Design for One of Nature’s Most Beautiful Settings
La Jolla Cove
The La Jolla Cove, a part of the Ellen Browning Scripps Park located at the foot of the Village of La Jolla, has a vital role in the community and is a hot spot for recreation and an international tourist destination. The La Jolla Swim Club has recently engaged McCullough to enhance the site with new plant material and hardscape improvements.
This is the first phase of a larger improvement project. The Ellen Browning Scripps Park spreads across a large part of the coastline within the community of La Jolla. It is considered one of the most photographed locations in San Diego. With three incredible beaches and a scenic park, it is the perfect lookout for whale watching and beautiful sunsets.
Design Solutions That Met the Challenges
As with most projects, there are challenges. Since this area is so beloved by local citizens and visitors from around the world, it was necessary for us to be good listeners and find the best solutions throughout the entire process. A number of board members were skeptical about the project and had the ability to stop the project before it got underway. In addition, the club had raised money for the project and were committed to spending it within a specific timeframe. Lastly, City of San Diego Parks and Recreation staff stipulated that an irrigation system be off-limits for this property. We agreed with their assessment, as supplemental water added to an already unstable California bluff only adds to its instability. In this case, the project required us to be sensitive to the location and the community.
With this in mind, our goal was to:
Utilize plant material that mimics the natural landscape
Be sustainable and be attractive year-round
Use no supplemental irrigation
Help stabilize a delicate slope bluff and ecosystem
Expedited Installation
The project received the necessary approvals from the city and then moved expeditiously from concept into installation. Though this was to be a contracted project, we conducted the project similar to a “volunteer park enhancement project,” as this gave us a more simplified approval process.
In early January 2020, we were given the approval to proceed by the Swim Club. Within a week we generated a design concept including a parts and materials list. Speed was important. So, in just the next week we contacted the city staff, the plan was distributed for approval, we met with the stakeholders for a kick-off gathering, and an installation team was assembled. Within three weeks, and ahead of the first rains forecasted for January, the project broke ground. By early February, the project was largely completed.
It’s All About Our Grit
Under normal circumstances, McCullough is an advocate for an inclusive community-based collaborative type process, as that is part of the firm's design philosophy. However, in this case, the usual process wasn’t an option. The key here was a clear understanding of the community surrounding the park, the stakeholders, the constraints and the opportunities, and then a clear and resolute focus on the decided upon plan of action.
Turning the project around quickly is something that McCullough does well. With our grit to “get it done,” along with the grit nature brings to the site, it is always a welcome challenge and one that produces quick results. As a result, the community reaps the benefits of the enhancements while helping to preserve the vulnerable bluffs.
David McCullough, ASLA, PLA
Principal Landscape Architect
A Message Regarding COVID-19
With the state of current events surrounding COVID-19, please know at McCullough our clients and staff are our top priority. We are committed to fulfilling our project responsibilities while keeping a healthy office environment. Although some employees are working remotely and meetings are moving to virtual, we are working with a full staff to accommodate deadlines.
For many of us, these unprecedented times find events canceled, trips postponed, and business conducted remotely. We encourage you to take this unique opportunity to pause, embrace nature, and immerse yourself in the one constant—the beauty of our environment. So, Keep Calm and Garden On.
Catherine and David McCullough
Don’t Miss the Next PechaKucha Night
The upcoming PechaKucha Night will be held May 7th at Amp&rsand in Mission Valley.
With SDAF as the official host of the San Diego chapter, PechaKucha Night occurs in many worldwide locations with each presenter showing 20 images for 20 seconds each.
McCullough is proud to be an annual Partner with SDAF. The organization’s Partners are comprised of design, development, and community leaders, among others who support the built environment to improve the quality of life for San Diegans.
As of today, this event is still scheduled. Check www.sdarchitecture.org for schedule updates.