Announcing the Design Futurist Student Award Winners

This design wove evocations of historic ecosystems oak woodland, California grasslands, and chaparral into a living “mosaic.” Yet the designers didn’t limit themselves to historic plants, preferring a more agile, experimental approach. “The environmental mosaic of California is shifting to the north, which has many different effects. We have included species from as far south as Baja. If historically native species are no longer suited for this climate, these garden beds will be experiments in how to create climate adapted ecologies for the future. In other words, our planting design looks to the past to show the ecologies that made California what it is today and looks to the future to understand how we can make it healthier for the next generation,” the designers noted.

Judges appreciated both the design’s forward-thinking approach, that it considered maintenance strategy, and how well it acknowledged the site terrain.

This water-wise design conceived an art installation made of cypress timbers for the existing roundabout, replacing exotic plants where appropriate with native plants suitable for Telegraph Hill. The approach takes inspiration from the Art Deco architecture and history of the site and merges it with forward-looking landscaping strategies.

Judges complimented the design’s understanding of the site conditions and future management needs, as well as how it complemented the architecture. “An in-depth study of the location, its cultural importance, and environmental conditions. Design solutions consider both man and culture, nature and its interconnected ecosystems. Well-thought-out, balanced design.”