This month’s Landscape of the Month is a little different from our usual story. What qualifies this project for recognition is the community involvement process through which the Landscape Architects worked to arrive at their solution to create an overall theme linking several sections of the community together . . .

Over a period of time, an interesting trend began to surface in the City of Glendale, California. It seems that the city’s historical character and architectural diversity was becoming virtually unnoticed by a city that preferred to travel by car, even if it meant parking and then reparking at stops two blocks from each other. The retail businesses were not getting a strong flow of toot traffic or “window-shoppers” and the commercial and industrial employees were only exercising the options of eating in or driving out to some peripheral eating establishments. The city decided to combat this trend by developing a “linking” system between the retail and commercial centers and its parks and residential spaces in order to provide a pleasant “outdoor” experience within the urban environment.

What exactly is an urban hikeway? In the case of Glendale, it is a theme-oriented pedestrian circulation system with supportive elements at an urban scale within an aesthetic, recreational, commercial, and cultural environment. It is an atmosphere created to encourage “walking the City,” enhance community identity while providing a unique recreation opportunity, provide citizen awareness of historic and cultural riches, and a “sense of place” and civic appreciation.-

The challenge of this project is better expressed through the words of Robert Cardoza, of Cardoza-DiLallo-Harrington, ”. . . the city was interested in urban conservation with an emphasis on people orientation. There was little design interest that served as a common link to these areas, even though they were in close proximity of each other.” Leslee Temple, a Principal of Cardoza-DiLallo-Harrington and the Project Manager, adds that, “Glendale is moving into a new era of growth . . . one in which the scale is changing . . . but one in which unique structures should be preserved, restored, or renovated from decay. This transition offers the opportunity to present a ‘living history’ and provide a’ community focus’.”

But the most important factor was “walking” the streets of Glendale to explore the many aspects of the community and designate the potential. Through these “urban hikes,” the team identified the existing community assets – unique niches and features that create enjoyment spaces and encourage pedestrian movement and interaction – such as existing plazas; successful interconnecting links from parking to pedestrian environments; architectural diversity and intimate human scale details and spaces.

Then began the process of “linking” it all together. An important aspect of the project was to involve the people in the city, to provide a “sense of place” and encourage the interface of people confined in a working environment with an aesthetic “outdoor” park-like atmosphere.

“We would like to encroach, or fit into the private property,” said Cardoza, “to encourage a joint use between private and public to develop a larger node area and expand the right-of-way space rather than making a static lineal type of development where you have building against building with no void.”

Other elements that are addressed through specific design features are street themed furniture, informational kiosks and plaques, historical lampposts, and, in appropriate areas, providing opportunities for water features and art in public places. In addition, the design team developed a primary graphic vocabulary to be incorporated in directional signage, on informational plaques, and introduced through its use in an accompanying brochure.

These features are supported by a consistent street tree planting theme. The master plan of trees introduces a scale, reinforces a theme, accents the existing architectural elements, provides interest and variety, and gives strong visual definition to these linking areas. In many areas, the plan encourages the protection and preservation of mature trees. The plan includes the use of a predominant tree at key intersections, as well as en masse in various areas, which will play a significant role in the designation of the plazas and some activity areas.

The plan also incorporated ideas that addressed the concern of safety and security. By “greening” and maintaining the alleyways, which are critical since a great majority of them have become the “link” for pedestrians from their vehicles to financial and commercial areas, into pleasant passageways, and possibly providing keyhole arcades, the alleys evolve into streets which can be penetrated and explored. This, along with adequate lighting, becomes a safe secondary link.

Though walking is the primary mode of transportation promoted in a pedestrian hikeway, provisions for designated bike trails and scenic corridors were also outlined, as well as a direct incorporation of the various bus lines, especially the city’s own Beeline route, into the plan. This was done by further accentuating the role of the bus stop/rest areas along major routes. It is here, along these transportation corridors, that the intermediary plaza parks and small pocket activity areas exist for quick “off to lunch” trips and small group gatherings.

Providing “human experiences” within an urban environment was essential to the overall pedestrian plan. “”Our goal was to provide a variety of spaces for individual experiences. We introduced the design as an opportunity to provide experiences within these setback areas,” as explained by Cardoza, “to provide a relaxing outdoor parlor atmosphere for people to gather, have lunch and talk without interrupting the main corridor system.”

Truly involving the people in the city around them is a primary factor in the success of this project. People tend to become stagnant, focusing only on their everyday tasks and ignoring their immediate environment. This concern is expressed by Cardoza, ”. . . the main objective is to utilize the opportunities for a change of pace and to promote human interaction in an urban space. When we go somewhere, we usually have a one track mind, we want to buy what we have to, and leave. The downtown area should be suggestive of providing opportunities for social interaction. Why can’t there be a participation from that person while he’s involved in getting from A to B? Why can’t it be fun . . . why can’t it be joyful . . . why can’t it be a learning experience?”

The overall feel for the focus of the project is best described by the Project Manager, Leslee Temple, “This urban corridor pattern bonds the community in a way that will be unique only to Glendale. It will provide for an ‘up close and personal look’ at the City. The idea addresses the flavor and essence of people’s vitality within the urban core. It will reinforce a pedestrian linkage to the transportation corridors and provide public awareness of historical and architectural significance.”

While this project has yet to be implemented, the foundation for the future planning of Glendale has been installed.

Congratulations to Cardoza-DiLallo-Harrington for continuing the progress of landscape architecture by blending the interests of an entire community into a workable set of blueprints.

The Landscape of the Month is produced by LASN and sponsored by Nightscaping, which donates $50.00 to the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) for each feature. Please contact LASN editorial staff before submitting materials for consideration.