Great Park?EUR??,,????'??? Finalists Are In

The former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in California is occupied by decaying housing and military buildings but will soon be turned into a unique, multiuse park and commercial center.

Seven design firms have been picked to create design concepts for the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Orange County, Calif.

The seven will be paid $50,000 each to create a design for the Great Park, the mix of wilderness areas, athletic fields, farms, museums, schools, shops, businesses, houses and a cemetery.

The finalists are:

• Abalos & Herroros of Madrid, Spain
• Miralles/Tagliabue of Barcelona, Spain
• Richard Haag and Associates of Seattle, Wash.
• Hargreaves Associate of San Francisco
• Olin Partnership of Philadelphia, Pa.
• Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey of Mill Valley
• Ken Smith, Landscape Architect of New York in partnership with Ten-Arquitectos of Mexico City, Mary Miss Studio of New York and Mia Lehrer and Associates of Los Angeles.

The jury of six architects and landscape architects met on June 10 and released their findings on Monday, June 13. The original plan called for six finalists but the jury said it found a clear demarcation between the seven and the rest of the 24 firms which applied.

The Great Park board is expected to approve the selection of the seven at its next regular meeting on June 23.

The seven then will have until sometime in September to complete their plans; a second jury then will evaluate the seven and a winner is expected to be chosen by October.