Landscape Architect Articles

Bye-Bye Bell?04-03-08 | News

Bye-Bye Bell?

The Bell Labs building in Holmdel, N.J., designed by architect Eero Saarinen, with landscape architecture by Sasaki, Walker and Associates, is the focus of preservationist. Visit PreservingHolmdel.com for more information.

Members of a coalition seeking to preserve the historical integrity of the 472-acre Bell Labs site in Holmdel, N.J., met March 26, 2008 across the way from the complex. The Bell Labs building, formerly populated by 6,000 employees, now has only a small maintenance and security staff.

Preservation New Jersey named the facility to its "10 Most Endangered Historic Sites" list in 2007.

Architectural icon Eero Saarinen designed the mostly glass main building, whose original construction was from 1959 to 1962. Landscape architects Sasaki, Walker and Associates designed the landscaping around the two million sq. ft. edifice.

The site is owned by Alcatel-Lucent, the parent company of Bell Labs, which put the property up for sale in July 2007.

The preservationists, who hope to persuade the eventual new owner from knocking down Saarinen???~s design, announced an April 11-13 design charrette, hosted by Citizens for Informed Land Use. It is open to architects and designers, who will walk the site and facility and brainstorm how to keep it intact.