We are excited to announce that Jamie Litton-Lanfranco has earned her professional landscape architecture license! An avid traveler, Jamie brings a keen eye and great appreciation for beauty to her work. Since joining LGLA in January 2020, she has used modeling as a catalyst for collaboration, design ideas, and development. Some notable projects Jamie has been involved in are featured here: The Charlotte and Robert Disney House, Los Angeles, CA: Walt and Mickey Mouse; garage at Charlotte and Robert Disney House, c. 1920 Currently being restored by Page & Turnbull and Oak Hollow Restoration, the Charlotte and Robert Disney House was the first California home of Walt Disney. It is the original location of the famed garage in which Walt created Mickey Mouse. LGLA plant palette inspiration images, including screengrabs from Alice in Wonderland LGLA has been collaborating closely with the owners and project team to create an intimate event garden inspired by the California bungalow architectural style and the original Alice in Wonderland animated movie. Lisa and Jamie drew inspiration from the 1951 film to create a plant palette that is both whimsical and practical, showcasing a diverse selection of bold floral elements and textures. Sculpture Garden and Custom Pendant Spa, Northern CA: Jamie has also been instrumental in the re-envisioning of an estate in Northern California that was designed by LGLA fifteen years ago. New owners are looking for a custom refresh which will feature a dynamic sculpture garden and pendant spa with sculptural handrail. Model showcasing new pool and spa plans with custom handrail The 3D modeling of custom elements has informed major design decisions by allowing the clients and project team to evaluate the spatial relationships of existing and proposed features and to assess overall design cohesiveness and functionality. Model showcasing sculpture garden Hokusai 20 by Jeffery Laudenslager is the focus of a new sculpture garden. Jamie’s modeling was key to envisioning how this piece will interact with existing trees and custom site furniture. Having received her license, Jamie is looking forward to expanding her knowledge base and exploring her areas of interest, such as California Adobe and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, food production, designing for climate resilience, upcycling materials and waste reducing design methods. She would love to hear from you, so please reach out to connect at jamie@lglalandscape.com! #pageturnbull #pageturnbullarchitecture #oakhollowrestoration #charlotteraydisneyhouse #waltdisney #aliceinwonderland #historicrestoration #landscapearchitecture #3dmodel #lumion #licensedlandscapearchitect #jeffreylaudenslager #hokusai #disney #disneyfan #disneylosangeles #craftsman

Joint Exhibit Provides a New Take on Spring in the Desert Published by Jeff Graham, ASLA Following the near-record monsoon season in 2021, the Sonoran Desert’s abundance of spring color is in overdrive. Fluorescent yellow blossoms form brilliant clouds that gather over green Palo Verde trunks and Ocotillos cheer with their optimistic orange tops, while the Hesperaloes, Opuntias, Russelias and Aloes show off in varying shades of cream, soft pink, hot pink, yellow, and coral. While our visual senses are being delighted, hummingbirds buzz and chirp, taking full advantage of the bountiful spring blossoms, and mockingbirds sing and call overhead. The sweetness of creosote gently wafts through the air after even the most brief of rain showers. The promise of spring in the desert is given a boldfaced exclamation mark with Chihuly in the Desert , a first-ever joint exhibit by Dale Chihuly, open through June 19 at Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. At the DBG and Taliesin West, previously exhibited pieces join new works that give focus and context to the uniquely captivating Sonoran Desert. The DBG populates all five of its thematic loop trails with sculpture, and near the beginning of the experience stands Opal and Amber Tower (2018). Relating to scale of the nearby Papagos buttes, its comparatively simple hues of white and amber call attention to the clouds and the dramatic changes of desert light. Opal and Amber Tower The Desert Discovery Loop Trail serves as the Garden’s main walkway, and Chihuly and the Garden make use of its popularity by siting Lime and Lava Red Tower (2021) at the edge of a large courtyard near a cluster of Palo Verde trees. Comprised of nearly 600 pieces of glass, it stands nearly sixteen feet tall. Its festively colored arms reach out for the spring light, like the Palo Verdes’ brilliantly blossomed branches behind. If standing in front of Botticelli’s Primavera isn’t in the cards this season, watching the yellow blossoms fall around Lime and Lava Red Tower serves as a worthwhile substitute in celebrating spring. Lime and Lava Red Tower Following nature’s cues on color pairings, Chihuly locates his violet Neodymium Reeds (2021) amidst calming grey-green Agaves while yellow Palo Verdes form the background. The verticality of the sculpture and adjacent clusters of Pachycereus cacti create a single expression. Saguaros, reflected in the Contemplation Garden’s fountains, juxtapose the slender sculptures with their heft. Chihuly’s sculpture calls attention to the Mexican fenceposts’ optimism and resiliency as they reach for the sunlight. Neodymium Reeds, as viewed from the Fine Family Contemplation Garden Red Reeds (2017) conjures up images of the local agricultural community with their resemblance to a stand of leaning fenceposts awaiting final placement. This piece provides the Garden’s most eye-catching, bold color combination. Positioned behind a dark green thicket of shrubs, the bright red sculpture’s pointed tips join the Saguaros as they direct focus toward the pock-marked, faded rust-red buttes in the background. Red Reeds Taliesin West served as Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and studio, and is now a National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of the world’s greatest photographers have given us beautiful images that communicate Wright’s success in developing relationships between the built structure and the natural site. Experiencing this relationship and observing Wright’s work in the context of Chihuly’s exhibit is a unique opportunity. Self-guided visits and guided tours provide access to the famed main garden, studio, Wright’s office, and salon. The Red Reeds at the Desert Botanical Garden make an encore at Taliesin West, with a twist: here, as part of Red Reeds and Niijima Floats (2021), they stand erect, rising from the main garden’s fountain. Accompanied by colored globes – among the largest glass spheres in the world, up to forty inches in diameter and sixty pounds – this iteration of reeds is comprised of tightly formed verticals that contrast the horizontality of Wright’s architecture. Their smooth texture and tubular shape counter the texture and shapes of the boulders and stones utilized in his desert masonry. The siting of the reeds here and at the DBG draws a direct line between Taliesin West’s rust-red color and the similarly colored Papagos just beyond the Garden. Red Reeds and Niijima Floats The free flowing, serpentine Fire Amber Herons (2021) rises from a fountain in a narrow courtyard. Its intimacy provides a counterpoint to the expansiveness of the desert that inspired Wright’s design. Specks, striations, and warm colors harmonize with the rough textures and colors of local stone visible in the desert masonry and board-formed concrete. Fire Amber Herons Wright and Chihuly are both known for methodologies that employ close observations of nature in their works. When Wright designed Taliesin West, he created low-slung buildings that hugged the foothills and responded to the desert’s big valley and even bigger sky. Chihuly’s pieces develop unique spatial relationships to their sites and context. Chihuly in the Desert provides a special opportunity to see the desert reflected in the eyes of two masters of their craft – and to witness a dialogue between the two. If you've already seen the exhibit or once you have, please share your experience with me at jeff@lglalandscape.com . #chihulyinthedesert #chihuly #desertbotanicalgarden #taliesinwest #franklloydwright #phoenix #sculpture #sculptureinthegarden #glass #artinthelandscape #sculpturegarden #sonorandesert #springinthedesert #cactusflower #paloverde #opuntia #ocotillo #paddlecactus #hesperaloe #cereus #bloomingcactus #aloe #saguaro #agave #desertmasonry #waterfeature #waterfountain #midcentury #midcenturymodern #architect #architecture #landscapearchitecture #artintheenvironment

It’s All in the Details Published by Les Sechler, ASLA Landscape architects and artists alike know that attention to detail is the difference between transforming something ordinary into something of great interest and beauty. In re-defining the garden of this 1926 Spanish bungalow in Atwater Village we sought to create a sophisticated landscape while providing a gracious entry, an outdoor entertainment area with pool/spa, and play space for our client’s children. This meant paying careful attention to detail. We wanted the entry courtyard to function as more than just circulation space between the sidewalk and the front door. We transformed the existing front yard’s lawn and foundation plantings into an intimate courtyard defined by a low wall and four strategically positioned olive trees. The sequence of design details begins with meticulous board-formed concrete steps rising to a set of custom steel gates that announce the space. A laser-cut Moorish star pattern repeats in each gate and echoes the interior shape of the courtyard fountain. The house number is also laser-cut into the adjacent steel mailbox. The board-formed concrete is then repeated on the steps to the front door. On either side of the entry two old washbasins—discovered by the owner—were repurposed as planters, each showcasing dramatic Velvet Elephant Ear (Kalanchoe beharensis) succulents. Note the coordinated coloration of the planters and the succulents—it’s this attention to detail that adds interest and makes the courtyard a unique and special extension of the home. Rather than using traditional terra cotta tile, we paved the patio with a custom-designed pattern of natural cleft, full-color bluestone pavers reflecting the gray-green/blue color palette of the entire project. This also enhances the green clay tile used on the roof. For the fountain, instead of a traditional plaster finish, we opted to use the exposed board-formed concrete. The juxtaposition of this contemporary/industrial material with the fountain’s star-shaped Moroccan-motif creates drama and provides an exciting focal point for the space. Ann Sacks custom tile was used in both the front fountain and the pool/spa in the back. The material palette continues into the rear garden. Because the small lot required creative solutions to the challenges of limited space, the pool also serves as a combination spa and formal fountain. A shallow bench provides room for the children to play and the spa itself can be fired up and fully heated within 30 minutes. The raised wall, clad in custom tile defines the dining/pool area. Water gently cascades from three water spouts offering tranquility. To complement the gray green palette of the front we added bright green citrus trees and olive trees. Salvador Delgado provided the ironwork on the gates and mailbox and Darin Marten constructed the water features and did the tile and stone work. #darinmarten, #gardendesign, #landscapearchitecture #losangeles, #lisagimmy, #losangelestimes, #poollandscaping, #queereyeforthestraightguy, #transformingsmallspaces, #intimatecourtyards, #customsteelgates, #velvetelephantear, #kalanchoebeharensis, #bluestonepavers, #bourgetbrothers, #moroccanmotif

We are excited to be participating in the Los Angeles Conservancy’s celebration of Women's History Month! On Sunday, March 10, the Conservancy will screen Citizen Jane: Battle for the City, a critically acclaimed documentary that examines the seminal showdown between Jane Jacobs (“The Death and Life of Great American Cities”) and planner Robert Moses. After the film, Lisa will participate in a panel discussion of Jacob’s legacy and the role of women in protecting and activating Los Angeles’s historic sites and neighborhoods. The film and panel discussion will take place in the historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre. The screening will begin at 2:00 pm, with the panel discussion to follow. Panelists include Linda Dishman, CEO and President of the Los Angeles Conservancy: Laura Dominguez, Co-Founder of Latinos in Heritage Conservation; Brenda Levin, Founder of Levin & Associates Architects; Karen Mack, Founder and CEO of L.A. Commons; and Christy McAvoy, Founding Principal of Historic Resources Group. Panel moderator, Trudi Sandmeier, Director of Graduate Programs in Heritage Conservation and an Associate Professor of Practice in Architecture at the University of Southern California, will lead the group in an exploration of women’s leadership roles Los Angeles preservation. It is fitting that this event take place at the Ebell, a woman’s club formed in 1894. The Ebell’s landscape was designed by landscape architects Florence Yoch and Lucille Council. Yoch and Council are known for designing many landscapes in and around Los Angeles, including Rancho Los Alamitos, Il Brolino, Occidental College, and Cal Tech. Further information and ticket purchase is available here. We hope to see you for this inspiring and informative afternoon!

Modernism Week is quickly approaching and we are excited to share that some LGLA friends are contributing to what’s sure to be another memorable and informative event. And – you’ll have an opportunity to tour one of LGLA’s recent projects. Kelly Comras, FASLA, biographer of landscape architect Ruth Shellhorn, will be presenting “Designing the Disneyland Landscape.” Through a short film and rare photographs, Kelly will discuss the selection and detail landscape design for the site, including the involvement of Jack and Bill Evans, Welton Beckett, and Shellhorn. February 16, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. “Just Add Sunshine: The Extraordinary Career of Gere Kavanaugh” should be a wonderful overview of a remarkable sixty-year career. Gere (pictured, left) is a multidisciplinary designer who was among the first female graduates at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, along with Ray Eames, Florence Knoll, and Ruth Adler Schnee. Subsequently, she worked with Frank Gehry, Victor Gruen, Greg Walsh, Don Chadwick and Deborah Sussman. She was awarded a AIGA Medal in 2016 in recognition of her lifelong achievements and contributions to the field of design. February 19, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. Landscape historian Steven Keylon is presenting “Landscapes for Leisure,” wherein he’ll discuss the landscapes designed for the Coachella Valley from the 1920s through the 1960s. February 23, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. And finally, a recent project of ours will be part of a Modernism Week Signature Home tour. We had an enjoyable time designing the first phase for this Southridge home, nestled in the Santa Rosa Mountains and with commanding views over the Coachella Valley. February 25, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. This will be another exciting Modernism Week - we hope to see you there!

It’s hard to imagine the beautiful public park, adjacent to Central Library in downtown Los Angeles, with its fountains, pools and overlooks, public art and generous lawns, restaurant and outdoor dining terrace…as a former parking lot, however, that’s what it once was. Had it not been for public advocacy and the foresight of developer Robert Maguire, this beautiful public space would not be what it is today. In this blog, the last of our four-part series on Lawrence Halprin’s Los Angeles works, we focus on the most notable, the Central Library. We’ll discuss elements that went into its creation and the collaborative efforts of the creative team. During the ‘70s it was evident that the library - constructed in 1928 - was not adequate for contemporary use and some truly dreadful ideas emerged. The library’s 40th anniversary year report recommended the demolition of the building and replacing it with a facility twice its size. Luckily this didn’t come to pass. Instead, after a long period of public advocacy, developer Maguire Thomas was brought in and formed a team to create the gardens we know today. Associate architects Campbell & Campbell collaborated with Halprin on the design for the two-and-one half-acre Maguire Garden. Although Halprin had a long-standing relationship with Campbell & Campbell, the parties did not always see eye to eye. When Regula Campbell suggested to Halprin that this Art Deco garden needed an axis, Halprin didn’t initially spark to the idea. Douglas Campbell explained that their disagreements often had to do with Halprin being a true modernist, who believed that modern design demanded dynamic asymmetry. Campbell & Campbell prevailed in re-establishing the three pools of the original central axis, re-envisioned Bertram Goodhue’s original Egyptian design and thematic concept for the library, “The Light of Learning.” The articulation of the paving and walls extends the original vocabulary of the architecture into the garden. The planting consists of Italian Cypress and evergreens that create layers, in varying hues and textures, to complement the massing of the building. The forecourt is planted with olives and lined with low walls to provide shaded places for casual gatherings, market festivals and a setting for the outdoor café. Douglas Campbell said, “Maguire was a tremendous risk taker—he was 'all in.' When they were going to build the parking garage underneath the library, he sunk everything down, which is very expensive to do. Somebody visiting the project wouldn’t know that there was a parking garage underneath.” Maguire was insistent on the highest quality and standards, and that the facilities would be well-maintained. The postmodern design we see today is a hybrid of Halprin’s ideas and the Campbells’ ideas. The final design creates a lively civic setting for the iconic Egyptian Revival library building. Our recent day tour and symposium, Landscape As Catalyst: Lawrence Halprin’s Legacy and Los Angeles, illuminated some of the fascinating history of this garden and also focused on its need for continuing care. Stay tuned for continued details! The Landscape Architecture of Lawrence Halprin - L.A. exhibition runs through December 31, 2017 at the A+D Museum. Halprin Exhibition Campbell & Campbell A+D Museum Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre #heididucklerdancetheatre, #landscapearchitecture, #landscapearchitecture #losangeles, #landscapeascatalyst, #lawrencehalprin, #lisagimmy, #losangelescentrallibrary, #maguiregardens, #TCLF

If you missed Lisa's lecture, "Poetics of Stone: from Material to Meaning" at this year's Modernism Week in Palm Springs, you have another opportunity! Lisa is pleased to be participating in California Garden and Landscape History Society's 2017 Conference in Palm Springs. Lisa's presentation will focus on the incorporation of stone in modernist buildings and landscapes in Palm Springs, tracing the origin of this expression to Frank Lloyd Wright's work. Lisa will also explore the use of stone in contemporary design. The lecture will take place on Saturday, October 28 at the Palm Springs Art Museum. For further information, please visit CGLHS's website. We hope to see you there!

Join Lisa on a day tour of Lawrence Halprin's Open Space Network in Downtown LA! Lisa was happy to assist Urban Land Institute in creating a walking tour of Halprin's work. Landscape as Catalyst: Lawrence Halprin's Open-Space Network in DTLA begins at A+D Museum, where Charles Birnbaum, founder and CEO of The Cultural Landscape Foundation, will lead a walk-through and discussion of "The Landscape Architecture of Lawrence Halprin," an exhibit of Halprin's work as shown by contemporary photographs. Tour participants will be transported to the first of four sites: Grand Hope Park, where M. Brian Tichenor, AIA, of Tichenor & Thorp Architects, will begin leading the tour. We will then proceed to Wells Fargo Court and Bunker Hill Steps before culminating at Halprin's most well-known contribution to Los Angeles, Maguire Gardens. The day concludes with an included lunch at Cafe Pinot, overlooking Maguire Gardens.

Los Angeles will be hosting the 2017 ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO. In support of this major four-day event, Lisa is pleased to join Ann Scheid and Nord Eriksson in leading Gardens of the Arroyo Seco, a walking tour examining some of Pasadena's most distinguished landscape architecture. Lisa will present a recent LGLA project, the historic Hindry House, where she will lead a discussion about LGLA's role in the property's recent and extensive historic preservation, led by award-winning architect Kelly Sutherlin McLeod, and will reveal the treatment plan for the property's two periods of significance: the landscape as originally designed by architects Heineman and Heineman, and the second period, under the guidance of noted landscape architect Courtland Paul, FASLA. The field session will also visit the Gamble House and the garden at the Norton Simon Museum.

Wells Fargo Court is the northernmost project in Halprin’s Open Space Sequence. Chronologically, it is the first of four works he completed with developer Rob Maguire. It is Halprin’s only interior landscape. Like Halprin’s other Los Angeles landscapes, the Wells Fargo court incorporates sculpture. Here, working with sculptor Robert Graham, Halprin created an intimate garden that invites office workers and the public to linger and enjoy the sensual sculpture, the textures and colors of the planting, and the subtle sound created by the fountains. The fountains, constructed of richly colored granite, explore the Islamic garden vocabulary of channels and subtle drops in elevation. The water channels with their raised blocks of stone are reminiscent of Halprin’s work for the McIntyres in Hillsborough, California, here elaborated and integrated with four statues of women athletes. Over the years, the planting in the adjacent beds has been simplified and no longer creates the richly layered effect that Halprin desired. Fortunately, the fountains themselves are well maintained. Halprin’s design fulfilled Maguire’s goal to create ‘an urban, indoor Garden of Eden’ and it remains one of DTLA’s most precious gems. To see a full menu of the Halprin related events in Los Angeles, please visit www.halprinla.com. The Cultural Landscape Foundation:Landscape as Catalyst: Lawrence Halprin's Legacy and Los Angeles #downtownlosangeles, #landscapearchitecture, #lawrencehalprin, #lisagimmy, #TCLF; #wellsfargoplaza

By Jeff Graham, ASLA Los Angeles is often thought of as a horizontal city, but downtown’s Bunker Hill, which rises five stories above the adjacent business district, has always provided a connectivity challenge. Angel’s Flight, constructed in 1901, was an early attempt to solve the problem; Lawrence Halprin’s Bunker Hill Steps (1990) provide a robust pedestrian link between the two levels. The opportunity to create the steps arose when developer Rob Maguire transferred air rights from the Central Library to an adjacent site. Architects Pei Cobb Freed created the Library Tower (now US Bank Tower), a graceful 73-story skyscraper. Space for the steps was carved out on the west side of the tower to connect Hope Street, to the north, with 5th Street and the Central Library to the south. Lawrence Halprin’s vision for the steps was based upon his visits to Italy and his experience of the vitality of the Spanish Steps. He adopted that vocabulary for Bunker Hill, developing a lively water feature that travels from the source fountain at the top, through two levels, to the basin below. He created gathering places at the two intermediate levels that feature a small cafe and retail. The perimeter of the steps is lined with flowering trees and colorful shrubs that soften the edge and create a human scale. These 103 stairs not only provide an important and practical connection between these two districts, but also are a vital segment in Halprin’s Open Space Network for Los Angeles. Check back with us next week as we discuss an interior space within that network, Wells Fargo Court. The Cultural Landscape Foundation: Landscape as Catalyst: Lawrence Halprin's Legacy and Los Angeles #bunkerhillsteps, #landscapearchitecture, #losangeles, #landscapeascatalyst, #lawrencehalprin, #lisagimmy, #TCLF

By Les Sechler, ASLA In the middle of downtown Los Angeles is a verdant 2.5 acre oasis, filled with bougainvillea covered pergolas, shady enclaves, whimsical sculptures and a children’s playground. Designed by landscape architect and visionary Lawrence Halprin, Grand Hope Park was commissioned in the early 1980s by the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency (“CRA”). Intended to be an initial component of its proposed redevelopment of the southern section of downtown, today the park serves as the gateway to the rapidly growing South Park residential, cultural, and commercial area. Halprin, who was working on the Bunker Hill Steps at the time, was awarded the design contract. One of Halprin’s concerns during planning phase was that the neighborhood envisioned by the CRA would take years to densify, critical to the success of any public space. Coincidentally, The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) was working with the CRA searching for a new location for its main campus. Halprin, recognizing that an instant population of 3000+ students on the park would activate it like almost nothing else could, lobbied the CRA to allow FIDM to acquire the northeast corner of the property for its new campus. The southeast corner had already been designated as a housing site, but Halprin knew that having the large student population directly on the park morning until evening would jump start the park’s chance for success. FIDM hired Jerde Partnership as architects for its new campus, and Jerde and Halprin worked together to integrate the college with the park. According to FIDM founder and President, Tonian Hohberg, Halprin designed many of the spaces with campus events in mind. He encouraged Jerde to modify their design to include a covered arcade along the building’s entire park side creating a gracious, European style transition from building to outdoor urban space. The park was planned as a series of “outdoor rooms” each delineated by trees, sculptures, fountains and walkways. Its center is occupied by a large lawn with a curvilinear path and edged by pergolas, the children’s play area, and public art. The southern section of the park is more structured featuring paved terraces and one of Halprin’s interactive water features. Schematic drawings indicate that Halprin also specified locations for the art, including installations by Lita Albuquerque (Celestial Source Fountain for the sunken water court), Adrian Saxe (wildlife figures), Raul Guerrero (Hope Street Fountain and decorative stenciling on pergolas), Gwynn Murrill (coyotes, hawk, snake), Tony Berlant, and Ralph McIntosh. The iconic Clock Tower, with its whimsical mosaics, was designed by Halprin. The CRA commissioned musical compositions by John Carter, Michael McNabb, and Ushio Torikai to mark each hour of the day. An eight-foot fence that surrounds the park was a controversial last minute addition, due partially to concerns about vandalism to the public art and to the climate of fear generated by the 1992 riots in the city. It is open sunrise to sunset 365 days a year. Grand Hope Park was inaugurated in 1993. At the time it was said to be the first major park built in downtown Los Angeles since Central Park (now Pershing Square) opened in 1870. Construction costs were $4.8 million with $390,000 going to public art installations throughout the site. It is the last downtown Los Angeles landscape designed by Lawrence Halprin and is also the final piece in the Los Angeles Open Space Network – an ambitious plan to connect downtown Los Angeles through a series of open landscapes. The other sites are Wells Fargo Center, Bunker Hill Steps and the Los Angeles’ Central Library’s Maguire Gardens. The Cultural Landscape Foundation: Landscape as Catalyst: Lawrence Halprin's Legacy and Los Angeles #downtownlosangeles, #FIDM, #grandhopepark, #lawrencehalprin, #lisagimmy, #losangelescommunityredevelopmentagency