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Friday, October 18 Tour Descriptions
T01 (full)
San Francisco: Golden Gate Park and Presidio Attractions
8:00am-5:30pm
This tour begins with attractions at the Presidio. After a box lunch,
the tour proceeds to Golden Gate Park's Strybing Arboretum and Botanical
Gardens. A wine and cheese reception will follow at the newly renovated
Conservatory of Flowers in the Park.
The Presidio is one of the country's great natural and historic sites.
A military garrison for nearly 225 years, the 1,000-acre Presidio today
is a National Historic Landmark. The Presidio's distinctive resources
include its historic architecture and landscapes, unique ecological systems
and rare plant communities, inviting parklands, spectacular views, and
recreational resources. This unusual blend of natural and urban features
makes the Presidio an exceptional place.
In response to competing public policy goals, Congress mandated that
the Presidio become financially self-sufficient by 2013. Tour participants
will learn about the implementation plan to achieve this goal and view
many of the Presidio's unique landscapes and buildings.
At Golden Gate Park's Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, the group
will see a presentation on the new Master Plan and Interpretive Plan for
the gardens followed by a tour of the various gardens within the arboretum.
After the garden tours, the group will continue to the famous 1878 Golden
Gate Park Conservatory of Flowers that will be in the final stages of
a multi-million dollar historic renovation. There will be a wine and cheese
reception during a presentation of the construction efforts.
Golden Gate Park is the largest constructed urban landscape park in the
world, spanning three and a half miles from east to west and nine blocks
north to south. Each week as many as a half-million visitors come to enjoy
the magnificent trees, rolling lawns, playgrounds and gardens, lakes and
waterfalls, and the miles of hiking and riding trails. The Park is a city
treasure, inviting all to sample nature, sports, and culture.
Scot Medbury, Director of both Strybing Arboretum and the Conservatory
of Flowers, will highlight the new master plan, circulation and accessibility
plan, and interpretive plan. Brian Tan, collections manager; Jim Henrich,
curator of both the Arboretum and the Conservatory; and Don Mahoney, horticultural
manager, will join Scot Medbury in leading tours of the Arboretum.
$75 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation,
box lunch, snack, wine & cheese reception. Tour is led by Janne Corneil;
Owen Lang, ASLA; Betsy Flack, ASLA, and Education Director of Strybing
Arboretum.
T02 (full)
San Francisco: Plazas and Waterfront Attractions
8:00am-5:30pm
Participants on the tour will visit notable San Francisco attractions
including Pier 7, the Ferry Building Plaza, Union Square and Ghirardelli
Square.
Pier 7 is a public access and recreation pier near San Francisco's financial
district, and is one of the most popular places along the city's waterfront.
The Pier extends 900 feet out into the Bay, offering stunning city and
water views, day or night. Completed in 1990, and edged with Victorian-style
light fixtures and benches, the pier's elegant design has won several
awards, and is becoming a well-known landmark.
The recently completed Ferry Building Plaza restores the Ferry Building
as the centerpiece of the waterfront, reintegrates the waterfront with
downtown San Francisco and the Market Street corridor, and reestablishes
the area's civic importance. This project has won the National Urban Design
Award from the AIA.
Ghirardelli Square conjures up visions of luscious chocolate and the
huge illuminated sign that can be seen clear across the San Francisco
Bay, but it also represents a century of history as rich as the chocolate
that bears its name.
Union Square, San Francisco's living room has been renovated. April Philips,
ASLA, and Michael Fotheringham, ASLA, developed the new design beginning
with the national competition in 1997 through construction with a multidisciplinary
team. Newly opened in July of this year, it is a reflection of the downtown
district and San Francisco's heritage.
$65 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation,
box lunch, and snack. Tour is led by Boris Dramov, FAIA; April Philips,
ASLA; and Michael Fotheringham, ASLA.
T03
Silicon Scenes and Settings I: Walking Tour
8:15am-12:15pm
The "Capital of Silicon Valley," San Jose is home to many of the companies
that are associated with the cutting edge of technology in the United
States. Two industrial redevelopment areas of San Jose are the focus of
high tech development. One redevelopment area--the 4,600 acre Rincon de
Los Esteros--is considered among the most successful industrial developments
in the United States. The tour will include a trip to the Intel Museum,
to provide participants with a history of Silicon Valley as well as a
visit to the corporate campuses of two or three Silicon Valley companies
located in the Rincon de Los Esteros Redevelopment Area of San Jose.
All sites are level and the tours are a very easy walk.
$25 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation,
snack. Tour is led by Dennis Taniguchi, ASLA, and Ianthina Hugg.
T04 (full)
Campus Tours I: Educational Environments - "The Farm" and Surrounds
8:15am-5:00pm
This tour will include visits to two well-known California campuses--Foothill
College and Stanford University--and the Jasper Ridge Biological Reserve.
Built shortly after WWII as a junior college, Foothill has been widely
recognized as a pioneer, setting a standard for new campus design. Designed
by Earnest Kump and Sasaki Walker Associates as one of their first west
coast projects, it has received numerous awards throughout the years.
In the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, docents will lead the Jasper
Ridge tour. Jasper Ridge is a biological preserve for the purposes of
teaching and research. Visitors will tour the new 'green' Field Station
and the preserve, which contains collections of native plant materials,
experiments, and labs focusing on the California environment.
Lunch and free time will be at the Stanford Museum that includes landscape
by the SWA Group, the Rodin Sculpture Garden, site work by Andy Goldsworthy
and the Sieve of Eratosthenes by Mark di Suvero.
The tour of Stanford Campus will include the original Main Quad by F.L.
Olmsted, and later work by Thomas Church, the Science and Engineering
Quad by the Olin Partnership, Serra and Lomita Malls by Sebastian and
Associates, Timetable by Maya Lin, Schwab Center Residential Center and
the Clinical Sciences by Peter Walker, FASLA, and Partners, Lasuen Mall
and the athletics region by the SWA Group, and Stanford's ongoing Oak
restoration program.
Tour includes a fair amount of walking and modest trail walking at Jasper
Ridge.
$55 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation,
snack, and box lunch. Tour is led by Cathy Blake, ASLA, Stanford University,
and John Wong, ASLA, the SWA Group.
T05
Urban Sports Centers by Rail
8:15am-5:00pm
Modern urban athletic arenas will be visited on this tour. The evolution
of the process, previous conditions and urban revitalization will be discussed
at each site. Pros and cons, environmental issues and traffic/parking
considerations will also be reviewed during the tour. Includes a visit
to San Jose Compaq Center home of the NHL San Jose Sharks, and the Pac
Bell Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.
$20 per person. Fee includes handouts, Caltrain ticket
and admission fees. On own for lunch and snacks. Tour is led by Derek
McKee, ASLA; and Ron Cheung, ASLA.
T06 (full)
Private Estates: California Natives in Style
8:15am-5:00pm
This full day trip will include six very different and exclusive gardens
featuring California native plants and sustainable landscapes. A 30-minute
talk at each site will explain the guide's vision for each property and
garden.
Tour begins with the Asian themed Altmaier Garden, followed by the only
all California native garden in the exclusive Silver Creek area of San
Jose, Boucher Garden.
Mason Garden is designed around a traditional shingled house and has
created an open and spacious landscape with active use areas throughout
the property.
The corporate headquarters of Middlebrook Gardens is a series of integrated
demonstration gardens, presenting clients and the general public with
built specifics of sustainable landscape construction technology. The
tour continues to Sedgwick Garden, the historic Mediterranean property
in the hills of Los Gatos.
The day concludes at the Maitra house, a unique and dramatic circular
house and garden that was designed with plant communities utilizing oak
woodland and grassland meadows.
Tour involves easy, accessible walking. Interested participants see session
3B1.
$40 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation,
snack, and box lunch, and box lunch Tour is led by Alrie Middlebrook and
Kathy Fisher.
T07 (full)
Public Gardens, Redwoods, and Beaches
8:30am-5:30pm
There are several approaches to working with nature, such as wanting to
tame it or wanting to leave it in its natural state. This tour will allow
ample time at each location for everyone to get a true sense and appreciation
of each, with stops ranging from 45-60 minutes at most locations.
Villa Montalvo, the formal Mediterranean-style estate of former Senator
Phelan, forms the backdrop for theatre productions, weddings on the vast
lawn, walks through the small botanical and sculpture gardens, hikes through
the hills, and is a temporary home for artists in residence.
Hakone Japanese Gardens provides urban tranquility in a hillside setting.
The waterfall, bamboo garden and fishpond next to paths leading to various
teahouses provide the sculpted canvas. One of the buildings was crafted
by Japanese artisans. The garden receives constant hand grooming.
Big Basin State Park features towering, large diameter redwoods, another
popular backdrop for many weddings in the amphitheatre. Visit the Headquarters
and the Visitor Center to view turn-of-the-twentieth-century panoramic
photos by Andrew P. Hill. These sparked the cry to save the redwoods 100
years ago. Learn about this climax forest during an hour's walk along
the loop trail with Janet Duncan Woods. Visit the natural history museum
and small gift shop. See a trunk slice with tree rings dating back over
two centuries. One tree on the loop trail is 16 feet in diameter. Savor
the natural aroma, listen to the birds, and enjoy the unique setting for
a box lunch.
Up a hill, along the river that empties into the sea, is the entrance
to the Shadowbrook Restaurant. Two options await the visitor. On the right
is the funicular that takes you down to the deck at the restaurant. On
the left, steps lead to paths next to waterfalls and lush plantings, leading
down to the herb garden and the entrance to the bar. Enter Capitola, and
view this resort town that has lodging, shopping, and restaurants next
to the beach. Ocean waves have often flooded and pounded these structures
and picked up concrete benches.
$65 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation,
box lunch, snacks and admission fees. Tour led by Mark Beaudoin; Jackie
Schuette, ASLA; and Janet Duncan Woods.
T08
Bonfante Gardens & Theme Park
8:30am-5:30pm
This tour includes a presentation of the site plan, including the history
of its creation, master planning, and programming process. Guests will
walk through unique gardens, featuring one-of-a-kind trees and topiary
displays reflecting the local agricultural history of the Santa Clara
Valley. Annual and perennial color help tie the unique family rides and
entertainment features to the beautiful landscape settings in Bonfante
Gardens.
Acres of trees, plants, water, and rocks combine with 22 rides, 20 attractions,
picnic grounds, miniature golf, and spectacular gardens in phase one of
this extraordinary project. This $100 million state-of-the-art park highlighting
trees -- integrated with rides, amusements, entertainment, and fine food--creates
a family unique attraction.
$35 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation,
on own for snacks and lunch. Tour led by Jerry Tracey; Leo Tirado,
AIA; Karen Aitken, ASLA; and Toby Thornton.
T09
South Bay Low Impact Boardwalk and the Coyote Hills Restoration Project
8:30am-5:30pm
The pickle weed marshes of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Environmental Education Center occupy a unique location, delicately positioned
between the southern salt pond reaches of the Bay and the northern urban
treatment facilities and commercial landfills of San Jose and Santa Clara
County. Overseeing one of the last surviving native marsh ecosystems in
the area, the Center has done a remarkable job keeping the scales from
tipping toward urban stress- using low-impact construction systems in
its recent development initiatives, and enlisting the support of its commercial
and municipal neighbors in innovative funding and education programs.
The tour will include an installation demonstration by Pin Foundations,
Inc., of the low-impact foundation systems used to support the EEC's marsh
boardwalk trail, as well as a short walk along this fully HC accessible
1/2 mile route, with a description of the marsh ecosystem and its relationship
to its urban neighbors. USFWS representatives from the Center will describe
native plantings used to create their community-planted Butterfly Gardens
and the 1/4-acre bio-filtration garden parking lot. They will also explain
how, in this highly-charged area of overlapping environmental influences,
their sensible, "low impact" solutions to staff funding, development mitigation
and neighborhood participation provide subtle examples of leadership in
natural refuge preservation.
The Coyote Hills Regional Park is part of the East Bay Regional Park
District, which was founded in 1934 by public-spirited citizens as the
first special park district in California. It now consists of more than
50 sites and 20 regional trails covering more than 75,000 acres. These
parklands help to ensure preservation of the natural beauty that has made
the Bay Area such a desirable place to live. They also protect habitat
for wildlife, including many rare and endangered species.
This unique and valuable park is enjoyable to view and educational, and
continues to provide new habitat for wildlife. Action spurred by a creative
vision for natural beauty has achieved numerous goals regarding flood
control, habitat enhancement, and recreational enjoyment. This project
answers the question - can people create places for nature? The answer
is a resounding yes.
$55 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation,
box lunch, and snack. Tour led by Dave Mitchell, ASLA; Rick Gagliano,
Pin Foundations Inc.; and Fran McTamaney.
T10
Guadalupe River Parkway San Jose - Walking Tour
9:00am-12:00pm
The Guadalupe River Master Plan is unique in its extensive blending of
flood-control strategies, environmental protection, and park features
that draw people to the river. Sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Water
District, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the San Jose Redevelopment
Agency, the park features 2.8 square miles of open space connecting many
of the major spaces in downtown San Jose. The tour starts at the Convention
Center and proceeds through Discovery Meadow at the Children's Discovery
Museum, crosses over the river to the Center of Performing Arts the Veterans'
Memorial, McEnery Park and takes in the scenery from Adobe's rooftop garden.
Continuing on to Arena Green Park, the Compaq Arena, River St. Gardens,
Guadalupe Flood Meadows, and ends at the Guadalupe Gardens.
This walking tour along fully accessible pathways, is primarily through
the heart of downtown San Jose. Participants will walk along the Guadalupe
River from Woz Way to Julian St., for approximately eight city blocks.
At Santa Clara a bus will shuttle participants to the River Street Gardens,
Guadalupe River, Flood Meadows and to the Guadalupe Gardens. The tour
will take approximately three hours along fully accessible pathways.
Interested participants see sessions 4A1 and 1C1.
$25 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation
to starting point of walking tour, and morning snack. Tour led by
Cordy Hill, ASLA; Jimmy Chan, ASLA; and presentation at River Street Gardens
by Alrie Middlebrook.
T11
San Jose "Smart Growth" Infill Development
9:00am-5:00pm
For nearly three decades, San Jose has implemented smart growth policies.
These policies foster economic development, revitalize downtown, protect
neighborhoods, build housing, preserve open space, link land use and transportation
planning, and direct growth to appropriate areas. San Jose now enjoys
job and housing growth near transit corridors, creation of parks and neighborhood
services, and a low crime rate for a major city (San Jose is the 11th
largest city in the US). A strong policy foundation, proactive planning,
and political support have resulted in a community with a high quality
of life where design has played a major role in its transformation.
San Jose's smart growth activities emanate from a strong vision embodied
in the San Jose 2020 General Plan. The General Plan is the official policy
guiding development to appropriate locations, including fostering greater
intensities around light rail and other transit facilities while preserving
hillsides and other natural resources. The city is promoting bicycle use
on streets and bike paths, and encouraging people to feel safe to walk.
This is still a work-in-progress making strides toward controlling the
outward sprawl and expansion that typified many fast-growing cities after
the Second World War. San Jose is looking forward to BART (Bay Area Rapid
Transit) coming to town.
This bus tour will highlight some of the City's success in smart growth
(and touch on some that were not as successful) by creating a livable
community by developing efficiently within a reasonable growth boundary.
Here shopping centers have given way to new residential/commercial neighborhoods,
the hillsides are protected from development, and traffic flows in two
directions during rush hours.
$60 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation,
box lunch at Mirassou Winery, and snack. Tour led by Laurel Prevetti.
T12
San Jose Downtown Attractions - Walking Tour
1:30pm-4:00pm
The walking tour encompasses the major sites of Downtown San Jose including
parks, plazas, streets, districts and buildings. The tour will touch on
the history of the downtown core, but will focus on the many recent built
improvements by the Redevelopment Agency and the City. The role of landscape
architects, urban designers and planners in this rebirth will also be
highlighted. The tour format will be an informal presentation/discussion
of redevelopment in San Jose as participants walk through the city and
experience the city's recent achievements. This tour is entirely on foot
and should last between two and three hours. The walking is flat and is
fully accessible and has a low degree of difficulty. The tour can also
be self-guided for those interested.
The tour starts at the convention center and makes stops at Plaza de
Cesar Chavez, Guadalupe River Park, McEnery Park, Arena Green, San Pedro
Square, Post Street, St James Park, the New City Hall site, the Paseo
de San Antonio, and the SOFA entertainment district. The tour concludes
with a return walk to the Convention Center.
Interested participants see session 4A1.
$10 per person. Fee includes handouts and beverage.
Tour led by Evan Rose; Matthew Myers, Prakash Pinto; and Benjamin Grant,
SMWM Architecture and Planning; and T. Tran, RLA, ASLA, San Jose Redevelopment
Agency.
T13
Wine Tasting at the Mountain Winery
1:30pm-5:00pm
The Mountain Winery is located minutes from the Santa Clara valley floor
on a dramatic crest of the Santa Cruz Mountain range with magnificent
views of the entire Santa Clara County. The Winery, listed on the National
Registry of Historic Places, has been part of the region's history since
1901 when Paul Masson first planted vineyards on the rolling hills and
built his home, Chateau La Cresta. After 45 years of world-renowned wine
production, the facility became an outdoor concert hall, hosting top performers
every season since 1952. The new owners of the property plan to replant
the vineyards and restore the estate to its former glory.
The Santa Cruz Mountains wine appellation begins in San Francisco and
stretches south for 60 miles. Much more mountainous and isolated than
Napa, this wine region specializes in small, ruggedly individual wineries
and wine makers. For more than one hundred years, Santa Cruz Mountain
wines have been acknowledged as comparable to any made in Europe.
We will tour the estate, enjoy the expansive view, and taste a unique
selection of wines grown by award-winning Santa Cruz Mountain wine masters
who are invited to provide us with insight into the wine growing profession
and viniculture. A delicious selection of hors d'oeuvres will be served.
$75 per person. Fee includes handouts, transportation,
tasting fees and hors d'oeuvres. Tour led by Dan Graham and Representatives
of the Mountain Winery.
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