Throughout Los Angeles, many of the trees that shade our streets and absorb carbon are nearing the end of their lifespans. Urban trees can often have shorter than usual lifespans, and in Southern California, many are succumbing to disease after years of drought. As an example, all of the beautiful mature camphor trees on the...Read More

In light of the recent droughts and wildfires in California, it’s clear that our current use of water is neither environmentally sustainable nor time- and cost-effective.  Fortunately, there are many ways to lessen our individual footprints; replacing traditional lawns is one way to reduce impact in drier climates. Grass lawns are water-intensive, making them unsuitable...Read More

Fusing architecture and landscape, Casa Prieto-López was designed from 1947-1951 by Mexican architect and Pritzker Prize winner Luis Barragán. On a recent visit to Mexico City, I toured this iconic project, now renamed Casa Pedregal by businessman and collector César Cervantes, who from 2013 to 2016 restored the home with architect Jorge Covarrubias.  The landscape too,...Read More

Drought is normal for Southern California, but many of our public and commercial spaces are landscaped with water-thirsty plants. To help create more climate resilient landscapes, our office worked with South Pasadena Beautiful to design a new sustainable low-water garden at the South Pasadena Post Office. The project will unfold in two phases, dying trees...Read More

For the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of working with the committed and energetic girls from South Pasadena Junior Girl Scout Troop 9461 on their Bronze Award, a community service project in which the entire troop decides on and commits to a project that serves their local community. Cookies for a cause! Just...Read More