Great Park Design Finalists Present Designs to Orange County

The Orange County Great Park Corporation wants all county residents to know that their opinion matters. Beginning September 12, 2005, members of the public will have several opportunities to see and comment on the proposed designs for the Orange County Great Park. The designs were created by seven of the world’s leading landscape architecture firms as they compete to become the “Master Designer” of the Great Park.

“The Great Park board of directors is committed to engaging the public in the park’s creation,” said Larry Agran, chair of the Orange County Great Park Corporation. “We have mandated as our highest priority that public participation occur in every phase of the planning process.”

An initial jury of leading architects, designers and academics picked seven finalists in the international competition for Master Designer of the Orange County Great Park. The Great Park board of directors approved the list in May, setting the stage for the upcoming public activities.

The seven firms selected as finalists are Ábalos & Herreros of Madrid, Spain; EMBT Arquitectes Associats 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; and 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. They submitted their designs for the Great Park on September 1, 2005.

A second jury design panel that includes Dr. Hamid Shirvani, Chair, FASLA, FRSA, AICP, President and Professor of Art and Architecture at California State University, Stanislaus; Dr. Diane Ghirardo, Professor of Architecture at the University of Southern California; Mark Hinshaw, FAIA, FAICP, Principal, LMN Architects, Seattle, Washington; Tom Oslund, FASLA, FAAR, Principal, Oslund and Associates, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Walter Richardson, FAIA, Chairman of the Board, RNM Architects, Newport Beach, California; George Bissell, FAIA, President of Bissell Architects in Newport Beach, California; and Barbara Wilks, FAIA, ASLA, Partner of W Architecture in New York was assembled to evaluate the designs of the seven finalists.

The second jury panel will review designs based on a number of criteria including: originality of the design concept and its relationship to the human experience, continuity of the design concept throughout the 1,096 acres; the streetscape development, edge treatment, entryways, landmarks, icons and greenbelts; creating a sense of identity for the entire Great Park area; responsiveness of the design to county residents’ interests and desires as expressed in information derived from community outreach efforts; sensitivity of the design to the ecological and environmental character of the site, the climate and culture of the region; and degree to which the design elements allow for relatively easy, ongoing maintenance and operations.

How Orange County residents can review the proposed Great Park designs and provide comment:

1. View Public Displays at Irvine City Hall, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine
   Art boards featuring many of the design concepts will be on display at Irvine City Hall between September 12 and 21 from 8:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and from 8:30 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Tuesdays and Thursdays. They will also be on display Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18 from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
2. Attend Formal Designer Presentations to Great Park Board of Directors
   Presentations will be held in the Irvine city council chambers at 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine. Presentation schedule:
   Olin Partnership, Ltd. – Thursday, September 22, 8:30 AM
   Richard Haag & Associates – Thursday, September 22, 11:00 AM
   Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey – Thursday, September 22, 1:45 PM
   Ken Smith Landscape Architect – Friday, September 23, 8:30 AM
   Hargreaves Associates – Friday, September 23, 11:00 AM
   EMBT Arquitectes Associates – Friday, September 23, 2:00 PM
   Ábalos & Herreros – Friday, September 23, 4:15 PM

3. Participate in an Online Internet Survey
   The public can also review the designs on the Internet at www.ocgp.org. In addition to viewing the designs, an online poll to determine popular preferences and to answer questions will be conducted from September 12 through September 25. The online poll results will be given to the board of directors to assist them in choosing the master designer.

The Great Park board of directors will take into consideration all public feedback. This information will be also be given to the final master designer of the Great Park who could be named as early as October 2005.

“It is our hope that people will review the submissions and weigh in with their comments,” said Beth Krom, Mayor, City of Irvine. “For those unable to visit the Civic Center, the internet provides an accessible way review the designs and comment at any time, day or night.”

The Orange County Great Park is being planned and developed by the Orange County Great Park Corporation, a non-profit organization managed by a nine-member board of directors that includes all five members of the Irvine city council. The Great Park will be a major metropolitan park and the focal point of redevelopment of the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station designated for closure more than a decade ago. The Lennar Corporation will develop a variety of residential, commercial, education and retail areas adjacent to the Great Park.