A Field Operation in Santa Monica

Guest Interview

Design by Committee ()

Two weeks ago, landscape architect James Corner attended the splashy opening of Phase II of The High Line, the disused elevated rail-line that he and his firm James Corner Field Operations helped convert into the now famous park in the sky on the Lower West Side of Manhattan. Last week he was in Santa Monica before the City Council presenting the latest design for their new civic park: Town Square and Palisades Garden Walk. But can Corner deliver anything as exciting as the High Line, especially on a site in a quiet part of Santa Monica without any interesting topography or industrial relics to play with? Even worse—could this design-by-committtee process result in a watered-down concept? Santa Monica's cultural services director Barbara Stinchfield, landscape architect Stephen Billings, and columnist Frank Gruber give their thoughts on Corner's design and the community reaction to it. Then local residents Alex Webb, Nina Fresco, Cosmo Bua, Louise Steiner, Richard McKinnon, Genise Schnitman, and Grace Phillips, plus city councilmembers Gleam Davis and Bob Holbrook, chime in about their hopes and dreams for the park. You can see the design presentation online and as part of the exhibition New Park Design in Los Angeles in Hollywood.

Banner image: Sketch of the Palisades Garden Walk, designed by James Corner Field Operations

Ted Bardacke and others look over Corner's plans for the parks

Ralph Mechur and others look at the model of the parks

Orange bags with notes on the design were placed on the site by Santa Monica residents

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Merry Norris and others discuss the park plans

Lisa Switkin, Fred Fisher, James Corner and Barbara Stinchfield stand on the park's site

James Corner and Barbara Stinchfield at the community comment event

Guests:

• James Corner: Landscape Architect, James Corner Field Operations
• Barbara Stinchfield: Director of Community and Cultural Services, City of Santa Monica
• Stephen Billings: Landscape Architect, Pamela Burton & Company
• Frank Gruber: Columnist, Santa Monica Lookout News

Guest Interview

Japanese Design in Los Angeles ()

With the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami still less than four months ago, Japanese culture remains at the forefront of Angelenos's minds. Two events coming up in the next month have a special emphasis on Japanese design. Michael Sylvester talks about several programs at this weekend's Dwell on Design, as well as the new Los Angeles Design Festival, happening through June 30, that will feature Japanese designers and also raise money to help the country's earthquake victims. The next month is the first-ever Little Tokyo Design Week, which will highlight fashion, furniture, architecture, and anime. UCLA's Chair of Architecture and Urban Planning Hitoshi Abe discusses the festival and what it was like to return to his hometown of Sendai after the earthquake.

A table produced by Takeshi Miyakawa to raise money for earthquake victims is part of Yakitate at Dwell on Design

The Japanese artist Sasaki will be painting heartbeats to raise money for Architecture for Humanity's rebuilding efforts at Dwell on Design

Guests:

• Michael Sylvester: Managing Director, Dwell on Design; Co-founder, Los Angeles Design Festival
• Hitoshi Abe: Chair, School of Architecture and Urban Planning at UCLA