Landscape Architect Articles

Pacific Coast Hwy. Fountain Grabs Attention 06-05-09 | News

Pacific Coast Hwy. Fountain Grabs Attention

By Anne Boyd, ASLA, Associate, Katherine Spitz Associates, Landscape Architecture & Planning, Marina del Rey, Calif.

The iconic Redondo Beach?EUR??,,????'?????<

Redondo Beach is a city known for its desirable Southern Calif. coastal location, associated with the lifestyle and images of beach, harbor and resort. The monumental Redondo Beach?EUR??,,????'?????<

As part of the city?EUR??,,????'?????<

The colored concrete paving pattern is in bold black ("Ebony") and white ("Sultana"), inspired by Japanese wood block prints of ocean waves. The light-colored concrete has an exposed shell aggregate finish. The landscape design preserved a coral tree on site and added two new coral trees to create a green canopy behind the misting fountain. Safety bollards run along the street side of the plaza.

The power company?EUR??,,????'?????<

When the city reworked the traffic pattern at the PCH/Catalina intersection in 2005 with funding from the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a patch of left-over land remained underneath the sign, approximately half an acre. The city then moved forward with development of landscape and hardscape improvements at the intersection, incorporating a public art feature, utilizing MTA funding.

The eyesore of bare earth under the sign at this prominent intersection was a concern to the community and the city government. Lively and engaged community interaction with the city council culminated in the selection of a preferred scheme for the gateway improvements in December 2006. The consensus for the site was for a welcoming park-like plaza to convey the identity and character of the city of Redondo Beach.

The design recognizes the need to capture the city?EUR??,,????'?????<

The design goal for the original streetscape and the PCH/Catalina gateway project as it was implemented was to capture the qualities of the ocean environment: wind, spray, fog and movement. The design is a mist fountain with a sculptural centerpiece, set in a spiral of low maintenance, drought-tolerant plants. The paving pattern is a bold black and white, inspired by Japanese wood block prints of ocean waves, using concrete with shell aggregate surface. The landscape design preserved an existing coral tree, a venerable survivor with its own sculptural qualities, and added two new coral trees to create a green canopy behind the misting fountain.

The activity of beach and harbor here inspired the sculptural fountain. These steel and glass elements could be described as ?EUR??,,????'?????<

This stunning new welcoming point into the city is part of the undertaking to revitalize the pier and harbor area. From the opening day of the project in Dec. 2008, traffic could be seen slowing to take in the surprising new sight at a familiar intersection. The new plaza and fountain have already become an iconic image for the city here on Pacific Coast Highway.

PCH/Catalina Gateway
Pacific Coast Highway at Catalina Ave.
Redondo Beach, Calif.

Project Team
Client: City of Redondo Beach
Engineering & Building Services

Landscape Architect/Prime Consultant
Katherine Spitz Associates, Inc.
Landscape Architecture & Planning
Marina Del Rey, Calif.

Subconsultants

Sculpture Design/Urban Design: David Denton AIA Architect, Marina Del Rey

Civil Engineering & Structural Engineering: KPFF, Los Angeles

Water Feature Consultant: Aquatic Creations, Inc., Murrieta, Calif.

Electrical Engineering: NA Cohen Group, Inc., Encino, Calif.

Lighting Design (Water Feature): Francis Krahe & Associates, Inc., Los Angeles

Irrigation System Design: Sweeney & Associates, Murrietta, Calif.

Construction Cost Estimation: C.P. O?EUR??,,????'?????< Westlake, Calif.

Vendors

Colored concrete: Admixtures

Bollards: Louis Poulsen Dock Bollards along the street.

LED fountain floodlights: Color Kinetics/Phillips C-Splash 2

PDS-15e controller: Color Kinetics.

Hydroseeding: S&S Seeds

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