Project Spotlight: Gravity Heights Mission Valley

We are excited to spotlight our recent project, Gravity Heights Mission Valley, which opened to the public this past April. Building on the success of Gravity Heights Sorrento Valley, this new location from Whisknladle Hospitality continues their mission of celebrating good food, good beer, and great people.

Gravity Heights is a growing chain of restaurants in San Diego. McCullough partnered with the ownership team on their first groundbreaking establishment in Sorrento Valley and continued this collaboration for the second location in Mission Valley. This ground-up restaurant is part of the new mixed-use community, The Townsend. Early in the process, the McCullough team worked with the owner and architectural firm PGAL to develop a branding scheme inspired by San Diego's active outdoor culture.

Gravity Heights Mission Valley enhances the bohemian Tulum-inspired vibes of its Sorrento Valley predecessor, refining the beer garden aesthetic with modern Southern California styles. Emphasizing San Diego's ideal climate, the design offers a seamless indoor-outdoor experience. The outdoor space features flexible seating around a main lawn, with a plant-centric and eclectic landscape. We chose climate-tolerant plants from Mexico, the Mediterranean, and beyond, creating a diverse and inclusive look that reflects Southern California's multicultural influences.

Guests can relax around fire pits, in cozy Acapulco chairs, or at tables, enjoying the brewery's crisp, hoppy, or dark brews alongside a menu of munchies, pizzas, burgers, and sandwiches. The lush patio landscape, featuring coast live oaks, fence post cactus, and smooth aloes, sets a beautiful backdrop. To align with Gravity Heights' branding, we incorporated orange-flowering native shrubs and perennials like California poppy, orange agastache, and monkey flower.

Our goal was to create a welcoming atmosphere consistent with the local culture and context, offering a seamless indoor/outdoor environment that appeals to both residents and visitors, merging the human spirit with nature. Today, Gravity Heights Mission Valley is a success, providing an exceptional experience and achieving its stated goals.

Featured in Work Design Magazine, Sustainable Spaces: Inside and Out

We're thrilled to share our recent feature in Work Design Magazine, delving into the transformative power of outdoor footprint design. In today’s era of heightened eco-awareness, businesses are increasingly recognizing the pivotal role of outdoor spaces in their sustainability strategies.

In our article, David McCullough emphasizes how thoughtful landscape design can elevate an organization's sustainability efforts while creating visually stunning environments. Beyond mere aesthetics, integrating sustainable practices into outdoor spaces fosters a culture of environmental responsibility, benefiting both employees and the local ecosystem.

Read the full article here.

Ready to Transform Your Outdoor Spaces?

Explore how McCullough can help you integrate sustainable design into your office environment. Contact us and share the details of your project.

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Exploring the Public Realm:Highlights from the World Design Capital Exhibition

We extend our gratitude to everyone who attended the Art of City Design: The Work of Frank Wolden & Friends Exhibition and participated in David McCullough’s Dialogue on the Public Realm. Your presence and engagement made the event a memorable success.

Couldn't make it? No worries! You can watch David’s portion of the presentation below and visit the exhibition at Bread & Salt Art Gallery until July 25th. Don't miss the final Dialogue event: Future of Design with Howard Blackson on July 25th. 

Recap of the Event

Our conversation delved deeply into "The Public Realm," a concept that encompasses most of the built environment not reserved for private use. This space defines the urban experience and serves as the backdrop for daily life.

For this exhibition, we gathered local professionals specializing in public realm design to share their insights on what constitutes successful public spaces, lessons from historical precedents, and the aspirations San Diego should aim for. Our goal is to explore how San Diego can evolve from "America's Finest City" to a truly world-class city with an exceptional public realm.

Thank you once again to all who joined the conversation and contributed to the discussion. Your involvement is vital as we work together to shape the future of our city's public spaces.

Read more info about the exhibition on our recent blog post.

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Welcome Back to the Team Will!

McCullough is thrilled to welcome back Will Glockner as our newest Junior Associate!

Will Glockner came to McCullough as an accomplished professional with a diverse educational background in Engineering Psychology (Human Factors Engineering) and Biomedical Engineering from Tufts University. After college, Will worked in tech for several years before leaving the industry to pursue his passion. He recently graduated from the University of Arizona with a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture.

Will started his journey at McCullough as a summer intern in the summer of 2023, quickly showcasing his skills and creativity. McCullough is thrilled to welcome him back as a full-time employee. He is excited to return to McCullough to further hone his skillset and grow as a professional. In the world of Landscape Architecture, Will was the lead designer for a project with the San Elijo Conservancy, where he designed a wetland restoration and demonstration native garden.

When Will is out of the office, he enjoys utilizing his extensive knowledge in engineering, psychology, ecology, and landscape architecture to design Destination Agricultural Sites. It is his belief that by utilizing existing, natural feedback systems we can restore degraded soil, revive ecosystems, and encourage holistic farm/ranch management. Through this work, he hopes to enhance the aesthetics, profitability, resilience, and sustainability of family farms across the United States. 

A little-known fact about Will is that he is currently enrolled in UC Davis’s Continuing Education Program studying Oenology and Vineyard Management and produces estate wine at his family’s ranch.

Please join us in giving Will a warm welcome!

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Highlights from Our Recent Bisnow Events: Insightful Discussions and Industry Connections

Last month was a vibrant period of engagement and knowledge-sharing for our team here at McCullough. We had the pleasure of participating in two impactful Bisnow events, where our experts shared their insights on key industry trends and challenges. Here's a recap of these dynamic discussions:

Benjamin Arcia at the East Bay Multifamily Summit

On June 12th, our Senior Associate, Benjamin Arcia, MUD, took part in the Bisnow East Bay Multifamily Summit held in Oakland, CA. Benjamin joined the esteemed panel "Developing & Designing Prime Assets," where he highlighted the significance of designing small-scale fine-grain housing developments.

Benjamin emphasized how these nuanced designs contribute to vibrant, sustainable communities. His insights resonated with attendees, underlining our commitment to innovative and community-focused design solutions. The event was a fantastic opportunity for industry professionals to exchange ideas and explore the future of multifamily housing development.

Also in attendance was McCullough’s Oakland Associate Landscape Architect, Akshay Badwe.

Check out some moments captured at the event below:

David McCullough at the Southern California Student Housing & Higher Education Summit

Later in the month, on June 27th, David contributed to the Southern California Student Housing & Higher Education Summit in Los Angeles. David addressed pressing issues around student housing affordability, offering practical solutions and strategies to overcome these challenges.

For more insight into David and the other panelist’s perspectives on student housing affordability and innovative solutions, be sure to read the BISNOW article published on the subject.

These events are a testament to our ongoing dedication to thought leadership and industry collaboration. We are proud of Benjamin and David for their valuable contributions and look forward to continuing these important conversations.

Stay tuned for more updates and insights from our team as we navigate and shape the landscape architecture and design industry.

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