Harmonizing a Blend of Formal and Natural Design

Cue is one of San Diego’s foremost biotech companies, designing and manufacturing revolutionary devices for tracking personal health information. We designed the landscape to pair formal styles and structured design with the chaotic beauty of native plants, like random elegance found in nature. The results created a natural rhythm with dynamic layering of contrasting forms.

As one drives by, regimented rows of blue shrubs and succulents greet the street, creating an aesthetic rhythm. Beyond these, you see a swirling sea of wild green which softens the buildings’ first story. Between the structures lies a courtyard where the formal and the chaotic meet. The design is blended as opposed to merely a juxtaposed layout creating a highly unique visual experience. Subdued Mid-Century style Crassula hedges float on an unruly orange cloud of Carex grasses, shaded by dappled light made from the frizzy Mesquite trees.

The courtyard is divided into an archipelago of outdoor “rooms” divided by the hedges to create spaces that are semi-private. The southern end of the courtyard features a bar with beer taps. Naturally, this is the social hub of the project.

Benjamin Arcia, M.U.D.
Senior Associate

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Riding “The Wave” of Marketing Excellence

Catherine just returned from The Wave In The Vineyard, the annual Pacific Regional Conference hosted by SMPS (Society for Professional Marketing Services) in Napa, California. Catherine was Co-Chair of this year’s conference Programs Committee with Katelyn Suprenant of RIM Architects (the two are pictured at right).

The conference provided a myriad of great insights into A/E/C best practices, and we learned from inspiring speakers. What could be any better? Great marketing ideas, meeting with colleagues and friends, enjoying beautiful Napa, and of course, the wine.

Catherine announces the cast of Fellows for the Inside the Fellows Studio show, a new program for PRC this year.

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LUXE Magazine Gold List

We are honored to have been named on LUXE Magazine's 2018 Gold List for Landscape Architecture!

View the full list here >

Our Favorite Landscape Design Projects of 2017

Here at McCullough, the New Year brings a time of reflection on the projects we are most proud of. On this note, our talented team of landscape designers would like to share their favorite projects of this past year. –  David and Catherine

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SDSU Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center
San Diego, CA

David McCullough, RLA
Principal Landscape Architect

"The Alumni Center serves as an important role on the campus. This is the place where potential philanthropists start when considering how to donate their charitable givings. With this said, the Alumni Center needs to convey a positive, welcoming message. The staff and board recognized this wasn’t being achieved with the current state of the Center, but had very little to contribute to the effort. This meant we had to get creative, to break through a bureaucracy, and do something on the fly. We worked directly with the campus grounds staff to get this done. We went out to the suppliers, and got our hands dirty with creative hand-picked solutions. On a large campus with layers of red tape that usually drives costs up, we made this happen. It almost felt like breaking the rules, and that's likely why I felt this project was enjoyable. The end result is a great enhancement of an important facility."

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Rancho Bernardo Town Center
Rancho Bernardo, CA

Maha Balachandran, Int'l asla
Associate

“My favorite project was the renovation of the exterior of three buildings in the Rancho Bernardo Town Center. The landscape was a contemporary interpretation of Californian Mission Style architecture. A plaza was designed with a sunken courtyard to give a new experience to the outdoor dining. The planting material was chosen to enhance the upgraded building facade. I like this project because our design gives a new and pleasant outdoor experience for shoppers."

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The Campus on Villa La Jolla
la Jolla, CA

Benjamin Arcia, MUD
Senior Associate

“This project was my first large-scale experimentation with a highly diverse plant palette. I strove to celebrate the unruly, boisterous character of our local native plants. What was once a prudish lawn became an explosion of chaos and color, turning heads along La Jolla Village Drive.”

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Coronado Residence
Coronado, CA

Difan Chen, MLA
Associate

“Wrapping around the beautiful San Diego Bay, this residence sits on the point of Coronado Island and has a significant view of the skyline and mountains across the bay. The mixed-tropical landscape theme works perfectly with the modern and wavy look of the architecture. The indoor and outdoor spaces work seamlessly to meet the owner’s need for everyday activity. The house is environmentally-friendly — it has solar panels and features a meadow-themed green roof. By working closely with other talented team members, including the architect and interior designer and others, we believe the house will definitely become the new jewel of Coronado Island when construction is complete.”

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Howard Pence Elementary, South Bay Unified School District
San Diego, CA

Priyanka Malik, MLA
Associate

“The project objective was to provide space for kids to rest, with an easy to maintain landscape, all to be done on a tight budget. The design solution was a blend of functionality, aesthetics and economics. The space was divided with hardscape and softscape elements. Concrete pavers and picnic tables provide a waiting area with space for students to interact. The flat gold-color stone boulders are placed strategically closer to the hardscape area and offer a setting for casual seating. The softscape consists of an undulating earth berm sprinkled with drought-tolerant plants. A lot of existing vegetation was protected. However, the addition of Palo Verde trees made up for the lack of shade in the space. I chose this project because we were able to provide a healthy and aesthetically pleasing space for students and faculty. Overall, I am happy we met the project’s objectives. It turned out to be a poetry in gold.”

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Genesis at Millenia
Chula Vista, CA

Shawna Bortolussi, RLA, LEED-AP
Associate Landscape Architect

“This multi-family project is packed tight with landscape design elements: a set of model homes, a pool recreation area, common area paseos, a linear park with a tot lot, entry areas, detention features and contemporary shade structures. Composing this mosaic of features and spaces, all within relatively tight quarters, posed many challenges. I chose this project because our client, Meridian Communities appreciates the value of recreation, open space and landscape design. They were a very enjoyable partner to work with.”

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Valley View Casino Expansion
Valley Center, CA

Cristina Soutowood, MA
Associate

“I chose this project because as we work with our Delawie team members we have been able to think outside the box when selecting interesting materials, pattern layouts and the plant palette. The concept we designed ties in the futuristic feel of the grand overhead canopies. The planting areas surrounding the entry are demarcated by COR-TEN steel walls at varying heights with monochromatic swaths of plant material tied together by the modern feel of Acacia cultriformis and gorgeous chartreuse Palo Verdes.”

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Fortuna Farms
Rancho Santa Fe, CA

Alex Wade
Junior Associate

“I found this project most interesting because I was designing an equestrian farm, something I’ve never done before. I dealt with city code and HOA requirements and it helped me learn a lot about our company design standards in the process.”

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Third Avenue
Chula Vista, CA

Eric Tran
Associate

“This project, partnering with Stephen Dalton Architects, is a mixed-use project proposed on a vacant lot. Projects like this are exciting since they promote redevelopment and revitalization of a city. Despite the size of the project, they still have their challenges and opportunities that make them just as fun and exciting as larger-scale projects.”

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Torrey Plaza
La Jolla, CA

Brian Frederick
Associate

“Torrey Plaza was a collaborative office place transformation project that we worked on with Gensler San Diego. The living wall was a fun art project for me and a big learning experience. It is the highlight of the patio space, which is now connected to a major core access through the front entry. We also worked with Gensler on furniture layout and the aesthetic goals which were represented in the final product from our 3D ideations.”

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Thank you to all of our clients, colleagues, family and friends who have made 2017 so gratifying!
We look forward to the exciting things blossoming for McCullough in 2018!

Holiday Greetings from McCullough

Season's Greetings

All of us at McCullough wish you peace, joy and prosperity throughout the coming year.
During this holiday season, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our seasons bright. It is in this spirit that we say thank you and best wishes
for the holidays and New Year.

In honor of the holidays, our office will be closed from Monday, December 25
through Tuesday, January 3, 2018.

This vibrant landscape is of our project at Montecito Swim Club in Chula Vista, CA.

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McCullough Energizes Native Habitats in Urban Spaces

Recently featured in the San Diego Business Journal, Senior Associate Landscape Designer Benjamin Arcia describes how our firm's landscape design lends itself to the bigger picture of urban habitats. Our work creates interconnectedness in the green spaces of our city. By designing with native plants, pervious paving and other unique details, we contribute to spaces that promote the natural environment rather than disrupt it.

“As we learn more about the relationships around us, we discover more ways to make design interact in a positive way with nature.”
– Benjamin Arcia, M.U.D. of McCullough

AS SEEN IN SAN DIEGO BUSINESS JOURNAL

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PAVING THE WAY WITH MIXED-USE DESIGN

In the December 2017 issue of Hatch magazine, McCullough demonstrates prowess in mixed-use design featuring their alluring project, the home to The Alexandria Real Estate Headquarters. Coupled with the open-air Farmer & the Seahorse restaurant, located on the bluffs of Torrey Pines, the location provides a unique meeting place for biotech professionals and other business people to relax and exchange ideas.

Read the article >
View more of this project >

AS SEEN IN HATCH MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2017

Landscape Design: The Ultimate Return on Investment

Two of our most recent projects, we believe, deserve extra special attention. We honestly can't claim all the credit. In fact, in both cases there was an amazing collaboration that made these projects extraordinary—our clients, the contractors, and the stake-holders, to name a few. It's truly an honor to have the opportunity to be involved in these projects. We feel it should be noted in the following cases, by investing in good design clients were able to surpass their project goals!

Case Study 1: Sharp Coronado Hospital Entry and Arrival Remodel Project

We joined the AVRP Skyport/Nielson Dillingham team in a competitive design-build pursuit. Working closely with the AVRP Skyport team, we developed computer-generated 3D renderings of our vision for the campus. We were honored to win the pursuit and our client took our renderings immediately to the community to raise support. They got the support they needed, and one donor fully funded the project! The entry landscape paved the way for the largest campaign in the hospital’s history. They secured more than $14 million in contributions to support the creation of a new entry and state-of-the-art Outpatient Pavilion. The entry project cost was originally estimated at $750,000. The impact of our design generated a 1,867% return on investment in future donations.

Case Study 2: San Diego State University Centennial Mall Modernization

A project originally envisioned by campus planners Laura Shinn and Robert Schultz had a budget of $750,000. Once the project came out of the ground, a philanthropist took notice and donated $1,000,000 to the school towards the project (a 133% return on investment).

In a world where society is increasingly focused on enhancing the quality of the environment, the value placed on landscape architecture cannot be underestimated. Our work is most successful when we able to calculate a return on the investment for our clients. Especially when, as these two case studies illustrate, the return is well above expectations. Because we develop incredible new spaces for people to live, work and play, our clients are experiencing the true value of landscape architecture.

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A Time For Thankfulness

During this season we joyfully express our sincere appreciation for your trust and loyalty throughout the year.
We are deeply grateful and extend to you our best wishes for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving Day!

This beautiful photo was taken of our project at Farmer & the Seahorse at The Alexandria in La Jolla.

Rejuvenating a Garden That Inspires

As the heart of their community, the central green had become a sea of brown grass. The residents at Vista Del Monte, a highly desirable senior living facility located in Santa Barbara, had deserved better. They needed a space to relax and enjoy, filled with life and color. The residents and management were under direction to reduce their water consumption. However, a dead lawn was not serving the community in any way. McCullough Landscape Architecture was invited to work with the ownership staff, residents and general contractor to imagine a solution that achieved a wide range of goals. The design was primarily focused on facilitating social interaction. Other goals for the design were to be cost-effective, colorful, drought tolerant and a space for promoting outdoor activities.

McCullough’s landscape consisted of many diverse design elements. A few of these elements included:

• Masses of colorful native plants that mixed with lush woodland species (which are well suited for shady areas beneath the mature pines and magnolias)
• Special attention was placed on preserving a grove of mature trees that had large root zones, posing a challenge for circulation
• Soft, curvilinear decomposed granite walkways which swayed through textural, mounded garden areas
• Quiet seating areas, or pods, were positioned throughout the garden
• A turf area was reduced by 2/3 through a small formal lawn, allowing a familiar landscape for the residents to remain while also reducing water usage

McCullough has designed a space where the residents are able to fully enjoy the garden  and surrounding nature.

Shawna A. Bortolussi, LEED-AP
Associate Landscape Architect, McCullough Landscape Architecture

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McCullough: Experts on Mixed-Use Urban Development

In a recent article published in the San Diego Business Journal, McCullough discusses how Public-Private Space in Mixed-Use Development can transform the landscape of San Diego.

“It’s a neighborhood, a community, and perhaps most importantly home to families and individuals who live, work, and play within their community,” said David McCullough.

As Seen In San Diego Business Journal