Architect Of The Next Great Urban Park

Landscape architect Ken Smith is in charge of designing the transformation of the abandoned El Toro military base in Irvine, CA, into a park bigger than New York City's Central Park.

1 minute read

February 13, 2006, 2:00 PM PST

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"With a postmodern penchant for plastic flowers and a résumé of urban park space, Ken Smith isn't the first landscape architect you'd think of to design the Orange County Great Park...his team had won the job of transforming the abandoned El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Irvine into a park bigger than Central Park with an ambitious name to match, the Orange County Great Park....he discovered Earth Days and landscape architecture classes in the [Iowa State] agriculture school and, in the library, the writings of Robert Smithson, the pioneering earthworks artist, and Andy Warhol, whose idea of the natural was commercial ready-made stuff sold at the corner store. Years later, when New York's Museum of Modern Art was being remodeled and Smith was asked to design its roof garden, his first proposal was to create a field of plastic daisies â€" cheap fake daisies that twirled in the wind."

Thursday, February 9, 2006 in The Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Historic homes in St. Augustine, Florida.

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs

Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

March 18, 2025 - Newsweek

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands

The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

March 17, 2025 - The Wall Street Journal

Canadian flag in foreground with blurred Canadian Parliament building in background in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Has President Trump Met His Match?

Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

March 11, 2025 - Toronto Star

White bike symbol painted on green bike lane.

OKC Approves 7.2 Miles of New Bike Lanes

The city council is implementing its BikeWalkOKC plan, which recommends new bike lanes on key east-west corridors.

March 21 - Oklahoma City Free Press

Aerial view of downtown Houston, Texas skyline with low-rise housing in foreground.

Preserving Houston’s ‘Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing’

Unsubsidized, low-cost rental housing is a significant source of affordable housing for Houston households, but the supply is declining as units fall into disrepair or are redeveloped into more expensive units.

March 21 - Urban Edge

Small tree in bloom with pink flowers in front of home in Toronto, Canada.

The Most Popular Tree on Google?

Meet Rodney: the Toronto tree getting rave reviews.

March 21 - Toronto Star