McCullough is thrilled to welcome Kat Valley to the team!

Kat Valley is an experienced Project Accountant with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. A San Diego native, Kat was born and raised in Oceanside, California.  She earned her undergraduate degree at California State University, San Marcos, where she developed a strong foundation in business. Kat then pursued her MBA, further refining her skills in financial management, project oversight, and strategic decision-making. With several years of experience across various industries, she has a proven ability to manage complex projects and drive efficiency.

With a blend of professional expertise and a down-to-earth, compassionate outlook, Kat approaches both her career and personal life with dedication and enthusiasm.

Outside of her professional career, Kat is an avid animal lover. She considers her two-year-old Cane Corso her child and has recently fostered a litter of kittens, successfully placing all four of them in their forever homes. She also enjoys traveling to new destinations, snowboarding, and spending time near any body of water.

A fun fact about Kat is she is deeply involved in the world of off-road racing. She regularly travels with and supports her family’s off-road racing team, where she contributes her time and energy to the logistics and behind-the-scenes efforts that make each race a success. Her involvement reflects her strong team-oriented mindset and passion for adventure.

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Celebrating World Landscape Architecture Month

April is an exciting time for landscape architects worldwide as we celebrate World Landscape Architecture Month (WLAM)! Spearheaded by the American Society of Landscape Architecture (ASLA), WLAM is a month-long celebration dedicated to recognizing the profound impact of landscape architecture on our communities and the environment.

At McCullough, we're honored to participate in this celebration. On April 23rd, we'll be taking over the ASLA San Diego Instagram account for the day. Follow along @asla_SD as we showcase our work and share insights into the world of landscape architecture.

WLAM provides an excellent opportunity to advocate for the profession and educate others about its importance. We encourage everyone to take some time this month to learn more about landscape architecture and its role in creating sustainable, resilient, and beautiful spaces for our community.

Earth Day Community Volunteering Event

April also marks another environmentally focused date – Earth Day. As part of our commitment to giving back to the community and celebrating both WLAM and Earth Day, we're thrilled to announce an upcoming volunteering event organized by our associate, Andrew Schlesinger, PLA, ASLA, in collaboration with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the San Diego Green Building Council (SDGBC).

Event Details:

Date: Friday, April 26, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Location: Presidio Park, 4299 Cosoy Way, San Diego, CA 92103

This Earth Day Clean-Up and Brush Management event is open to all. Join us as we come together to enhance the beauty and sustainability of our local environment. The event will kick off with an introduction to brush management updates, addressing fire permit requirements in San Diego County.

Registration is free and open to all.
Please register for the event using the following link: Event Registration Form.

Let's Celebrate Together

We invite you to join us in celebrating World Landscape Architecture Month. Let's take this opportunity to appreciate the beauty, innovation, and impact of landscape architecture as we continue to shape a brighter future for our world.

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David Featured FRONT PAGE OF the San Diego Business Journal

A recent article in the San Diego Business Journal sheds light on San Diego’s transformation, with insights from industry experts including David McCullough, principal landscape architect.

David McCullough highlights downtown's transition into a mature, 24-hour city, setting a national standard for urban development. With innovative zoning changes and a focus on diverse uses, downtown San Diego promises opportunities for growth and innovation.

From mixed-income housing to thriving retail spaces, downtown's revitalization offers something for everyone. Explore the full article in the San Diego Business Journal to learn more about the city's exciting journey toward urban renewal and why it's capturing the attention of investors and residents alike.

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Welcome to the McCullough team, Polina Karake!

McCullough is thrilled to welcome Polina Karake, Int’l ASLA, Associate, to our team of designers. With a rich tapestry of experience and a passion for crafting spaces that resonate with the human spirit, Polina embodies the ethos of our collaborative and creative practice.

Polina's journey began in Israel, where her love for design was ignited. With a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture and a master's degree in industrial design from the esteemed Technion Institute of Technology, Polina emerged as a luminary in her field, graduating Cum Laude.

With over 15 years of experience as a licensed landscape architect in Israel, Polina has honed her craft across projects of varying scales, from intimate patios to expansive neighborhoods. Her expertise in design and construction supervision is matched only by her unwavering commitment to shaping urban environments that enhance the everyday lives of individuals.

As a visiting faculty member at the Technion Institute of Technology's studio of Urban Design, she has shared her knowledge and insights, nurturing the next generation of design innovators. Additionally, her contributions as a freelance landscape advisor to architectural projects have enriched the integration of outdoor spaces within built environments, further cementing her reputation as a thought leader in her field.

Driven by her observations of Israel's unique challenges—a small, densely populated country with limited land resources—Polina's work is characterized by a commitment to creating vibrant public spaces that prioritize sustainability and functionality. Her specialization in designing open areas tailored to hot and arid climates underscores her dedication to addressing the evolving needs of communities.

Polina's multicultural background, coupled with her passion for travel, enriches her perspectives and fuels her creative vision. Fluent in three languages and with a penchant for exploration, she brings a global outlook to her work—a testament to her belief in the power of diversity to inspire and innovate.

As we celebrate Polina's arrival, we look forward to the invaluable contributions she will make to our collaborative practice. Her vision for fostering positive change through better-designed environments aligns seamlessly with our commitment to merging the human spirit and nature with grit, soul, and style.

We invite you to join us in welcoming Polina Karake to McCullough!

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A Sculptural Evolution and the Urban Revival of Bay to Park Paseo

San Diego has a rich history of site-specific sculpture and minimalist installation art. Following in the footsteps of Robert Irwin, Roman de Salvo, and Michael James Armstrong, the Journeyworm is a hanging sculpture that plays subtly with light and opacity. It hangs at the temporary entrance to San Diego High School, between old Eucalyptus trees. Each day, hundreds of students walk under the sculpture’s swaying panels.

Benjamin Arcia of McCullough Landscape Architecture led a team of fellow designers in the creation of this piece. The sculpture is made of fishing line, cable rigging, fishing weights, mosquito screening, and clothespins, all materials that relate to Benjamin’s childhood in Miami.

The Journeyworm was originally conceived as a cocoon-like structure that referred to the metamorphosis of being in high school. However, as the Journeyworm team began experimenting with materials, they found that the story and the form of the sculpture was changing of its own volition, a sort of Ouija board in three dimensions. The cocoon narrative fell away, and the art piece that emerged came from spending hours playing with cables and fabric in the back patio at Futuro.

Special credit is due to Mario-Ezequiel Magallanes and David McCullough, without whom this project could not have been possible. Additional input and help came from Haneen Khater (DBRDS), Diane Borys (Noctiluca), and David Michael (TECTURE).

Come visit the Journeyworm at different times of the day to commune with its swaying grayscale gradient and lose yourself within its shifting topographic patterns. Rumor has it that if you stare at it long enough, you can see the primordial moment just before the Big Bang and the creation of time and space.

The Journeyworm design process

The Bay to Park Paseo Initiative: Cultivating Urban Connections

In a nod to visionary urban planner John Nolen's 1908 vision, the Bay to Park Paseo Initiative breathes new life into San Diego's urban landscape. Championed by a coalition of community leaders, this initiative aims to rejuvenate Park Boulevard, bridging the gap between San Diego Bay and Balboa Park.

Thirteen teams, each with their own distinctive vision, are transforming Park Boulevard into an outdoor gallery, igniting the streets with temporary art installations alongside the Journeyworm. This vibrant endeavor is part of the San Diego-Tijuana region's World Design Capital program, celebrating creativity and culture.

"Creating enjoyable walkable streets produces many benefits for health, happiness, safety, and property values," remarks the Bay to Park Paseo team.

Led by the dedicated efforts of volunteers from Urban Interventions and the Downtown San Diego Public Spaces Foundation, a division of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, the Bay to Park Paseo promises an immersive pedestrian experience. Co-creators Pete Garcia and Beth Callender envision a revitalized Park Boulevard as a gateway to San Diego's crown jewels, fostering a sense of community and connection.

With three projects already unveiled and the grand opening slated for April, anticipation mounts for the transformation of Park Boulevard into a vibrant cultural corridor, echoing the Journeyworm's luminous path. Stay tuned for further updates as San Diego embraces its artistic evolution, guided by the intertwined spirits of art, innovation, and collaboration.

Read more about the Bay-to-Park walking experience here.

View the vision for each block of the paseo here.

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