Public Art: Transforming Everyday Spaces into Places of Connection & Joy

David McCullough, ASLA, PLA
Principal Landscape Architect

Urban spaces are often designed around cars—streets, sidewalks, and parking lots, serving primarily as channels for movement. Yet with thoughtful design interventions, these same spaces can offer far more. They can become places of delight, connection, and community transformation.

Public art is one of the most powerful tools for this shift. A mural on a blank wall, a sculpture in a plaza, or an interactive installation in a forgotten corner can change the way people experience their city. Art does more than beautify; it creates landmarks, sparks conversations, and strengthens cultural identity. It turns overlooked spaces into destinations and ordinary routes into memorable experiences.

Red Door Interactive Corporate Headquarters, San Diego, CA

When paired with flexible, people-first design elements such as movable seating, greenery, and adaptable layouts, public art helps transform utilitarian environments—like parking lots—into vibrant hubs of social activity. Even the most functional spaces can become dynamic places where communities gather, interact, and thrive.

1640 14th Street, Santa Monica, CA

Cities like San Diego and Los Angeles are leading the way in integrating public art into urban design through transformative projects such as the downtown San Diego C Street Arts Corridor, the Santee Arts District, the San Diego State University Main Campus Arts District, and the San Diego State University West Campus Arts District. These initiatives showcase how thoughtfully curated public art, combined with flexible, human-centered design, can redefine streets, campuses, and neighborhoods. Well-designed murals, sculptures, and interactive installations both beautify spaces and offer a deeper connection between people and their environments.

The ripple effect of these interventions extends beyond aesthetics. Research shows that well-designed, art-infused spaces increase foot traffic, boost local economies, and encourage a stronger sense of belonging. These transformations prove that small changes can lead to profound impacts on how people live and connect within their cities.

Park(ing) Day 2024

Park(ing) Day 2025: Reimagining a Space Outside The Design Center into a Civil act of Joy

This philosophy comes to life during Park(ing) Day, an annual global event that challenges communities to rethink how parking spaces can be used. This year’s theme is “Curb the Power: Micro Acts of Civil Joy”. On Friday, September 19, 2025, McCullough, along with additional Design Center neighbors, will transform spaces outside our office into a temporary parklet featuring different forms of art, greenery, seating, and creative expression.

The installation will showcase how small interventions—like public art in various forms, or “micro acts of joy” — can shift perspective and spark new conversations about the future of urban spaces. For a single day, a typical car space will become a people space, highlighting the opportunities that lie in designing cities around community interaction and public art rather than vehicles.

We invite our San Diego community to stop by, experience the transformation, and imagine with us how small “civil acts of joy” can create lasting, positive change.

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Designing Landscapes That Thrive: A Q&A with Kira Becker & Tianchi Zhang

At McCullough, sustainability is a philosophy that guides our design decisions, from the first site analysis to the final plantings. To explore how this philosophy comes to life, we sat down with two of our talented Landscape Associates, Kira Becker and Tianchi Zhang, in the Los Angeles office. They shared their insights on crafting landscapes that are not only low-maintenance but full of life, color, and purpose.

Q: How do you approach designing landscapes that are both sustainable and require minimal maintenance?

Kira Becker, ASLA
Associate, Los Angeles Office

Kira: “I start by looking at what’s already there and considering what can remain and what can be repurposed in any way. For instance, if we have to remove trees, I’m always looking for opportunities to repurpose them on site to fulfill lumber requirements for the new design such as benches, trellises, decorative elements, etc. Even concrete or old hardscape materials can be reused in creative ways.  Very early on in the project I try to determine how we can work with what’s existing on site whether it’s to keep it in place or repurpose it in a creative way, and then get the client involved and excited about it.”

Tianchi Zhang, MLA, ASLA Associate, Los Angeles Office

Tianchi: “Exactly. Sometimes repurposing materials adds cost upfront, but it can save money long-term. Also, if a tree is to be removed, it can be turned into mulch or wood chips reduces future purchases. We will need to consider the health of the trees — an arborist can help determine if a trunk is safe to reuse. And to be sustainable and low-maintenance, it’s not just materials; plant selection, soil management, and irrigation all factor in. Choosing low-maintenance and drought-tolerant plants helps reduce ongoing care. And working with existing soil on site to keep the cut and fill as balanced as possible is another approach to be economically sustainable. Sustainability is really about looking at every detail, from demo to maintenance, and finding creative, practical solutions.”

Q: What native plants or materials work best in Los Angeles’ climate?

Tianchi: “It really depends on the project and the client. Not every native plant thrives in every part of California. Some low-maintenance species aren’t strictly native but perform better in certain microclimates. It’s a balancing act between ecological integrity and practical performance.”

Kira: “Like Tianchi mentioned, just because a plant is “California native” doesn’t necessarily mean it is native to the particular area and microclimate that you’re working in. I often will consult with the CalScape website to determine native plants that are local to the specific area. It provides you with a list of hyper-local species that thrive in a particular zip code. Then I cross-check that list with what nurseries actually carry, so we’re not specifying plants that will be impossible to source. A number of native species are not readily available at plant nurseries, and so it’s critical to determine what’s commonly carried to avoid sourcing issues during installation.”

Top Low-Maintenance Native Plants for Los angeles

• California Lilac (Ceanothus) – drought-tolerant, attracts pollinators

• Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla) – low water, aromatic foliage

• Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) – evergreen, bird-friendly

• California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum) – bright blooms, minimal care

Q: How do you educate or persuade clients about the long-term benefits of sustainable or low-maintenance landscaping?

Kira: “It depends on the client and what sustainability means to them. Sustainability is such a broad term and can mean a million different things. For example, with affordable housing or college campuses, those clients will likely prioritize maintenance costs and durability. Often, the easiest sell is showing how low-maintenance plants and materials reduce ongoing costs. The harder sell is convincing the client to repurpose existing materials or to select environmentally conscious products that might add cost upfront. But when clients do resonate with environmental sustainability, it can become a defining feature of the project.”

Tianchi: “Sometimes it is easy to educate the client about the benefit when it clearly aligns with their short-term saving. However, it can save in a long run in most of the cases – like Kira mentioned, repurposing is slightly more expensive upfront, but it is often cost-effective compared to new materials. In addition, shade coverage, smart plant selection, and reflective hardscape materials all contribute to sustainable, cost-effective landscapes. Ultimately, sustainability is a broad topic — it encompasses ecology, water use, long-term maintenance, and even the joy people experience in a space.”

Talking Sustainability with Clients

• Show cost savings over time for low-maintenance plants.

• Highlight repurposed materials and environmental impact.

• Provide examples of shade and comfort benefits, not just aesthetics.

Q: How do you approach sustainability in materials and products beyond plants?

Kira: “We try to select vendors and products that reflect sustainable practices. For example, we’ve worked with a number of vendors that use recycled plastics in furniture or play structures. We try our best to avoid slow-growing tropical hardwoods that contribute to deforestation, and instead will consider thermally modified wood that’s durable and sourced responsibly or even repurposed lumber as decking from companies like Angel City Lumber or San Diego Urban Timber. There are many layers to a design, and every choice, from concept design to construction, can be an opportunity to make the project more sustainable.”

Tianchi: “Yes, and sometimes the simplest interventions are the most sustainable. Enhancing what’s already there, rather than demolishing everything, reduces emissions and increase resource use. Sustainability can be embedded in every layer of the design, from big concepts to small details.”

Q: What future trends do you see in sustainable landscape architecture for urban environments, specifically Los Angeles?

Tianchi: “One trend, that is happening right now in the educational marketing sector, is engaging the users of a space, like students on a campus, to inform design. For example, shade trees and flexible green spaces are increasingly prioritized because people actually want and use them. Besides, educational projects in several school disctricts are becoming more open to alternative materials, giving designers more freedom to create greener spaces.”

Kira: “I see a shift toward circular design that prioritizes recycling and repurposing of existing materials. Future generations are likely to gravitate towards adaptive reuse over starting from scratch as much as possible. The largest obstacle is the upfront cost, but the long-term environmental benefits are something that I believe future generations will place value on. I predict we are going to start seeing some groundbreaking creativity within the circular economy space in the next 15-20 years.”

Future-Proof Your Landscape

• Involve community or users in design decisions.

• Prioritize adaptive reuse over demolition.

• Choose durable, recyclable materials for long-term sustainability.

Q: Why are you passionate about sustainability?

Tianchi: “I’ve loved the idea of landscape and planning since my first year of undergrad. Designing landscapes is a way to make the world happier and more beautiful. Sustainability lets me extend that impact — creating spaces that endure, thrive, and delight people while respecting natural resources.”

Kira: “For me, sustainability isn’t just about meeting codes or requirements.  I personally find meaning in the act of working with what’s there - realizing the value of what already exists, repurposing materials, and minimizing waste. I believe the most sustainable practice is extending the life of materials and spaces through reuse and adaptation, rather than constant demolition and new construction.

At McCullough, sustainable design is a blend of creativity, practicality, and care. Thanks to Kira and Tianchi, and our whole team, our landscapes not only survive, but thrive, delighting the people who use them and respecting the planet we all share.

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McCullough Projects Nominated for SDAF Orchids & Onions Awards

We’re excited to share that Five50West and Topaz Student Housing have been nominated in the Landscape Architecture category for the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s Orchids & Onions Awards! These nominations celebrate projects that make San Diego a better place to live, highlighting thoughtful design, community impact, and vibrant public spaces.

Five50West – Downtown Transformation

Located in the heart of downtown San Diego, Five50West underwent a three-phase exterior and interior renovation that revitalized both tenant amenities and the surrounding streetscape. The project enhanced pedestrian safety, upgraded the entry plaza with smart technology for outdoor meetings, and introduced a café to activate the space.

By addressing prior challenges in the public right-of-way—like improperly planted trees that created trip hazards—Five50West now features healthy, vibrant street trees and movable raised planters that buffer the plaza from the nearby trolley line. Material choices reflect the urban character of downtown with durable, elegant finishes, while thoughtful planting and seating design create a welcoming and functional space. The transformed plaza encourages social interaction, supports sustainability, and exemplifies thoughtful placemaking that contributes to civic pride and a vibrant downtown.

Topaz Student Housing – A New Urban Hub

Topaz is a ground-up, mixed-use student housing development serving SDSU students, featuring 53 units and 169 beds along with street-level retail and restaurants. Located just two blocks from a trolley station, Topaz promotes urban living and a car-free lifestyle.

McCullough’s landscape design creates a unique public realm inspired by San Diego’s canyons and coastal vistas. Rich paving textures, native plantings, site furnishings, and integrated public art enhance the pedestrian experience. Grand stairs lead to second-floor amenities framed by custom raised planters, while shaded third-floor common areas offer students spaces to gather, relax, and engage with street life below.

Sustainability is central to the design, with an innovative stormwater management system that captures and treats rooftop runoff before it enters the city system. By transforming the former site of a McDonald’s drive-through, Topaz thoughtfully integrates updated retail while enhancing neighborhood walkability, livability, and urban character.

Both Five50West and Topaz Student Housing exemplify McCullough’s commitment to thoughtful landscape design that enriches communities and shapes San Diego’s vibrant public realm. We’re honored to be recognized in the Orchids & Onions Awards and celebrate these projects that bring meaningful, lasting impact to the city we call home.

Check out the full list of nominated projects here.

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Project Feature: 1640 14th Street, Santa Monica

A Creative Hub Rooted in California’s Urban Landscape

In the heart of Santa Monica, 1640 14th Street transforms a former industrial lot into a richly layered, amenity-filled creative campus, where exterior patio space is as desirable and valuable as what’s inside. Designed to elevate both everyday work life and the public realm, the landscape and architecture at this Redcar Properties development work together to create a harmonious environment that emphasizes connection, art, and a strong sense of place.

Urban Linkage Through Landscape

In addition to offering office and retail, this campus serves as a pedestrian-focused link in a broader civic vision for Santa Monica. With its direct connection to the soon-to-be-renovated Memorial Park, the site establishes a dynamic urban passageway that weaves into a series of mid-block paseos leading toward the ocean.

The design intent was to create an urban experience that integrates with the neighborhood while offering a unique and engaging environment for tenants and passersby. McCullough’s landscape provides a natural foundation for the architecture and interlaces into the fabric of the space at every level – from a welcoming ground-level paseo and social staircase to a series of rooftop gathering spaces with fireplaces and garden views.

The development aligns with Santa Monica’s urban planning goals by enhancing pedestrian infrastructure, fostering inclusivity, and improving connectivity in an area once divided by industrial infrastructure and freeways.

The Planting Palette: A Contemporary Garden for an Urban Environment

The first layer of landscape unfolds as you enter the space through the paseo. The layered palette honors the contemporary urban landscape of Los Angeles that is made up of a blend of native and naturalized species, presenting a hybrid of wild meadows and contrived sculptural accents that rise up out of the natural foundation. Most notably in the space is a mature multi-trunked Ficus petiolaris that sits majestically in the heart of the paseo, bringing a grander scale to the space that converses with the surrounding built environment.

In dialogue with the paseo are the Social Stairs that ascend toward the second-floor patio entrance, featuring a gallery of one-of-a-kind sculptures that emerge out of the landscape. Cast-in-place concrete seating areas are interwoven with ribbons of native grasses and bold specimen cacti that interact seamlessly with the marble and stone of the sculpted art.

Crowning the experience is a rooftop garden that provides a serene retreat above the urban bustle. A clerestory window captures reflections of the city in the distance, while in the foreground, a windswept meadow of Eriogonium fasciculatum, Bouteloua gracilis, and Verbenas among a variety of other natives, sway gently in the breeze. The soft rustle of the meadow is a calming soundtrack for tenants as they gather, reflect, or simply enjoy the indoor-outdoor lifestyle afforded by Santa Monica’s temperate climate.

A Collaborative Partnership

Redcar Properties is a civic-minded developer known for transforming underperforming commercial properties in high-growth urban neighborhoods into vibrant, community-focused spaces. With a commitment to thoughtful redevelopment and placemaking, Redcar’s projects across Los Angeles help weave together larger urban narratives, with a focus on walkability, inclusivity, and long-term community benefit.

Over the past several years, McCullough has partnered with the Redcar team on multiple efforts that align with these goals. In addition to 1640 14th Street, collaborations include the redevelopment of adjacent properties in Santa Monica, as well as projects in the Silver Lake and Culver City neighborhoods. This latest effort is a true reflection of that shared vision, brought to life through the collective expertise of a talented team including HGA, Del Amo Construction, Nous Engineering, AMA Consulting Services, KPFF, and Luminesce Design.

Congratulations to the entire team on a successful project, including the team at McCullough; David McCullough, Principal Landscape Architect; Zeek Magallanes, Studio Team Leader; and Kira Becker, Associate/Project Manager.

We are proud to contribute to a project where such thoughtful innovation and care will help influence and shape both everyday experience and the broader urban fabric. Inspiring work, such as 1640 14th Street, reminds us of the power intentional design has to connect people and place.

Want to learn more about how landscape architecture contributes to placemaking in creative commercial environments?

Reach out to our team →

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Behind the Design: A Site Visit to Bioterra

Lava rock pathways and lighting details taking shape

Earlier this month, a few of us from the McCullough team visited the Canopy, Bioterra's amenity terrace site, an exciting moment to see the landscape take physical form after more than a year of collaboration and design refinement. While renderings and models shaped our vision from the start, there’s nothing quite like walking the site and experiencing how it all begins to come to life.

Located on Longfellow’s life sciences campus in Sorrento Valley, the 10,000-square-foot terrace is a celebration of Southern California’s natural beauty. Designed in collaboration with PGAL, the space is lush, layered, and purposeful, rich with native planting, softly curving raised planters, and moments of surprise tucked into lava rock pathways and dappled light.

From the beginning, the design was envisioned as a multifunctional retreat: a terrace where tenants might take a private phone call, host a casual meeting, or simply enjoy the sun and ocean breeze above the ground-floor bustle. Shade, screening, and strategic light exposure allow for a variety of experiences, creating a layered environment that feels peaceful, functional, and discoverable.

At the heart of it all stands a stunning mature Chilean Mesquite tree, its sculptural branches illuminated by hanging pendant lights and surrounded by vibrant climbing vines and strawberry trees. It’s a moment of stillness and beauty in an otherwise high-energy campus—and one that we were thrilled to see rising into place.

A Full-Circle Moment for Sophia Rumpf, ASLA

Associate and project manager Sophia Rumpf has been involved in the Bioterra project since McCullough joined the team in 2023. Initially stepping into a supporting role, drafting and 3D modeling the original design, Sophia has grown into the lead role, now overseeing the project through construction. This site visit marked an especially meaningful milestone for her as she reflects on how far both the project and her experience has evolved over the past two years.

Mature Chilean Mesquite tree

“Though I can’t lay claim to the Bioterra design itself, I’m proud to have worked so hard on it and to now be carrying it across the finish line,” Sophia shares. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to grow with this project, from executing the vision to managing the details of construction and coordination.”

- Sophia Rumpf, Associate, Project Manager

On-Site Highlights

During our visit, we observed:

• Hardscape and planter installation nearly complete

• Lava rock pathways and lighting details taking shape

• Early planting beginning in key areas

• The centerpiece Chilean Mesquite tree has been carefully integrated

What’s Next?

With planting ramping up and final finish work underway, the terrace is poised to open later this year. We’ll continue to document the journey as the project nears completion and share more behind-the-scenes content from the field.

Scroll below to explore renderings and highlights from our site walk. There’s more to come, and we can’t wait to see the full vision in bloom.

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