Orchids & Onions

The La Mesa City Wall - that's right, WALL not Hall - because of the wall built around the structure. La Mesa has accomplished what they set out to do, bulid a fortress which in very uninviting. This is an ONION all the way.

 

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The Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center is a garden-based learning facility and children’s garden for the surrounding community of National City. The client, the International Community Foundation, is a non-profit organization that empowers citizens to improve the health and quality of life in the communities within the San Diego-Baja California border region. Students who attend the Olivewood Gardens program learn about organic gardening. They explore connections between plants and history, science, art, math, nutrition and cook using organic fruits and vegetables harvested from the garden. Olivewood Gardens is the newest addition to the ICF’s campus which includes the 1896 Noyes House and an established organic garden which harvests produce for UCSD Cancer Center’s Healing Foods Program. The client and design team worked with the common goal of creating an inspiring place to learn. Marcie Harris Landscape Architecture maximized the client’s limited space while creating a site design that is playful, orderly and flexible. The demonstration garden includes pollinator gardens to attract beneficial insects, raised planters, in-ground row crops, a passion fruit tunnel, a pizza garden, a recycled garden, picnic tables and a composting area. Sustainability was also an integral part of the project. The parking lot and pathways use permeable materials to minimize run off. The planting was installed with organic non-chemical fertilizers and amendments. Olivewood Gardens is proud to feature a Graywater Infiltration Garden, which was the first permitted graywater system in National City. The graywater from the sink infiltrates into the garden irrigating native plants. The design is cohesive with the existing context. The orientation of the garden and entry were designed to frame a view of San Miguel Mountain. The existing iconic Canary Island palm tree and majestic Morton Bay fig were also incorporated into the site design. The use of materials such as cobble, decomposed granite, and wood relate to the rustic character of the existing organic garden. The Olivewood Gardens has planted a “seed” in the community by inspiring educators, families and children to build their own sustainable gardens. The growth and consumption of fresh, organic food will have a positive impact on the quality of our lives as well as our environment.

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High Tech High North County in San Marcos has been in operation since 2007. This Fall it begins its third year in a beautiful new building designed by Studio E Architects and built by Bycor General Contractors. High Tech High North County is a prime example of what great things can be done with limited budgets and timelines. Studio E’s plan organizes school activities around an active “Main Street” gallery the school’s primary social space and display area for student work that links a series of educational neighborhoods of classrooms, exploratories, and studios. Designed to emphasize sustainability and community, the building carefully attends to its setting by capturing prevailing breezes and daylight while limiting direct solar gain. The use of simple materials in innovative ways has created a vibrant building that enhances the learning environment. The project was also designed with sustainability in mind and has received the EPA Energy Star Program, Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Verification, and US Green Building Council LEED Silver Certification.

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architecture and interior design category: The building is a little jewel in the middle of the MCAS base at Miramar. The design concept ties into the base-wide theme as well as creates a unique British West Indies style architectually as well as the interiors. It is the first LEED project for the Marines in San Diego and possibly in the country. The Golf Clubhouse complex includes the following spaces: Main lounge and two dining rooms that open up to a covered outdoor dining terrace. A separate private club for the staff and non-commissioned officers with a bar area, restrooms and access to the covered outdoor dining terraces. The Pro Shop is separated by a breezeway from the main building. There is a full service professional kitchen with separated preparation area, cook line an all the ammenities.

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Old Globe Plaza at the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center This complete makeover for the heavily used Plaza at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park included a complete re-grading and expansion of the existing plaza to accommodate increased use and accessibility, concurrent with the new, state of the art Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, a 20-million dollar replacement of the old Cassius Carter Theatre. The new plaza design features granite paving, interlocking pavers and sand finished concrete in a concentric, radiating pattern, appointed with an outdoor dining pavilion, audio visual hook ups, lighting, seating and landscaping, all set in a festival atmosphere amidst San Diego’s greatest theatre venue. Demolition began in July of 2008 and construction was completed in December of 2009. Special recognition of the contributions of private citizens was a requirement of the program, but needed to be tastefully included in the work. Bronze letters in the paving and etched granite pavers celebrate the philanthropy of San Diego citizens, while remaining subtle. The plaza serves as an arrival point for all 3 theatres, and needed to be a nexus between Balboa Park and the theatre interiors. At intermission, there can be as many as 1500 people in the plaza at one time, so the plaza area was expanded and seating greatly increased. The pavilion and surroundings create a dynamic setting for theatre events. Landscape on all perimeters was enhanced to promote an enclave like quality to the venue.

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