Seven Top Firms Picked as Finalists in Orange County Great Park Competition

A jury of leading architects, designers and academics selected seven of the world?EUR??,,????'???s top landscape architecture firms as finalists to compete for the job of Master Designer of the Orange County Great Park. The Great Park will be developed on the site of the decommissioned El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, on seven square miles of land in the geographic center of Orange County, California.

The seven firms selected as finalists are Abalos & Herreros of Madrid, Spain; Miralles/Tagliabue of Barcelona, Spain; Richard Haag Associates, Landscape Architects of Seattle, Washington; Hargreaves Associates of San Francisco, California; Olin Partnership of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey of Mill Valley, California; 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.

?EUR??,,????'??We have moved one step closer to finding the Frederick Law Olmstead of the 21st century?EUR??,,????'??+a Master Designer with the talent and vision to give Orange County a park that will serve the needs of our local residents and become a destination for travelers from around the globe,?EUR??,,????'?? said Larry Agran, Chair of the Orange County Great Park Corporation.

Dr. Hamid Shirvani, FASLA, FRSA, FRGS, Provost and Professor of Architecture at Chapman University, a consultant who organized the design jury said, ?EUR??,,????'??Our candidates included 24 of the most highly respected design firms from throughout the world. The firms were evaluated on a number of criteria, including references, national and international awards and recognition, qualifications of principals who will work on the Great Park, and the firm?EUR??,,????'???s design philosophy and portfolio. The jury did an excellent job in presenting the Board of Directors with a list of seven firms that are highly qualified and will present the people of Orange County a very wide range of design concepts.?EUR??,,????'??