beyond. New York. Abbeville Press. 1998.


The Irish Formal Garden: Powerscourt

Ireland is not usually the first place considered when mentioning outstanding formal gardens. The gardens of Ireland are not regarded in the same light as those of nearby England, or those sublime landscapes of the continent, such as France or Italy. Yet, in this beautiful emerald isle lie some of the most beautiful and interesting gardens to be found anywhere in the world. The Irish
garden is a compilation. Often employing English style, as the English occupied the country and still exert their influence over the north to the present day, the Irish garden translates that style, as well as those of other European and international influences. Ireland has made these adapted styles into her own, and the nature of the Irish garden has a distinction that differs it from those
of England or the rest of Europe.

The gardens at the Powerscourt estate embody many of these characteristic elements very well. Powerscourt stands out by being different than many other famous Irish gardens. The gardens are important in that the overall design is very formal, they incorporate these formal traits in a way reminiscent of Italian and French garden design, and they bring together all these varied and complex traits into a cohesive whole.

Upon examining the typical Irish garden, it becomes clear that the Irish did embrace the more pastoral romantic landscapes of England that began to develop at the beginning of the 1700’s. These influences clearly had a great effect especially on gardens of the ninetieth century, and it is this more informal style that tends to dominate Irish landscape design of the most famous gardens.
It is this tendency toward the more organic designs of English style that causes such a distinction and contrast in the fewer formal Irish gardens. This is not to say that formal gardening was not a part of the design vocabulary of Ireland, for it was. Victorian designers such as Sir Charles Barry and William Nesfield were using elements Italian style in their garden designs as the backbone of their work. Yet those landscapes of particular distinction and fame in Ireland follow the path laid by famous Irish landscape gardener William Robinson. Robinson’s effect on the design theory of Ireland was similar to the more famous English names of Wise, Kent, Brown and others who pushed the transition to the Romantic, free-flowing, naturalistic garden. As a result the Irish garden, never fully developed an articulated formal style that gained widespread recognition like the more natural gardens that would follow. Still, there were exceptions to this overall trend in development of garden theory, and the gardens at Powerscourt are one of them.

Situated fifteen miles away from the capital city of Dublin in Wicklow County, the estate was the home of the Viscount of
Powerscourt. Encompassing at its peak 36,000 acres, the estate was quite large and provided great opportunities for building and landscape formation. The existing estate was finished in 1770, (although the interior was burned out in a fire in 1974), and from that point the rest of the grounds began to develop. The sixth Viscount of Powerscourt began development of the grounds as a start of their eventual modern form, but it wasn’t until his son Richard, the seventh Viscount of Powerscourt, took over the estate after his father’s death, that estate’s grounds really begin to metamorphose. Through a somewhat complicated series of designers and incarnations, the grounds surrounding the Manor began to take on the shape that they still retain today.

The gardens owe they’re splendor and grandeur mainly to this principal patron, Richard Wingfield the seventh Viscount. His travels to the gardens of Europe, especially those to Versailles, Schönubrunn, and Schwetzingen, had a profound impact on the overall form of the garden. It is because of these travels that the gardens at Powerscourt show such interesting similarities with
these more mainstream gardens and their design elements and philosophies. The gardens at Powerscourt, like Irish gardening in general, incorporated all these influences while maintaining an individuality that gives the grounds a uniqueness and overall sense of place.

The actual design work of Powerscourt was done by a number of designers starting with architect Daniel Robertson. It was Robertson’s overall vision that would set the backbone for what Powerscourt would become. Robertson worked for the sixth Viscount and although he and the Viscount would die before they’re plans were realized, the foundation was set for what was to occur next. Robertson was responsible for the layout of the rounded series of terraces and the incorporation of the existing water elements in the overall design. Robertson also was responsible for the formal Italian design of the gardens that he supposedly emulated from the Villa Butera in Sicily.

The transition in designers following Daniel Robertson’s death meant a fourteen year reprieve from development and it wasn’t until 1854 that the Viscount’s son and Scottish gardener Alexander Robertson (no relation) would team up and continue development of the estate. Alexander Robertson continued and adapted the vision of his predecessor and development progressed. It was under the steady hand, and bold vision of the new Viscount that work  continued although Alexander Roberson also died in 1860. The Viscount then entertained plans from four other designers, and the combination of their work continued to develop the project and its specific details. The first of these was James Howe who continued to develop the semantics of the terraced gardens, and who unfortunately died a year after his Powerscourt plan was created. Later designers followed including Broderick Thomas and Lord Powerscourt’s neighbor Sir George Hodson. These designers continued to articulate the gardens as the design process foraged on.

The result of these no less than six designers and the two lords was nothing less than fabulous. Through its development, Powerscourt developed into one of the most distinctive and interesting gardens in Ireland, and for that matter in Europe in general. The site was a microcosm of European design styles, yet with the unique setting of the rich chromatic green of the Irish landscape, and the backing of Sugar Loaf mountain in the distance the estate achieved something
more than its individual design elements could ever achieve alone.

Distinctive elements of the formal gardens include a beautifully constructed perron designed by Francis Penrose. The perron evokes visions of Italian designs in its style and beauty, using scores of small stones of black and white set eloquently into the terraced steps. This and other elements enriched the gardens’ already strong formal European feeling. Copies of many famous statues like the Hellenistic
Greek statue of Laocoon, ornament the many terraces of the grounds and give the gardens a very continental flavor reminiscent of other famous formal gardens such as Vaux le Vicomte.

Detail is present everywhere in the site, from the beautifully crafted
statuary to the magnificent intricacies of contorting wrought iron shaped in a multitude of elegant forms. Two bold statues of the winged horse Pegasus accent the central pond and are very distinctive in design and have their origins in the Powerscourt coat of arms. Beauty abounds and there is a good cohesion in site between built form and landscape. The landscape functions well as an overall setting and extension of the manor.

Here at Powerscourt is the unheralded Irish formal garden in all its glory. It is this somewhat unique niche of formality that gives Powerscourt its distinction and importance. The garden succeeded in creating a formal atmosphere, and yet with additional gardens such as a Japanese garden addition, and a flawless integration with the more informal countryside and other informal gardens, there was a creation of something larger. With its unique setting and properly fit elements, Powerscourt transcends the ordinary; and when on site or looking at photographs it can become an almost surreal work of art.

The gardens succeed in carrying on the tradition of the Italian Villa and French Chateau. Renaissance architect Alberti would be proud, as the estate conforms wonderfully to his guidelines for villa planning that a site should be oriented towards “familiar mountains”, such as are found in Sugar Loaf looming picturesquely in the distances that lie beyond as Alberti put it, “the delicacy of the gardens”. It has the open feel of Versailles while at the same time
combining the curvilinear themes of the romantic pastoral English designers using its contextual setting. It is a work of combination, done perfectly to create something that is more than its individual styles. The gardens don’t have their own distinct style, and yet they do in their inclusion of all the aforementioned elements. It is in this characteristic that Powerscourt achieves greatness. It is the unlikely formation of a great formal garden in a country not known for its articulation in this aspect of garden design. This contrarian gesture of design against the popular preconception of the Irish garden is what makes Powerscourt grand.

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Sources:
1. Hyams, Edward. Irish Gardens. London: Macdonald, 1967.
2. Malins, Edward, Patrick Bowe. Irish Gardens and Demesnes from 1830. New York: Rizzoli,1980.

Michelangelo- Contrasts of a Renaissance Genius

 

As part of our ongoing Masters Series

Michelangelo Buonarroti was the prototypical Renaissance man. Sculptor, painter, writer, poet, architect and engineer, there was nothing that was outside the man’s reach. Not only did he excel at all these disciplines, but he excelled at them exceeding well. Practically every facet of his work was breathtaking. From his sculpture of David, to his design for St. Peters cathedral, both are to this day incredible. It is interesting to compare his two most recognized areas of expertise, painting and sculpture, with his underemphasized work in design and architecture. There are similarities and differences in their elements, style and overall significance to present day society. Although Michelangelo’s art is some of the greatest in the history of western civilization, his architecture and design work are equally important to western design and architecture.

Mention the Sistine Chapel and the average person will be able to understand and visualize the paintings on the ceiling of the Vatican in Rome. Yet mention to this same person Campedoglio and they may stare at you dumbfounded. Michelangelo was so prolific in his sculpture and painting that many times recognition for his architecture and design is lacking. Yet Michelangelo’s accomplishments in design were pivotal in the evolution of western and renaissance design. His work with projects such as Campedoglio, the Porta and Strada Pia, and the plan for St. Peter’s cathedral showcase his immense architectural vision and abilities.

In regard to the evolution of architecture, Michelangelo was as pivotal as he was in his contribution in art. His abilities in spatial design are incredible as well. Through his use of a distinct personal design philosophy he was able to innovate in the practice of spatial layout and architecture. As Denis Sharp put eloquently “He always subordinated invention to the needs of overall composition, which to Michelangelo was analogous with the symmetry and articulation of the human body.” Michelangelo’s strength laid in his practice of rejecting convention and designing space that did not always obey the strict rules of Renaissance design. This kind of thinking, the breakaway from Renaissance classical ideals known as Mannerism, paved the way for an expansion of thought and innovation that led to the baroque period. He played with the rules in the same way he expanded art, and created something more in the process.

Campedoglio and the Porta and Strata Pia are the lasting and best examples of Michelangelo’s talent for designing space. Campedoglio, situated at the top of Capitoline hill in Rome, shows his ability for spatial design and the creation of unity. Using a modified system of geometry from the classical ideal, Michelangelo, through his use of the oval and trapezoid, was able to create a dynamic and engaging space at Campedoglio. The Porta and Strata Pia showed Michelangelo’s versatility in designing open public space. The design showed excellent definition of space, and use of scale to create a sense of monumentality, as was seen as well in Campedoglio. Both the spaces serve as reminders of Michelangelo’s versatility.

Even though Michelangelo was primarily an artist, his work as a designer cannot be overlooked. The qualities he brought to his art, originality, monumentality, and overall sense of style, can be seen at a much larger scale in his few design and architecture projects. Michelangelo was always busy with work and always moving from project to project as a life of incredible art consumed him. He showed an overall skill and individuality that has never been matched and probably never will.

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Campidoglio, Rome. Michelangelo systematizes the irregular site with an egg-shaped oval paving pattern. Engraving by Étienne Dupérac (1525-1604), 1568. (Image from Wikipedia)

Sources:

Sharp, Dennis. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Architects and Architecture. New York: Quatro Publishing, 1991.

Hartt, Frederick. Michelangelo. New York. Abrams Publishers. 1964.

 

The Allure of the Japanese Rock Garden

For people outside eastern cultures there is a certain allure, especially from those who appreciate gardens and landscape design, in the Japanese rock garden. In its stark simplicity, the Japanese rock garden is easy to behold. Yet it is its deeper meaning that gives it the aesthetic qualities and universal appeal that many people find so attractive. The rock garden is a highly spiritual statement. At first glance it may seem as merely ornamental style, yet a deep significance lies in its form and layout. The rock garden is a metaphor
for something greater. The garden is a microcosm and distinct statement about life. It is a minimalist reduction of clarity and purity. The gardens at Ryoan-Ji are probably the most famous and noteworthy of these qualities. Strength and appeal lie in their mystery and their pervasive simplicity.

The Japanese rock garden is like a poem, free to interpretation by anyone who cares to venture an opinion and in this aspect lies part of its strength. A child may see a sandbox, an intellectual, the metaphor for perfection in the universe, the Zen philosopher may see just rocks. Most critics consider Ryoan-Ji as the prototype for the rock garden. All of 15 rocks and 330 square meters create the masterwork of Japanese Kare-sansui, or dry gardening. This reinforces the fact that Japanese rock gardens are not gardens of massive size or physical complexity. Their overall significance lies on a transcendental plane.

The contrast to western styles and meaning may also shed some light as to their popularity. The typical garden design philosophy of most western gardens is that of central meaning and conceptual philosophy. The Japanese garden reflects more of cryptic and deeply philosophical thought. There is no greater statement than saying nothing at all, for it allows the mind to complete the scene. The rock garden is an allegory, yet one with a meaning that is as elusive
as the meaning of life itself.

Another interesting caveat in Japanese rock gardening is the symbolic raking of sand as a symbol for water. This aspect has allure in its interactivity and in its interesting patterning. What’s particularly interesting about this element is its entry into American culture through small Zen rock kits. A piece of cardboard, some sand, a few small stones, and a rake is all that is needed to
achieve ones own inner enlightenment. While there is commercialism and often a lack of full understanding that often accompanies the use of these kits, they show the general appeal of the concept and basic philosophy.

The rock garden then is a place of thought and a place for reflection and meditation. Through its simplistic forms it provokes thought, reflects the design concepts of an entire genre of gardens, and gives a clue into Japanese Zen and naturalistic philosophies. Dynamic yet simple, full of contrast, the rock garden speaks volumes with every grain of sand. Unique in character and quite recognizable, it has maintained its appeal as garden form, and continues to fascinate people, as it will for generations to come.

Kyoto’s Famous Ryoan-Ji
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Sources:

Moore, Charles, William Mitchell, William Turnbull Jr. The Poetics of
Gardens. Cambridge. MIT Press. 1988.

Bring, Mitchell, Josse Wayembergh. Japanese Gardens. New York. McGraw-Hill.
1981.

 

 

Masters of Landscape Architecture- Thomas Church

 

A continuing entry in our Masters Series

One of the most intriguing and certainly one of the most influential California landscape architects was Thomas Church. Church represented a critical bridge from an older school of traditional landscape design to a newer more modern “California School” of landscape design. What distinguishes Church from the masses of other gifted and note worthy landscape architects was his straight forward and effective approach to design. He is an interesting designer because of his intensive work in small scale residential design, his personal relationship with and care of his clients, and his practicality and effective use of modern design form.

Unlike many other famous designers Thomas Church made a name for himself in the residential arena of landscape design. His designs and design theories at this scale are perhaps his most notable and best work. His book Gardens are for People, is especially compelling because of its basic tenet of the garden being a logical extension of the house. Church’s work and ideas are appealing because they deal with the often dismissed or under appreciated realm of residential design. It seems that in the landscape architectural field today a tremendous deal of emphasis and focus are give to larger scale landscapes; parks, urban projects, and large public places seem to at times dominate the focus of the profession, when the residential garden or landscape can be as compelling and as difficult to design as many of the other large spaces. In his residential designs he was able to articulate and create amazing and unique landscapes within a small and rather limited residential setting. A noteable classic example of this design work is the Donnell Garden in Sonoma county.

Church also had interesting relationships with his clients. A spirit of cooperation and mutual input is something Church was noted for, and something that provides a great model for all landscape architects. This ability underscores the immense importance of the designer’s relationship to the client. A designer may be the best designer in the world, but if one can’t relate and work with the client then there designs are only going to achieve limited effectiveness.

For more:
Church’s work on the Stanford Campus
Seminar on Chruch inspired garden design

 

Mediterranean Climates- The Mediterranean Basin

The final part in our series on mediterranean climates:

This is largest mediterranean climate region in the world, as indicated by the climate’s name. It stretches almost around the entirety of the Mediterranean sea and inland a good deal in places. It includes almost all of Italy and Spain and covers parts of western Asia. The basin has unique areas for developement of plants due to its large and varied geography.

Native Genera:

Cistus– Is an evergreen shrub commonly found in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco although it is also found in other parts of the world as well. It has dark green foliage and its flower colora typically white, purple, or pink. Flowers are saucer-shaped and rather simple in character. Most are five-petaled and bloom for most of the year. They do best in warm areas. Growth is often best on rather dry soils. Some are frost hearty, and all are extremely drought tolerant.

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Narcissus– Over 50 species are native to the Mediterranean, they are part of the Amarylidaceae family and grow from bulbs. Narcissus are native to the eastern Mediterranean Basin area and found in hills, mountains, and valleys favoring a northern exposure. They often grow in large collective meadows. Narcissus multiply freely by bulbs and bloom yearly. They require cold weather to bloom well. Spring blooming is typical with fragrant flowers ranging from white to yellow in color. They are also quite frost hearty; down to -30°F.

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Olea– This genus of 20 species is native to Europe, and parts of Asia. It is a prototypical mediterranean plant found throughout the mediterranean region. It has stiff leathery gray green leaves. Flowers are small and off-white in color, and fruits are a major economic crop throughout Europe and in the United States as well. Uses of the fruits are mainly for olive oil and for the olives themselves. These plants like a mild climate and winter sufficiently cool to induce flowering. They are tough and highly tolerant plants.

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Mediterranean Climates- South Africa

Part of 5 our series on mediterranean climates:

The mediterranean portion of South Africa is a very small piece of coastal lands on the southwest extreme of the continent. It is bounded by a number of mountains inland, including the Hottentots Holland, Langeberg, Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountains. This is the smallest of the world’s mediterranean climates accounting for only three percent of the total area of these climates, yet is home to over eighty percent of the world’s mediterranean plants. This dense proliferation of flora makes South Africa an important mediterranean region.

Native Genera:
Protea– Consisting of a 115 species this genus is not exclusive to mediterranean South Africa; it is found in various regions of the sub-Saharan parts of the continent. Evergreen shrubs and small trees make up the genus, which are revered for their showy flower heads, and used frequently as a cut flower. Leaves are typically leathery and often have hairy margins. Cultivation of this plant can be difficult, Proteas need well drained, acidic soil. In South Africa itself, 82 species can be found with 69 of these being concentrated heavily on the coastal portion of the Western Cape. Seeds are often released as a result of fire.

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Image from Wikipedia

Erica– Of the over 740 species of this genus, 650 are native to South Africa. Of these 650, 625 are found in the southern most portion of the Cape. They are most likely to be found near the coast, on southern facing slopes where rainfall is high. They range from small to large evergreen shrubs, with characteristic small foliage. Those from South Africa often have long tubular showy flowers clustered in groups and short narrow needle like leaves. Stomata on these leaves are adaptive and lie on the underside of the leaf to reduce moisture loss. Ericas are found in other portions of the world as well, including the Mediterranean basin.

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Image from Wikipedia
Agapanthus– These herbaceous perennials are native to Southern Africa exclusively. They are characterized by long fleshy green leaves and showy flowers, borne on large erect stems. Flowers come in a range of various shades of blue, with pinkish and white flowers available in some cultivars. These plants are popular because of their ability to grow with little maintenance or care. They range in size from dwarf varieties that may only be a foot tall, to larger more robust plants 3-5 feet in size. Unlike many mediterranean natives they require water in the spring and summer, and are fairly sensitive to frost.

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Image from Wikipedia


Mediterranean Climates- Chile

Part 4 of our series on mediterranean climate regions-

The mediterranean region of Chile is a small narrow strip of the central section of the country. It is very similar to California in character but with a few key differences. Although possessing a similar layout of coastal range central valley and bounding mountains, Chile is a good deal narrower than California. The result is a smaller growing area. In addition the Andes mountains to the east are 50 percent higher than those of California. The surrounding topography and geography of Chile make it somewhat of an island in character, isolated from outside influences. As a result, many of the plants found in this portion of Chile are native.

Native Genera Examples:

Puya– Native to south America this genus consists of 170 species. These plants are bromeliads and require little to no water. They have course textured leaves and are used commonly in gardens as shrubs. They possess a well developed root system. Many varieties may grow as a large evergreen clump up to 10 feet across with narrow leaves up to 2 feet long. They may reach as tall as 6 feet in the spring blooming season. Flowers are wide with bell shaped blossoms in metallic blue, green, and turquoise. Commonly these are used in large rock gardens, on banks, are good with cacti, and can tolerate poor soil conditions.

Maytenus– This species includes 225 trees and shrubs native to South America and the Caribbean. They have variable shaped leaves, and small star shaped flowers. Some species have red or yellow decorative seed pods in fall. They grow best in locations with long hot summers, and are very sensitive to frost. They do best in fertile well drained soil and can be grown best in full sun or slight shade

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Ugni– This is a small genus of evergreen shrubs closely related to Myrtus. It is indigenous to areas of South and Central America and parts of Mexico. It has glossy attractive foliage and fruits, which is a main reason why it is grown. They do best in well drained moist soils. They prefer partial shade to full sun. They are best pruned back in winter months and propagated in summer.


Mediterranean Climates- Australia

Part 3 of our series on mediterranean climate regions-

The mediterranean section of Australia consists of two bands on the southern portion of the continent. Specifically these are the southwestern part of the state of Western Australia and the southernmost part of the state of Southern Australia. Of these two areas the western section of mediterranean climate has more diversity. The influence of mountains in these areas is minimal, making Australia unique in this regard among mediterranean climates.

Native Genera of Note:

Grevillea– This genus consists of over 250 species of evergreen shrubs and trees, as part of the protea family. They are as a group variable in habit of growth, with all species being native to Australia, or the south pacific area. They usually have small flowers grouped into larger flower heads, with distinctive long styles, that give the flowers an interesting look to them. They are as a group adaptable and easy to grow, characteristic of their mediterranean origins. Leaves may be divided or ornamental as well, with some types being used for cut foliage. There are several hybrids available, which have been bred to be more floriferous.

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Hardenbergia– This small genus consists of 4 species of legume climbers. They typically have leaves divided into three leaflets, that are densely veined. They have clusters of small purple or pink flowers and do best in similar climatic areas with mild winters. They prefer rich well drained soil, and grow in full sun or partial shade.

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Acacia
– This is a huge genus of over 1,200 species of which 700 are native to Australia. They range from low growing shrubs to trees in character, and have generally bipinnate leaves, or flatten stalks that have replaced the leaf’s role and undergo photosynthesis. They have small flowers appearing in either groups or spikes and are often fragrant. Some species need fire to germinate. In horticultural cultivation many species maybe short lived, living only 10-15 years.


Mediterranean Climates- California

In our continuing series about plants and the mediterranean climate we profile our local California climate.

California:

As a state California has an extremely diverse natural landscape. Its mediterranean climate extends inland from the Pacific Ocean to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It is these two influences that have the largest effect on California’s climate as whole. It should be noted that some people classify the extent of the mediterranean region of the west coast to extend through Oregon and Western Washington. These areas while receiving differing rainfall patterns also have predominantly dry summers, and it is feasible to group them into this mediterranean region.

Native Plant Genera of Note:

Quercus– This species of over 600 plants is native not only to the mediterranean regions of California, but also to a variety of other climates, including the Mediterranean itself. Plants consist of evergreen, semi-evergreen or deciduous trees and shrubs. They can range in height anywhere from 3 feet to 120 feet depending on species and conditions. Leaves tend to be well adapted to mediterranean climates and are often tough and leathery. In California many species are intolerant of summer watering, and make up a considerable portion of woodland habitats. They have deep spreading roots and generally have large spreading canopies. Flowers are insignificant, although acorns provide food for wildlife and were traditionally used in California as a source of food.

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Arctostaphylos: this genus consists of over 50 species, of evergreen shrubs including two rather rare small trees. These are tough plants with adaptive woody stems, leathery leaves and small clusters of white or pink, bell shaped flowers. The round leaves are oriented vertically to avoid sun drying and sunlight. Small reddish fruits appear in summer. They do best in full or partial shade and are fairly drought tolerant. Manzanita attributes for a considerable portion of California chaparral communities and is not exclusively native to mediterranean climates.

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Eschscholzia– A relative of the poppy, the most commonly found California poppy is the state flower of California. It has large petaled flowers and intense orange or yellow blooms. A variety of other colors are available as a result of hybridization. Foliage tends to be fine and carrot like. Generally plants are small and grow up to a foot high and slightly narrower in spread. They are highly drought tolerant and adaptive to California’s mediterranean climate. They also naturalize readily under proper conditions, and have a somewhat wild, rustic character to their habit of growth.

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Introduction to the Mediterranean Climate

In a series of posts this week we will highlight the mediterranean climate that characterizes California and 4 other regions of the world.

Mediterranean climates are unique from any other throughout the world. They are loved by gardeners for their relatively moderate temperate temperatures with more or less mild extremes in the winter or summer. As a growing environment for plants they provide a good place to grow many differing types of plants from a variety of different climates and locations throughout the world. The mediterranean climate is characterized mainly by its unique rainfall patterns, receiving little or no rain in the summer, abruptly contrasted by wet winters.

Specifically these climates occur exclusively between 30 and 45 degrees in latitude throughout the globe, and tend to predominate on the western edges of these areas. The mediterranean climate plays host to some of the most interesting and uniquely adapted plants in the world. The five areas considered mediterranean climates are southwest and southern Australia, coastal and central California, central Chile, the majority of the Mediterranean basin bordering the Mediterranean itself, and the southwestern tip of South Africa. A diverse and interesting host of plants grow in these climates, even though the total area of the mediterranean climates throughout the world is only approximately two percent.

The mediterranean climate results from a number of unique, important and complex factors. Almost all the areas of the climate occur sandwiched in between a strong maritime influence and a defining band of mountains (except Australia). Almost all these areas also have predominately western orientation, the result of which is often a high pressure accumulation that is a major contributing factor to the climate’s dry summers. In addition, this western orientation ensures exposure to the prevailing western winds of the world, which extends the effects of sea, moderating temperatures, and making temperature extremes characteristic of interior continental areas rare.

The areas also are subject to cold-water currents that help to moderate temperatures during both the warm and cool seasons. Specifically, these currents are the California current in eastern pacific, the Humboldt current in the south eastern part of the pacific, west of Chile, the Bengueh current in the Atlantic ocean off the western part of South Africa, the Canaries current in the Atlantic off of Morocco and Portugal, and the warm Leewin current in the southern Pacific ocean off the western coast of Southern Australia. It is these currents that also help moderate temperatures, and ultimately play a role in precipitation patterns.

Precipitation patterns for the various regions vary, however for the majority of locations the average rainfall is between 30 and 45 inches. Areas receiving more or less rainfall usually lie on the edge of a mediterranean region or are influenced by increased or decreased precipitation due to elevation differences. Characteristically, these areas rarely receive summer moisture. This trait is exaggerated in the interior portions of the climate. As one travels toward the ocean, the greater influence often provides moisture in the form of frequent summer fog. Plants adapted to coastal mediterranean conditions may have completely different characteristics and tolerances from those found further inland.

Mediterranean plants as a group have developed several unique adaptations that help them do well in a climate characterized by a long dry season. Plants may develop a shrubby habit of growth, with tough adaptive leaves. This helps to conserve water during the summer months. Other leaf adaptations include specialized stomata that prevent excessive transpiration, and extensive hairs or toment that help the plant deal with arid conditions. Often plants will not go deciduous because of the energy, nutrients and water needed to put on new growth every year. Plants may also develop a period of inactivity or dormancy, or may even go deciduous in the summer as a response to drought or extensively dry conditions. In addition, plants may develop deep spreading roots to help gather as much moisture as possible.

Still other plants develop an annual habit of growth that helps them to deal with changing climatic conditions. Some plants are even more highly specialized. In chaparral and other similar plant communities plants may develop specialized seeds that open only under intense heat as a response to frequent fires in these areas. Although as a group the mediterranean plants are highly adaptive this does not mean that all plants possess these traits, or even require them. Again, it is important to remember that there are fairly distinct differences between the immediate coastal areas and the inland mediterranean areas. Just because a plant is mediterranean in origin does not necessarily mean that it will survive or thrive if taken out of its particular niche.

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Image from Wikipedia

Resources

1. Brenzel, Kathleen Norris, ed. Sunset Western Garden Book. Menlo Park, CA:Sunset. 2001.

2. Dallman, Peter R. Plant Life in the Worlds Mediterranean Climates, Berkeley: University of California press. 1997.

3. Hawkins, Lester. “Gardener’s Guide to Mediterranean Climates.” Pacific Horticulture. Winter 1980-81: 21+.

4. Turner Jr., R.G. Ed. Botanica. Barnes & Noble. 3rd ed. 1999.
For more visit:
Wikipedia’s article on mediterranean climate
Mediterranean Garden Society

Cornerstone Gardens, Sonoma

Cornerstone Gardens is a good resource for those looking inspiration to
incorporate a sense of the modern avante-garde into landscapes of a residential
scale. The Gardens, located just south of the City of Sonoma, feature the works
of 20 well known landscape architects. These gardens truly seek to develop the
landscape as art, making bold visual statements.

Visit Cornerstone’s Website for more information on the Gardens and their
designers.


Cable Rail Systems for Decks and Fences

An increasingly popular option for railings and fences that we frequently install are tensioned stainless steel cable railing systems. These systems give a clean architectural look for railings and fences that visually disappear, allowing for uninterrupted views.

Feeney Cable Rail is one of the manufacturers we use for cable railing systems. Their products allow for straightforward installation and provide many railing options. These include glass panels, aluminum railings and a variety of commercial and residential cable systems.

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Digital Drafting vs. Hand Drafting

As it seems everything becomes digitized and done on computers it is interesting to reflect on the role of computer aided design (CAD) in landscape design. Interestingly, many garden designers and landscape architects still draw their plans by hand, especially at a residential scale. Hand drawings have the benefit of a traditional drawn look that works well for residential design. Most major design firms, in the design professions use AutoCAD or some alternative program to draft, (we use Vectorworks) especially for large scale projects.

We prefer computer drafted plans for a number of reasons. First, we typically have our sites digital surveyed with GPS technology. This ensures an accurate basemap and topographic information that can help in project planning.

The other major advantage to digital drawings is their flexibility. Revisions can be made simply without erasing or redrawing plans. We typically color our plans with digital illustration tools that give our plans a more hand drawn and colored look. Often we will include color photographs on plans that can be difficult to incorporate with hand drawn full size materials.

Digital tools are also constantly improving. Digital drawing tablets and ever improving technology mean the gap between digital and hand rendered graphics is closing.


Finding that Hard to Find Tool

As contractors we are sometimes faced with the problem of finding the right tool to complete a specialized task. This can sometimes be a challange, as tools for a particular commercial application are not always readily available locally. With this in mind, I have compiled a list of tool suppliers that stock tools you may not even know existed for that specialized applciation-

Northern Tool Company

Grainger

White Cap Construction Supply

DeFusco Industrial Supply

Western Tool Supply

Reid Tool Supply

The Blue Book of Building and Construction


Deer Resistant Plant Lists

When planting outside “the garden walls,” it is a good idea to consult a listing of deer resistant plants (see our past post about the difference between deer resistant and deer proof). With this in mind, here are some good online resources of plants used in California landscapes that fare better against deer.

California Natives – List compiled by Mostly Natives Nursery

Native Plant List– Las Pilitas Nursery- with fire info as well

Online Resources by State -From About.com

 

Deer List– Gardenweb Forums

Deer in the Urban Landscape

Deer Resistant Plants- Central Texas Gardener


Landscape Lighting- Adding another Dimension

Special touches and features can really put a finishing touch on a project. Water features, sculptural pieces, custom woodwork, and outdoor lighting are some of the most common elements that can help take projects to the next level of detailing.

Low voltage outdoor lighting is an especially effective way to add the additional dimension of nighttime viewing. Lighting allows enjoyment of the garden year round, while also addressing safety and access concerns. This is typically done in a way that accents trees, pathways and special features, while not making your garden look like Las Vegas.

We typically install high quality professional low voltage lighting fixtures from a number of companies including FX Luminaire and Vista Professional Lighting. There are an increasing number of manufacturers producing high quality fixtures giving more options in terms of light style and application. We prefer low voltage lighting for flexibility of installation (it is easy to add or remove fixture to existing lines), safety, and lower cost.

Most fixtures we install are finished in copper or brass, but there are also a wide variety of powder coated metal colors available from manufacturers. As with anything, when it comes to lighting fixtures you get what you pay for. You can buy a cheap transformer or light set, designed for the do-it-yourselfer, but the lights are typically plastic and not designed to last.

Making the Switch to Verizon

Following up on a couple of previous posts concerning our cellular service
with Nextel (see… Problems
with Nextel
& Nextel
Update
), we have made the switch to Verizon. In the end, it was a
question of service. Interestingly, Nextel was willing to talk about discounts
and work arounds when we were getting ready to cancel our service, but when we
first had our complaint they were unwilling to do anything. It just goes to show
that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, especially with a company as large as
Nextel. They were happy to charge us full price until we threatened to leave.
There’s a certain wheeler-dealer “car dealership” feel to these sorts of things.
It’s unfortunate that Nextel wanted to play games, instead they lost our
business.

See noted business author Tom Peter’s
commentary on the Sprint-Nextel merger

Blog Piece to be Aired on KQED Radio Perspectives

I am happy to announce that the blog entry, “Tales of a Wireless World,” will be featured as a 2 minute read perspective for KQED public radio, our local San Francisco NPR affiliate. I always enjoy the Perspectives series driving around listening to the radio on the way to work, and fortunately this piece was accepted. For those unfamiliar with Perspectives, it is KQED radio’s “opinion page,” featuring listener perspectives and commentary.

I go in to record the piece in the studio next week and will post a follow-up as to an airtime and its location in the KQED archives.

School’s Back & Traffic is Bad

I was driving down Highway 101 last week, the central artery through Marin County on the way to San Francisco, and something was wrong. It was 8:30 in the morning and the traffic was more reminiscent of 8:30 pm. This all changed however with many schools starting this week. Now traffic is back to its typical ugliness.

Not that bad traffic is unusual for the Bay Area. According to one report, the Bay Area had the second worst traffic congestion in the nation after Los Angeles. The Marin 101 corridor is typically one of the worse traffic spots in the area in yearly traffic assessments.

Maybe the new Transportation Bill will help, as Marin landed quite a few improvement projects including the widening of the Novato narrows.

The bad traffic might have been eased a bit if back in the 60’s Marin had been connected to BART. Unfortunately, a ridership that was too small, and concerns about attaching BART to the Golden Gate Bridge prevented Marin’s connection to the system. This was compounded by fears that connection to BART would spur development in the area. Now, of course, any connection to BART would cost hundreds of millions per mile of line (Just witness the SFO airport extension with a price tag of 1.5 billion for just under 8.8 miles).

Until new projects get under way, or more public transit is added (such as light rail from Sonoma County), we’ll have to wait for the next school vacation for easy morning commutes.

For more on traffic visit the Marin Congestion Management Agency


Masters of Landscape Architecture- Lawrence Halprin

 

From time to time I will expound on some influential landscape designers in our “Masters” Series:

Lawrence Halprin is one of the most distinguished modern landscape architects. His scope of work and ability to capture the public imagination with his parks and projects made him as close to a household name as a landscape architect could attain. He is known for may great projects, including his groundbreaking integration of development and nature at Sea Ranch, and for the FDR Memorial in Washington D.C.

At 88 he continues to be active, recently consulting on George Lucas’ the new Letterman Digital Art complex. (Also read his recent opinion piece on the Golden Gate Bridge in the SF Chronicle) His San Francisco resume alone is impressive, with works along the Embarcadero including Levi Plaza, involvement in selecting and developing Justin Herman Plaza, and a redevelopment of Ghirardelli Square.

A most captivating signature element to many of these projects is Halprin’s fountains. Many of these are inspired by natural streams and water flow from areas such as the High Sierra. As Halprin writes, “I believe not only does form equal process in nature, but also think that we derive our sense of aesthetic from nature… I view the earth and its life processes as a model for the creative process.” (1)

Three standouts of Halprin’s fountains that I have visited, Levi Plaza in San Francisco, Freeway Park in Seattle, and the Ira Keller Fountain in Portland, clearly show these natural influences. Each Halprin fountain seems to be related, variations on a theme. Large slabs of concrete, that gray over time to look like stone. Man made geometric pieces that use the magic of water to transcend into something natural.

Like most aging public projects, especially fountains, many of Halprin’s works are being threatened with removal or redevelopment (Portland, Washington State Campus, Denver, Virginia). Should you get a chance to visit one of these features, with the water turned on and running, you can appreciate some of Halprin’s genius for creating a bold statement.

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More Information on Halprin:
ASLA Michelangelo Award

Lovejoy Fountain, Portland
Ira Keller Fountain, Portland

(1) From: The Landscape of Man, Jeffery and Susan Jellicoe, p.333