Spatial Thinking in a Post COVID-19 World

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, San Diego

The Role of Landscape Architects in Shaping Public Space

As the US recovers from the devastating social and economic impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the critical role played by properly designed outdoors spaces has never been more apparent. The expertise of landscape architects is often overlooked by society as we reactively look to provide guidelines for suitable outdoor design. This is an area that landscape architects are specifically trained to address which makes them uniquely equipped to provide appropriate and effective solutions. The profession’s use of spatial thinking and organization is most adequately equipped to address the shaping of public space through the application of basic space-making principles, the arrangement of horizontal and vertical space. In other words, where human biology performs best — the great outdoors.

Spatial thinking in landscape architecture considers the creative interpretation of the horizontal plane to establish spatial dimensions, area of influence, and scale. The designation of space can be expressed either through explicit or implied boundaries. Every activity within the sphere of boundaries demands a minimally comfortable area for execution. For example, a plaza or courtyard can feel uncomfortable when it’s too large or too small for the number of people it is meant for, while a grass field only feels right when one can toss a ball around or tumble like a child within it. In a world contending with social-distancing, dimensionality becomes a new critical consideration. We now know that maintaining at least six feet of separation from others is an important prevention tool we should consider in social settings. However, both indoor and outdoor spaces have historically been predicated on less. In the past, fire safety occupancy loads have been the driving factor in deciding how many people can occupy a place or space. Today we need to account for potential viral contamination and contraction. These considerations point toward another component of horizontal space — scale. Scale has an almost unconscious influence on our reaction in any given situation. For example, we may be with friends but still feel awkwardly uncomfortable because the space we are in does not have the appropriate scale for social use in a post-COVID world.

Horizontal scale is most often experienced as either linear or enclosed. If we are moving through a linear space, new offsets need to be considered for people to safely interact during a brief encounter in bypassing.

If the intent is to occupy a space for some time, a rectangular or circular-like area is often preferred. However, this space needs adequate room for safe human interaction. With the introduction of COVID-19, the amount of space and how it's arranged needs to be re-considered. It is also important to point out that special requirements indoors can be different than in exterior environments. Also, studies and scientists have recently concluded that access to exterior environments for people is vital to our health and wellbeing. Our profession provides a tool set to offer opportunities to open up buildings and help create seamless indoor/outdoor environments. 

The second spatial consideration used by landscape architects is the vertical arrangement of space.  The principle of verticality helps to achieve three important goals in public spaces: the demarcation of distinct areas; the influence on movement; and the connection of places. As stated previously, six feet of separation is key in social interactions. However, the separation of large parties from one another is also an important factor to consider. This can be achieved using vertical elements that either physically separate areas or suggest a safe distance between the two. Walls, hedges, or even low planting areas are some of the tools used by landscape architects in further defining spatial separation, whether that be social gathering areas, café patios, or walking paths in a park. While vertical elements in public space can help ensure distancing, they can also be used to facilitate movement through landscapes in both efficient and interesting ways. One of the major challenges we face in re-opening public places is the movement of people safely through them while allowing for preventative separation. The creative use of vertical elements can clearly define paths of travel while also indicating areas for gathering. They can also be used to create a sense of exploration and discovery within larger spaces.  

While spatial concepts of horizontal and vertical space may seem elementary, landscape architects see the opportunities presented in outdoor environments. As society attempts to move forward with the re-opening of businesses and outdoor spaces, these simple concepts can serve as an important reminder that exterior open-air places have been and will always be the best suited for human interaction.  

Landscape architecture as a profession has internalized these principles as everyday tools, positioning them to play key roles in shaping outdoor public spaces. Landscape architects, for decades, have been proponents of utilizing outdoor environments in new ways and offering equitable access to all, and it is time for local and national agencies to look toward the profession as allies in the fight against this challenge. Through the use of spatial concepts, arrangement of outdoor spaces, and the seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, landscape architects can play a pivotal role in the public prevention and limitation of spread for future outbreaks and healthy environments for people in general moving forward.

Zeek Magallanes
MLA, Associate

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Client of the Month:
M.W. Steele Group 

Oceanside Public Library, Oceanside

We are excited to announce M.W. Steele Group as our April Client of the Month! M.W. Steele Group is an award-winning integrated architecture, planning and urban design firm, which has been guided by the vision in which the buildings they design create an impact on the cities and communities we’ve come to love. M.W. Steele Group provides a humanistic approach to design, by viewing their work as a form of building community. Since 1983, they have positioned themselves as a fully-integrated practice, with expertise in planning and architecture. This integration provides M.W. Steele Group with a depth of “real world” understanding of what it takes to build the designs they’ve planned. Moreover, the firm is built on the principle that whether it's a building they are designing or a plan for a community, it’s only successful if it enhances and supports individuals lives.  

M.W. Steele Group has successfully completed projects in retail, hospitality, residential, civic, and planning types. The firm’s portfolio reflects their vision built upon the needs of clients and their extensive experience. With many projects based around the world, M.W. Steele Group is recognized for contextual quality of their work as well as design and planning which is simultaneously innovative and based in reality. This approach resonates with the McCullough vision of bringing out the soul of the project.

"When M.W. Steele Group was founded over thirty years ago, quite a few colleagues perceived us to be going against the grain,” President and Founder Mark W. Steele shares. “Instead of selecting the projects that paid the most, we preferred to choose the projects based on the people who were part of them." 

A few of M.W. Steele Group’s projects include Chrome Hearts, Glickman Hillel Center at the University of California San Diego, Coronado Library, the University of California San Diego Student Center and Event Space, Mesa College Learning Research Center, La Quinta Museum, Kalos Apartments, The Beacon, University of San Diego Master Plan Development, Oceanside Library, and more. McCullough has worked with the M.W. Steele team on the La Quinta Museum, Kalos Apartments, as well as the Wesley Palms and Fredericka Manor senior living projects.

M.W. Steele Group has been recognized time and time again for their extraordinary work in architecture, design, and planning:

• 2020: The Beacon - San Diego Housing Federation Ruby Award - CSH Supportive Housing Award

• 2018: University of San Diego Master Plan - Urban Design Merit Award - San Diego American Planning Association

• 2017: 2017 Planning Firm Award - American Planning Association - San Diego Section 2017 Awards

• 2016: Wesley Palms Retirement Community – Gold Nugget Award of Merit Honors received for the Best Senior Living Community ‘On the Boards’

• 2015: Southeastern/Encanto Community Plan Update – American Planning Association National Achievement Award

• 2014: Kalos Apartments – San Diego Housing Federation SDG&E Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Ruby Award 2014 – LEED for Homes Platinum Rating

• 2013: Kalos Apartments – U.S. Green Building Council for LEED for Homes Outstanding Affordable Project of the Year

McCullough has had the pleasure of collaborating with M.W. Steele Group on several of these award-winning projects over the years. Recently, McCullough was given the opportunity to work with the M.W. Steele team on the Oceanside Public Library for the City of Oceanside. At the end of the 2020 calendar year, the City of Oceanside staff and library administrators put out a Request for Proposal for the improvement to a prominent central courtyard centered between City Hall and the City Library. The City Hall was originally the work of one of San Diego’s most recognized architects, Irving Gill in 1929. In the 90s, recognized postmodern architect Charles Moore gave the hall an upgrade which added a postmodern flair. At the center of these buildings lies a courtyard fashioned after early Spanish Colonialist architecture of the 16th and 17th centuries. Accessed primarily from the library, this space was getting little-to-no use. Staff and administrators saw an opportunity to create an exterior space that could be actively used and better programmed for events. In conjunction with M.W. Steele Group, McCullough was invited to compete and won the competition for a garden space that will soon be a welcome hub for both the Library and City Hall. 

Both offices of M.W. Steele Group and McCullough believe the win was due to their approach of respect for the work laid down by Irving Gill and Charles Moore. McCullough couldn’t be more pleased to participate in the re-conceptualization of such a prominent space. To learn more about M.W. Steele Group and their projects, visit www.mwsteele.com.

Nicole Hensch
Marketing and Administrative Assistant

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Congratulations to our New McCullough Team Members and Newly Promoted Staff!

By Catherine McCullough, CPSM, President/CEO

McCullough Landscape Architects welcomes new staff members: Justin Timko, Associate; Kally Gaughan, Junior Associate; and Carolina Luna, Accounting Manager. Johanna Mall was recently promoted to Associate.

During the summer of 2016 Justin completed an internship with a local San Diego landscape architect, involving him in many projects.  After graduating in 2017 from Clemson University with a degree in Landscape Architecture, he worked in Dallas, TX. , first in a support role and eventually as a project leader for a variety of project types and scales. The systems and processes used to take an idea to a finished product are what helped him keep looking ahead in the profession.

Johanna’s passion for design stems from her fascination with how urban and folk traditions influence landscape design. The cultural integration between her Mexican, German, and American roots gives her a unique perspective to connect people and places with an element of empathy for the spaces she designs. She strives to apply “genius loci” to capture “the spirit of place” by designing places with a unique, vernacular cultural identity that people feel connected to. Celebrating her second anniversary with McCullough after graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Johanna has proven her project management skills, along with her bubbly, positive attitude, earning her the promotion to Associate.

Both Justin and Johanna will be responsible for managing projects from concept to completion, client relations, creating design plans, renderings, construction details and administration.

Kally earned her degree in Landscape Architecture with a minor in Sustainable Environments from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2018. After extensive internship experience and three years working in San Clemente, she returned to her hometown of San Diego. Kally has a deep love for the California landscape and an appreciation for the diversity and beauty it presents. She draws inspiration from the native environment and its sense of place, striving to create a seamless connection of people and the outdoor spaces they inhabit.

Kally will support the team with managing projects, rendering, creating design plans, construction details and administration. She will learn the role of Project Manager while working with clients, agencies, and other team members.

Carolina, a native San Diegan, began her career in the A/E industry about six years ago as an office manager and accounting assistant for an engineering firm. Prior to joining McCullough, she served as a project accountant at an architecture firm, where she worked closely with the Director of Accounting and Controller. Eager to expand her knowledge in the industry and continue her advancement in accounting and administration, Carolina joined the Society for Design Administration (SDA) in 2015 and has been a member of the Board of Directors for the San Diego chapter, currently serving as Treasurer.  

Carolina will manage company financials while assisting the design staff in project management to help determine efficiencies and provide seamless financial operations for the company.

“We are thankful to have found such talented people to join our firm family. We are blessed to have consistent work to maintain our staffing levels during this crazy time,” commented President/CEO, Catherine McCullough.

The Future of National City is Looking Bright

8th & B, National City

The Future of National City is Looking Bright

In 2018, Malick Infill Development engaged McCullough to collaborate with architect Miller Hull on the design of a mixed-use project in National City. Our brief was to design a series of outdoor spaces at various levels of a building, with the goal of creating a vertical community. We were keen on avoiding the common pitfalls that tend to come up for projects of this kind: lifeless amenity spaces, fishbowl-like podium plazas, and a lack of visual connection to life on the street. 

The design team’s overarching strategy centered on giving each part of the space a clear sense of purpose — described in full detail below. Andrew Malick pushed the team to extend this purpose-led thinking beyond the property line, to the adjacent alley and the streetscape along B Avenue. 

The design that came out of our collaborative meetings with Miller Hull boasts a beauty which is born from pragmatism. Despite the serious nature of designing a project of this scale, we had fun switching hats with the architects and helping to shape the building, while they in turn, helped us envision the outdoor spaces. This being pre-COVID times, we sat around the same table together and shared a whiteboard on a weekly basis. The design process we shared felt like equal parts of play and work. The final product of those meetings is under construction right now, and as it nears completion, we can more fully appreciate the project’s significance to the wider community of National City.

A Trending Community That Is Ahead of The Curve

Aerial View Tour of 8th & B - By McCullough

As evidenced by much of the medium-density construction around us, building to the letter of the law does not always produce projects that suit their neighborhoods appropriately. By contrast, Malick Infill’s soon-to-be-completed development on 8th & B demonstrates an outstanding sensitivity to its context. This multi-faceted project strikes a balance between the neighborhood’s present and its future. The row homes along the southern edge of the project address the present tone of the area by matching the intimate scale of their neighbors along tranquil 9th Street. In a hint towards the urban future of 8th Street, the building sweeps upwards behind the rowhomes, culminating in a roof deck with panoramic views towards the bay and the mountains. Keeping in line with the project’s emphasis on accessibility, the roof level boasts a coin-op laundry facility, sky lounge, and game room instead of a private penthouse. Residents will have the opportunity to wash, fold, and play while enjoying the expansive views in the indoor/outdoor space. 

A few floors below this, the podium level features an elevated pedestrian alley into which residents’ patios spill out, creating the feeling of front porches on a quiet street. This linear space leads us north to a community room and terrace which both overlook the wide sidewalks of 8th Street. On the ground level of this side of the block, a tall ceiling soars over an airy, indoor-outdoor restaurant space that will bring life to both 8th Street and an adjacent alley. The design team envisioned the restaurant, alley, and terrace above to work in conjunction so people could flow easily among the trio of spaces. 

Malick Infill Development secured permission to activate the alley with movable furniture for the restaurant. Before COVID, this was a big step towards informalizing the public realm. This begins to blur the line between private and public space for interaction. Turning the corner to B Avenue, the project features micro-restaurants for walk-up and delivery dining. These evoke the bustling market stalls and sidewalk culture familiar to National City’s diverse residents. 

The City of National City accommodated this intent by permitting a variance to the streetscape design guidelines. This allowed for a flexible sidewalk with enough clear space for people to mill about, socialize, and eat. 

Looking outward beyond the site, the project’s pioneering contribution to the main street experience is already evident. Adjacent properties are being transformed by others into coffee shops, food halls, and breweries. Once-shuttered shop fronts are being restored as a sense of optimism energizes the neighborhood. The future for the area is looking bright, in large part because Malick Infill Development is lighting the way.

Explore the virtual tour of National City through OH! San Diego’s Open House 2021. 

[EXPLORE HERE]

Benjamin Arcia
M.U.D., Senior Associate

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Client of the Month
Malick infill development

It is with great pleasure to announce Malick Infill Development as our March Client of the Month. Malick Infill Development is a transit-focused urban infill developer with a passion to create intentional design to build healthy neighborhoods. Malick Infill Development was founded by Andrew Malick who shares over 20 years of experience in the real estate development industry. During his free time, Malick enjoys helping local and state governments adapt housing policy to align with sustainable development principles. He has participated in numerous stakeholder committees with a focus on housing affordability, and has authored AB 2373, which aims to provide moderate income housing near transit corridors. 

Malick Infill Development’s corporate responsibility is to provide a quality of life for residents and communities, by purposefully choosing to locate their projects next to high frequency transit areas to enhance walking and to minimize environmental impacts of new development. What’s more, this development firm will only commit to projects when they are certain these specific goals can be achieved. In addition to creating a wholesome quality of life for the community, Malick Infill Development believes building a better city begins with creating better neighborhoods. They believe one building has the power to transform a neighborhood. With this approach paired with their experience — the opportunity to design and build better buildings is achievable. 

Malick Infill Development’s in-depth knowledge of both local and state initiatives such as Affordable Housing Density Bonus programs, Community Plan Updates, and Complete Housing Solutions has given them the skills on how to leverage these programs to maximize development opportunities. As development partners, Malick Infill Development focuses on development strategy, with the goal of maximizing investment value and mitigating risk. 

Services provided as development partners include:

• Entitlement Streamlining

• Concept Development

• Pro forma Optimization

• Project Programing

• Feasibility Analysis

• Financing Strategy

A few of Malick Infill Development’s projects include 4250 Oregon, The Bayview, 8th & B National City, North 30, Twelve on Alabama, and Palm Avenue National City. McCullough has collaborated on 8th & B, as well as Palm Avenue in National City. 

Palm Avenue is a mixed-use transit-oriented development located at the Palm Avenue Blue Line Trolley station in National City. Malick Infill Development collaborated with MTS and National CORE, and envisions Palm Avenue to be developed into a transit site which maximizes density while simultaneously maximizing livability for residents. Adjacent to the Otay Valley River Park and connection to Bayshore Bikeway, Palm Avenue will consist of 3.5 acres with 408 residential units, 100 affordable housing units, and will provide places to play, workout, and relax. Moreover, the project will also include mobility hub features to support trolley ridership by making it easy to live in a less auto-oriented lifestyle. 

Design team Studio E Architects and McCullough also share the same vision as Malick Infill Development of building healthy neighborhoods by creating a vibrant, happy, urban life. In our Best of 2020 compilation, Senior Associate Benjamin Arcia expressed, “It’s a real pleasure to work with team members that feel the same way about what kind of future we want to build — one that is smarter, greener, and more socially equitable.” 

We look forward to continued work with the Malick Infill Development team and seeing this project come to life. To learn more about Malick Infill Development, visit www.MalickInfill.com.

Nicole Hensch
Marketing and Administrative Assistant

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David McCullough is Announced as Vice President of the San Diego Architectural Foundation  

We are thrilled to announce the Principal of McCullough David McCullough is now Vice President of the San Diego Architectural Foundation (SDAF). David has served 11 years on the SDAF board, contributing to several key chapters. He’s been the San Diego Chapter Chair of SDAF’s Pecha Kucha Nights program from its inception and played a leadership role in the reinvention of the Orchids & Onions Awards program in 2006 after SDAF purchased the program from AIA’s San Diego Chapter. 

Those contributions alone would be enough to keep anyone busy, but David continues to make his mark throughout the industry by getting involved in more ways than one. In addition to being the principal of McCullough and now VP of SDAF, he is also the Chair of the Historical Resources Board, a voting member of the City of San Diego’s Code Monitoring Team, the former chair of the La Mesa Design Review Board, and has also been president of the ASLA San Diego Chapter. Needless to say, David is an overachiever and true advocate within his line of work, serving the industry and community in the best way possible to embody the best results. 

SDAF President Pauly DeBartolo shares, “I’m a huge believer in building a team of people you enjoy working with and I make a point of collaborating with David whenever possible. We met in 2005 shortly after I relocated from Sydney to San Diego. He was already engaged on our first project and it was obvious from day one that we were going to have some fun together.”

DeBartolo and McCullough surely have an exciting year ahead in leadership together. Some exciting tasks that DeBartolo and McCullough plan to continue implementing in their partnership includes revamping the membership commitment, expanding the BEEP program, and exploring an evolution of the Orchids & Onions program. 

Congratulations, David, on your new role in leadership! We are proud to have you as our Principal and can’t wait to see what you accomplish in this new position of SDAF VP.

Trees As a Valuable Resource in Development

When a colleague gave me a list of trees with the amounts of carbon they sequester per year, it got me thinking deeper about trees and their crucial role in our urban communities. 

I would like to begin with a thought: we have less than ten years to prevent costly catastrophic events from impacting societies, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The scary part about this thought is that it is a fact. As governments are taking years scrambling policies together to limit global warming to the dreaded 1.5°C increase, we are already seeing the impacts of anthropogenic (human-induced) global warming on our climate systems. Yet, at the individual level, we seem to be moving at the pace of sloths to do anything about it.

You are probably just as tired of hearing the same things about climate change as you are about COVID-19 updates — I get it, but the longer we take to stabilize the Earth’s temperature, the more difficult and costly it will be for societies to adapt to these drastic changes. 

Interestingly enough, many of the solutions towards slowing down this environmental demise on human lives are land-based, which can be integrated into every designer’s daily work, such as carbon sequestration.

Carbon Sequestration and Climate Change Mitigation 

Carbon sequestration is the biological process by which carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is absorbed by trees and plants through photosynthesis and stored as carbon in soil and above ground biomass. Biomass consists of any plant material that you can see, such as trunks, branches, foliage, grass, roots, etc. Soil and forests are identified in most countries as the major sources of carbon capture and storage. Unfortunately, as if we were not set back enough in dealing with our own fossil fuel emissions, recent firestorms have plagued our most significant natural sources of carbon sequestration and have burned large parts of California, Australia, and the Amazon. Since cities, such as San Diego, generally have more concrete and asphalt than soil and forests, we are going to focus on the most viable way for cities to capture locally-grown carbon emissions in the air: through trees. 

Trees have the immense ability of capturing and storing several pounds of carbon dioxide from the air, absorbing as much as 20% of our annual greenhouse emissions. During photosynthesis, carbon is taken from the air, processed, and stored in the tree’s tissue. The carbon is then filtered down through the tree’s roots and into the surrounding soil which acts as long-term storage. 

Robust Ginkgo trees line the walkway at biotech campus, GradLabs, in La Jolla. Ginkgo trees have the ability to capture 105.8 lbs of carbon per tree, per year.

When proposing new trees in a project, keep in mind that not all trees are created equal. Tree species can vary greatly in the amount of carbon they capture, with some species able to capture hundreds of pounds more than other trees. For example, based on a seven-year-old tree, a Brisbane Box tree can sequester 18.9 pounds per year and a California Sycamore can capture 560.6 pounds, while a Red Flowering Gum Eucalyptus can capture a whopping 915.1 pounds per year, according to the list developed by CalFire.  

While species are significant, size matters, too.
Since carbon storage is directly correlated to the amount of biomass, a key factor in capturing the most carbon in our cities lies in the existing trees because the green infrastructure is already there. The larger the tree, the greater capacity it has to make an impact in the air pollution. Don’t take comfort in planting new trees to replace the demolished ones. The new 24-inch or 36-inch boxes are not going to cut it. Old tree growth is not replaceable. 

We need to see the value that mature trees have in cleaning the carbon emissions clogging up our cities. As Ben Arcia stated in our November blog post titled, Great Design: A Balance Between Humility and Courage, “the carbon footprint produced by building a large structure out of concrete and gypsum cannot be offset by simply putting photovoltaic panels on the roof. The numbers just don’t add up.” The following are only a few points and observations that can help the numbers add up and at least try to break even with the pollution we are releasing in the air. 

Issues are Opportunities in Disguise: Choose to See Life rather than Inconvenience

We do not have enough large, mature trees in San Diego. We are developing land and demolishing trees faster than we can replace them. One of the issues that I have observed in our built environment is that we are all too quick to tag a tree for demolition. There is a running joke in the Landscape Architecture profession that we are actually “tree killers” since every landscape designer has had to reluctantly send a mature tree to the woodchipper even after coordination attempts with other disciplines to work around the tree. Here is an example of a common scenario: We receive the following comment from our client, “A decomposed gravel pathway is proposed, please coordinate with civil and architectural authorities to see if the existing trees need to be removed.” To which we respond, “Please avoid the trees and have the pathway go around them so that the trees do not have to be removed.” The solution was quite simple yet mind-boggling. 

Unless the tree is 100 years old, we tend to view existing trees as objects that are “in the way,” instead of seeing it as a shelter to our dwindling bird population, or an opportunity to actively capture carbon. 

If we propose to cut down trees for no apparent real reason, this sets our city back in attempting to fight the climate change that is imminent upon us. Does anyone else feel that this San Diego winter is even warmer than the last one? 

San Diego is surrounded by freeways. We have the Interstate 8 and 163 to the North; the 15, 805, and 94 freeways to the East, and the infamous Interstate 5 cutting right through downtown San Diego. That is six major freeways all within four miles from the city center. 

Ever ran your finger along your windowsill and furrowed your eyebrows at the layer of black soot and wondered how much of this stuff you are breathing in? Let the trees absorb our carbon emissions instead of your lungs. Seems pretty simple, right?

Here’s another solution to consider: San Diego has a unique opportunity to capture carbon emissions by literally covering portions of the I-5 freeway in downtown with a series of freeway lids. The plot twist? Half the battle is already won since the freeway lids reconnecting downtown to Balboa Park and Sherman Heights are already proposed in San Diego’s Downtown Community Plan. A small, grassroots non-profit organization called San Diego Commons is currently working to bring this part of the community plan to the attention of its surrounding communities. Capping the freeways with parks would be a major accomplishment for San Diego to not only filter the vehicular emissions from the freeway, but cover the harsh, noisy environment dividing the communities with usable green-open space. 

Just because our profession has “landscape” in front of it does not mean we are the only stewards of the built and natural environment. While we work at home — listening to a webinar on grand climate change mitigation schemes — look at the carbon sequestration opportunities in front of you and take a moment to think about what you can do to save a tree, or add a tree in your project, your front yard, or your neighborhood. Investigate if a concrete curb can be shifted two feet to save a 35-year-old mature tree.  Propose the fastest and largest growing tree species to increase the amount of green carbon capturing infrastructure in our city.  If we are not going to slow down our dependency on cars and burning fossil fuels, then we can at least try to offset the carbon emissions by taking care of our existing trees and then adding more to our urban environment.

Just a thought. 

Learn more about the seriousness of global warming in regards to carbon sequestration here. 

Johanna Mall, ASLA

Junior Associate

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Stephen dalton architects is Our Featured Client This Month

This month, we are honored to announce Stephen Dalton Architects as our February Client of The Month. Stephen Dalton Architects (also known as SDA) is a Solana Beach-based architecture firm, composed of a diverse and talented team of professionals, working together to provide exceptional service to their clients. SDA was founded by Stephen Dalton in 2004, with the belief that regardless of budget or scope, all projects deserve thoughtful and well-considered design solutions.  Stephen has helped create a people-centered practice in which clients and building users are welcomed participants.

SDA takes pride in the way they listen closely to their clients and building users. They take their architectural cues from discussions, by using their creativity to find appropriate solutions to meet client design needs. What makes SDA special is their work does not carry a stylistic signature, but rather the common thread to all their work is an understanding of place, context, and climate; a commitment to efficiency and performance; an expression of optimism, delight and surprise; and a respect for budget, program and schedule — all of which are principles that align well with McCullough’s vision.

SDA has been recognized for their exceptional work in architecture over the years in a number of ways:

• 2019 Outstanding Architectural Design Award, San Diego Business Journal (Exotic Gardens Apartments) *McCullough project 

• 2018 American Public Works Association Project of the Year (Moonlight Beach Marine Safety Center)

• 2018 SD BIA Icon Award for Best Architectural Design-Multi-Family Residence (The Duke)

• 2017 OurCitySD Award for Development of the Year: Multi-Family (Crest Urban Apartments)

• 2017 Orchid Award for Best Architecture, San Diego Architecture Foundation (The Duke)

• 2012 American Public Works Association Project of the Year (Fletcher Cove Community Center)

A few projects completed by SDA that may appear familiar are The La Jolla Shores, The Californian, The Duke, Fletcher Cove Community Center, Crest, The Jackson, and The Leo. Over the years, McCullough has collaborated with SDA on Exotic Gardens, as well as The Jackson in North Park.

Situated on 30th Street, The Jackson is a 33,000 square-foot, mixed-use building which features a restoration of two 90-year-old Spanish Casitas, alongside a new modern design. The Jackson includes retail, restaurants, an office, and apartments. Developers Bothwell, designers Micklish Studio, and SDA’s design intent was to bring new life to this block by combining residential spaces that integrate seamlessly with commercial space to create a new vibrant community. Apartments are organized around a courtyard, inspired by the Pacific Northwest with ferns and pine trees, paired with reading benches, which act as a gathering space for residences to enjoy. Residential units were pushed back by 30 feet off the street frontage, which created a space for people to enjoy commercial elements separately from residential. The Jackson was completed during the Fall of 2019 and has welcomed commercial tenants including Juneshine, Dandelion Restaurant, and Upstairs Circus. It was a pleasure to work with SDA on The Jackson, and we look forward to future collaborations. To learn more about SDA, visit their website here.

Nicole Hensch
Marketing and Administrative Assistant

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The Residence at the Presidio

David McCullough

Life has an interesting way of bringing us back to our past. In 1999, I started McCullough Landscape Architecture after my wife and I bought our home in North Park while expecting our first child, William.

In retrospect, I was ill prepared for this kind of pursuit, but I was determined to make something work. The first year in, with very little prospects, I took any work I could get - most of which was residential remodels in communities like La Jolla, Point Loma, Kensington, etc.

I don’t recall exactly how the Presidio residence came to me but a couple who both worked at UCSD had purchased an old home on the west side of Presidio Drive that overlooked Old Town, Point Loma, downtown, Mission Bay, and beyond. They hired a local architecture firm, known for award-winning work, Safdie Rabines Architects to design a one-of-a-kind new home for the bluff — a home that would make a statement and become a prominent new addition to one of San Diego’s most loved neighborhoods, Mission Hills.  

At the time, I remember feeling like this was a major milestone for a newcomer to the industry. I was not only going to work alongside Taal and Ricardo (of Safdie Rabines), but to also have a showcase of work in this location was a true honor. To be completely transparent, I can admit as this project moved through the various phases, the owners and my client may have seen some of my ideas as too lofty, and perhaps (in the case of the pool) to be too rigid. The ultimate buildout was modest and soft, with the pool itself taking on curves and an overall, much more residential feel. As I think back, I can’t help but wonder if now all the right things for this property came together in what it is today.

Fast forward 20 years, the home is now owned by a new family, husband and wife, looking to relocate out of the country. The new owners contacted one of the original designers of the home, formerly from Safdie Rabines, Susan Richard. Susan was tasked with an overall refresh of the home and the site. Susan then reached back out to McCullough to assist with the site and once again, I found myself back out in the yard of this beautiful Presidio home.  

I brought in a young and very talented designer in our office, Johanna Mall for assistance.  Susan explained the goals of the client and over a very quick three to four-week redesign and install turnaround, we worked with a local installer, Javier Vargas to bring the property into a new and evolved version of its existing landscape.

One thing I like to tell people we work with is the landscape/site is very different from the building structure. The landscape is constantly evolving and changing; material grows and ages, new owners/users have new ideas, etc. In my opinion, trying to keep the site and landscape as it was originally intended isn’t always necessary — change and alternatives can be good. However, I currently serve as the chair for the City of San Diego’s Historical Resource Board; therefore, I have to make these recommendations with caution. When dealing with a potential historic resource, I always recommend for the owner to consult with city staff, even for elements within the site — as they can and often do, impact the significance of a potential resource. With that disclaimer made, I do believe an evolved landscape adds character to a property that is difficult to recreate. 

For this reason, coming back to the Presidio home and keeping much of the original in place, but adding the next layer of evolution to it, was a true pleasure. Johanna’s sensitive touch to the property, the new goals of the owner, and working once again with Susan Richard made this project worthy of a shout-out.

David McCullough, ASLA, PLA

Principal

McCullough DESIGNERS SELECT THE BEST OF 2020

City of San Diego | Mission City, Kilroy East Village

David McCullough, ASLA, PLA
Principal Landscape Architect

In this industry, there are many projects that spark passion and exhilaration for a number of different reasons. This year, we worked on a paid competition for a project planned close to where we work and live. Kilroy, a prominent local commercial real estate developer released an invitation-only request for proposal regarding a two-block portion of the East Village — the site of the current Salvation Army downtown facility located south of San Diego City College and east of San Diego’s financial district. Our team was shortlisted and asked to prepare conceptual design ideas as well as a presentation to become part of this paid competition.

As 2020 continued to reveal itself as a very transformative year, it was an easy decision to place Kilroy as one of the top projects for 2020.

For me, to play a small part in such an evolutionary process is a source of pride.

The pursuit of this project was chosen as my favorite for 2020 due to a couple of important reasons...  

For starters, we were able to hone our skills on a much larger scale and were required to think beyond the developer’s property, which shapes an important part of the East Village. Secondly, it sits across the street from another full-block development that we have been engaged in by a notable residential housing developer, Liberty National, called Park and Broadway. (This project is under construction and upon completion will be one of the community’s largest residential housing developments!)

Kilroy’s East Village development is unique not only in scale, but also considering the economic catalyst it represents for our downtown region. For many years, as the downtown population has shifted from almost entirely workforce (up until the late ’90s) to a residential population, the diversity of downtown use has stagnated.  

Jane Jacobs, author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961), proclaimed that one of the most important factors in a vibrant city was diversity of use.  Jane wrote that for cities to function well, they needed to be filled with people around the clock. By this, cities (through diversity of use) needed a working population to activate the streets and spaces during the day, and a residential population to activate the streets and spaces at night. Without this, the efficiencies of a city were broken down, safety was sacrificed, and 12 hours of concentrated use made circulation (traffic) intolerable. 

In San Diego, we have seen our population shift from a concentrated workforce to residential use over the past thirty years. I have seen this personally when we first moved to San Diego in 1994 — the freeways were congested in the mornings going into downtown as people went to work, and out of downtown in the evenings as people went home after work to surrounding communities. Since then, the flow of traffic has shifted. The traffic into downtown in the evenings has become problematic as now more people are living downtown but working in surrounding communities like UTC, Sorrento Valley, and Mission Valley.  

In the past 25 years, residential housing developments downtown have far outpaced office and commercial developments. This is changing today with many commercial office developments underway — the Kilroy East Village development being one of the first. This is a sign that San Diego is maturing from a 15-hour city into a 24-hour city — and therein lies my sense of pride from this project. 

OUR INVOLVEMENT
McCullough was brought onto the team as a key participant in the urban planning process. We looked well beyond the boundaries of this property and helped ask questions such as, “How will this large development influence and impact the neighborhood and the region? What are the contextual cues we should be aware of to help make this development feel uniquely catered to the San Diego experience? What would be the correct mix of uses on this site to ensure long-term viability and vibrancy?”  

These are the types of questions we like to ask on every project we work on. Since this project is in the neighborhood we work and reside in, we felt we were the best suited to ask these questions. The process was fun and invigorating for the office, we worked with an incredible team of collaborators and visionaries (notably Howard Blackson, Frank Wolden, and Doug Austin — to name a few), and we developed innovative ideas through a process we called “Imagine.”  

This is why Kilroy East Village is at the top of my list for 2020 — it offers hope for progression — for change, which I know we have all grown to appreciate the idea of more than ever before after this year. 

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Mission Hills Residence | Presidio

Johanna Mall, ASLA
Junior Associate

Ultimate creative freedom is every designer’s dream which is why I chose this beautiful residential home in the historic neighborhood of Mission Hills as my featured project for Best of 2020. 

Originally designed by Safdie Rabines Architects in 2004, the contemporary hillside house was in need of some fresh lighting, irrigation, and landscape renovation since the existing planting was not quite doing the architecture justice. 

The client’s primary desire was to have a simplified modern planting design. Keeping all the existing trees in place, I experimented with textures of plant foliage in different shades of green and blue hues, creating a monochromatic scheme for a relaxed, simplified feel.

Combining the boldness of Australian shrubs, such as Leucospermums with soft, lush grasses like Lomandra not only provided a modern aesthetic but also functioned well with the steep slopes and California low-water requirements. 

Just how 2020 displayed itself, this project also did not come without its challenges.

The property is located on the edge of a mesa, which resulted in working on steep hillsides of 2:1 and sometimes 1:1 slopes. Placing plants ahead of time for the landscape contractor was not an option since the pots would slide right down the hill as soon as you placed them.

A quick turnaround deadline resulted in an informal landscape contractor who wasted no time reading plans. Tiff, tiff. 

With the plans out the window, I was on-site several days directing where each plant had to go — which, sometimes led to a better plant placement than I had originally envisioned in the plan view of AutoCAD. My favorite part of the installation process was directing everything in Spanish, which was challenging at times, but it led to a camaraderie that created a positive working relationship between the designer and the landscape contractor.   

For all the fellow plant design enthusiasts out there, we love clients like this owner who put all their faith and trust in us to bring their vision and ideas to fruition, which is why this project was such a pleasure to work on in 2020.

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10th and Island | San Diego

Armando Silva, ASLA
Associate

While I was stuck in my condo having only my balcony space to use as my “personal getaway” this year, I unintentionally grew a fond appreciation for small rooftop gardens. 

Landscape podium design continues on an audacious path as the pandemic seems to halt our way of life. This brought me to my project selection for Best of 2020 — the K-Elevate hotel project with DeBartolo + Rimanic Design Studio.

San Diego’s East Village is becoming a melting pot with the confluence of the surrounding vibrant cultures. Located in the heart of East Village with close proximity to the cultural and artistic community of Barrio Logan, the new K-Elevate hotel is a bohemian rooftop terrace getaway that is mixed with cultural identity. 

We designed a rooftop terrace perched on the eighth floor on the corner of 10th and Island. Primitive in nature, but warm and cozy through unconventional design — this garden respite offers a lush environment in an urban setting, full of eclectic details and amenities such as fire pits, snug furniture, BBQ, games, projection screens, a lifestyle deck, and most importantly — plenty of plants. 

Currently in the documentation phase, the K-Elevate hotel is scheduled to start construction in Summer of 2021 with a completion date of late 2022. I look forward to seeing this rooftop come to life and breathe life in the people who experience it. 

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Palm Avenue MTS | San Diego

Benjamin Arcia, MUD, ASLA
Senior Associate + Business Development

Palm Avenue MTS is my favorite project for 2020. The project will consist of mixed-use transit-oriented development (TOD) along the trolley line in South Bay. 

There are two reasons which primarily make this project so engaging. For one, there is a rare and deep alignment of shared values among the client and design team members. Between Malick Infill Development, Studio E Architects, and McCullough we shared the vision of building a community in the spirit of author Jane Jacobs’ studies of vibrant, happy, urban life. Together, we’ve been taking advantage of our 3D modeling abilities to understand the site’s potential for community in an immersive way. 

It’s a real pleasure to work with team members that feel the same way about what kind of future we want to build - one that is smarter, greener, and more socially equitable.

Secondly, what also stood out for me about this project was its scale. The site is smaller than the urban master planning projects we typically design, but also quite larger than our usual urban infill projects. This in-between scale is particularly exciting because it challenges us to wear the hats of urban designers and landscape architects simultaneously. 

Each decision we make at the master planning scale impacts design decisions that we will have to later reconcile as we move into more detailed phases of the design process. We are providing both site planning and landscape architecture, as well as being a voice in the architectural discussion, thanks to Studio E’s openness to interdisciplinary collaboration. 

Despite the inherent complexities of this project, this opportunity to holistically design both the big picture and to also arrange individual pixels is the kind of deep, multi-layered project I have been dreaming of for a long time. These are just a few reasons why Palm Avenue MTS gets my pick for Best of 2020.

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The Plaza at Rancho Bernardo | San Diego

Maha Balachandran, International ASLA
Associate + Business Development, Northern CA Office

McCullough was hired to holistically rehabilitate the landscape of The Plaza at Rancho Bernardo while maintaining the character of the buildings. The Architect, Jorge Engel and the owner looked for a sustainable approach to landscape renovation, from demolition to materials. 

The exciting and challenging question that made me choose this project as Best of 2020 was, “How to impact the eyes while simply grabbing a morning coffee?”

After a year of many twists and turns, I’ve grown to appreciate challenges. After all, they only make you stronger. 

Another major challenge of this project was the site runoff issue. New planting islands and raised lounge areas evolved through the effort to resolve the same. The grit of the design was portrayed through grade changes and planting islands, providing a visual encounter thereby encouraging pedestrian movement throughout the site. The driveway is accentuated with a perimeter of relocated existing Queen Palms along with evergreen, bold planting vignettes. 

Planting is curated to highlight key areas such as walkways, storefronts, and the outdoor dining lounge. The walkways with a grove of Palo Verdes, along with lush grasses, unify and create a seamless link throughout the site. The green walls on existing structures are also strategically integrated into the design to soften the visual impact. 

Once completed, this project is envisioned to be a destination for people to experience a respite while shopping within a garden. 

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Secoya on Fifth | San Diego

Zeek Magallanes, MLA, ASLA
Associate

Secoya on Fifth is my choice for the Best of 2020 because it exemplified effective, open communication and commitment to excellence on the part of all disciplines involved. This led to the implementation of creative solutions in a dynamic and flexible environment.  

Secoya on Fifth is a 62,529 square foot, eight-story, mixed-use residential project led by the experienced and passionate development team at the Murfey Company. 

Working in conjunction with Steven Dalton Architects and Pasco Lauret Suiter & Associates engineers, the Secoya on Fifth project is an incredible example of developer-led collaborative design.

The Murfey Company’s desire to engage multiple disciplines in the process from start to finish showcased the advantages of team-driven decision making.  As challenges arose, local and state-wide regulations and requirements were quickly addressed as design iterations were explored graphically and verbally by the design team. This supportive and empowering momentum has ultimately resulted in a design that is sure to impress both the development’s tenants and the community’s neighbors. 

McCullough provided excellence in the areas of site analysis and assessment, schematic design, design development, and construction documentation. Creative solutions for the Secoya on Fifth project included custom outdoor kitchen and shade structure features, ADA-compliant furniture, and designated spaces which allowed the project to meet city and state requirements while, at the same time, enhancing the perception and experience of inclusiveness and equitability.  

Features that help this project stand out include the deck on Level 8 which overlooks the historic Uptown community and downtown San Diego. The design of raised planters along the periphery of the deck and the building overhang elicits a sense of immersion in the landscape, as if one were sitting on a Californian bluff. 

The design speaks to the naturally mountainous geology of San Diego and its breathtakingly beautiful vistas. Finally, LEED and Low Impact Development inspired the use of flow-through stormwater planters and their integration into the design of the ground floor courtyard to cleanse and slow the distribution of run-off to the city’s sewer system.

The Secoya on Fifth project received its building permit in late 2020 and will move forward with construction in 2021. With its emphasis on expressing the natural beauty afforded by the Southern California lifestyle and its exploration of collaborative team development, the Secoya on Fifth project is my top choice for Best of 2020.

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Healthcare Initiative | San Diego

Naby Miller, ASLA
Studio Design Leader

In a recent collaboration with HOK and Webcor, McCullough had the opportunity to study a new model for the revitalization and evolution of a healthcare campus environment for Kilroy East Village. 

The more holistic approach aims to move toward Kilroy East Village’s design which is deeply rooted in the healthcare institutions’ core value of serving. It revolves around wellness and health-driven solutions that contribute to creating a healthier environment that fosters healthier individuals. 
This value is embodied in the exterior built environment where implementation of various elements draw in a mix of programmatic uses to promote and facilitate such strides for wellness.

Here are just a few ways we are developing a healthier tomorrow: 

• Greater access to fresh air: Comfortable exterior environments and generally calming spaces that open to the blue, sun-filled sky. 

• Use of water: Meant to not only add ambiance to the campus green, but more importantly meant to serve as a restorative component to support the overarching narrative of wellness. The design is led by the senses and aims to tap into the psychological benefits of water which ultimately promotes calmness, focus, and creativity.

• In addition to human health and wellness, this initiative is committed to transforming current campuses into sustainable sites: Energy and water efficiency, waste reduction, durability, and lowest possible maintenance requirements were all considered and primary to the overall goals of the project. 

• Selection of softscape materials: to maximize site sustainability and effectively demonstrate purposeful planting design that users can enjoy but also learn from.  

• Regionally appropriate planting: Low-water use plants and medicinal plantings were introduced as an educational resource. Native plant species were selected to attract native pollinators and other local fauna. While understanding the site context, these plants would be arranged in ways to replicate the surrounding natural habitats. The intent was to provide plantings that will also reduce and perhaps even eliminate the need for supplemental water-use once established. 

• Sun analysis diagrams informed space planning: Deciduous trees were selected to provide shade in the summer months but allow the warmth of the sun as they lose their leaves in the winter months. The location of these trees was carefully considered to provide shade for passing vehicles and pedestrians, but to also assist with natural air conditioning adjacent to buildings.

Collaborating with HOK and Webcor in finding new ways of creating a healthier environment is the reason why I have selected this Healthcare Initiative as my featured project for Best of 2020. 

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We are honored to sponsor any event that initiates growth. There’s no better way to get the inside scoop than to attend the BISNOW Digital Summit, covering student housing plans for safe reopenings, future-proofing developments, investment trends, and much more. 

This virtual event will be hosted on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM PT. Don’t miss out on the exclusive chatter — Grab your digital summit tickets here.

Register today.→

Client of the Month: HGA

1640 14th Street, Santa Monica | Renderings © HGA

This month we are recognizing Hamel, Green, and Abrahamson (HGA) as our December Client of the Month. HGA is a national multi-disciplinary design firm specializing in architecture and engineering. In addition to these two cornerstone services, HGA also provides interior design, landscape architecture, lighting design, planning, sustainable design, technology, and a strategic planning group call WorkSIGHT.

FORWARD-THINKING DESIGN SOLUTIONS

The company was established in 1953, with the guiding principle that optimal results for clients comes from the deep and diverse insights of the people that use each of the unique environments they design.

Founders Richard Hammel, Curt Green, and Bruce Abrahamson have been able to employ this strategic design approach by cultivating a collaborative inter-disciplinary model. For every project, they consider the perspectives of different disciplines which are fundamental to finding the best design solutions. The result is a movement toward modern, forward-thinking design that ultimately benefits the community and its citizens.

EMBRACING AN INCLUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT

HGA’s focus on diversity does not stop at just its projects. Today HGA employs 850 people in 11 offices across the nation. HGA professionals specialize in arts and culture, community, corporate, education, energy, government, healthcare, science, and technology market sectors.

The company has formed a path to a truly equitable culture where policies, practices, and resources are aligned so all people can thrive; a wholly inclusive environment in which everyone feels valued and respected; and a more diverse HGA where differences are cultivated, appreciated, and reflect the world as it is today. CEO Tim Carl, remarks:

“Our ongoing commitment is to be a company and culture where everyone, employees and clients, can together do the best work of their lives.”

Due to the diverse infrastructure of HGA, they can spearhead projects in a multitude of different sectors which include arts and culture, corporate, education, science and technology, and public works. Over the years, many of these projects have earned critical acclaim and awards. McCullough is honored to have been invited by HGA to collaborate in the development of projects spanning across multiple sectors, including 1640 14th Street in Santa Monica, and San Diego State University’s Don Powell Theatre Renovation.

1640 14th STREET – A DYNAMIC PASSAGEWAY TO A MEMORIAL PARK

The 1640 14th Street project in Santa Monica features a three-story structure which will include 18,742 sq. ft. of office space above 3,600 sq. ft. of ground floor retail, and 61 parking stalls below. The project presents an opportunity to establish a unified urban linkage starting with the soon-to-be-renovated memorial park that ultimately travels toward the ocean via mid-block pedestrian orientated paseos. 

The creation of dynamic and engaging architecture and landscape is critical to the realization of an integrated urban passageway. The landscape for the project seeks to “ground” the architecture, its tenants, and the community in an environment that both excites the senses and evokes qualities reminiscent of California’s cultural ecologies.

For example, as one makes their way up to the street-level paseo, with its direct access and axial relationship to Memorial Park, one is met by the ever-present and beautifully inspiring Spanish-influenced perennial plants. Seasonal blooms, varied scents, and striking textural contrast invoke visions that harken back to the California’s Rancho period of the 1780s-1840s.

We are excited to participate in this project, where so much innovation will transform the local community. It’s inspiring!

Don Powell Theatre, San Diego State University | Renderings © HGA

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY DON POWELL THEATRE RENOVATION

We also have the pleasure of collaborating with HGA and builders Rudolph and Sletten on the San Diego State University (SDSU) Don Powell Theatre design-build renovation. This project consists of three separate buildings: Main Stage (formerly known as the Don Powell Theatre); a new, Second Stage theatre on the Aztec Mesa which can open up on one side to create a third, flexible indoor/outdoor venue; and new Amenities Building for ticketing, concessions, and gender-neutral restrooms which will serve both performance venues.

The existing Don Powell Theatre (the current Main Stage) and proposed Second Stage will serve as the anchors at both ends of the district. The Performing Arts Walk is the pedestrian path that runs down the middle of this quad of buildings, connecting Parking Structure 4 and numerous sports facilities to the heart of campus.

Furthermore, the Second Stage located on the west side of Aztec Mesa, can use the space between it and the Music Building to create an outdoor performance space, called the “Third Stage.” At the center of the Performing Arts District, the new Amenities Building houses the box office, concessions, and gender-neutral restrooms for both the Main Stage and Second Stage venues. Additionally, the east wall of the Amenities Building serves as a backdrop for the plaza on the west side of the Main Stage.

MODELING THE CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FUTURE

The project will give SDSU a modern and innovative forum to enjoy performances in a safe and convenient manner, while inspiring attendees’ creative spirits. Planting selection will be based on climate-appropriate and drought-tolerant species. The plantings will reflect the goals, missions, and values of the university, and serve as models for future projects on campus. The outcome of this multi-functional design will be a highlight for the performing-arts district for years to come.

McCullough is grateful for the opportunity to work with HGA. Each project is a creative challenge and pushes our concepts and abilities to showcase the full potential of each space. We could not be more excited to watch our combined visions of sophisticated architecture coupled with landscape design to become lasting environments within these communities.

 To learn more about HGA visit their website at > www.hga.com.