A CASE STUDY METHOD FOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Mark Francis, FASLA

Landscape Architecture Foundation, Washington, D.C.

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Copyright 1999
Landscape Architecture Foundation
636 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3736

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced without written
permission from the Landscape Architecture Foundation.

The graphic design and electronic publishing of the Land and Community Case Study
series was supported by a grant from the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in
the Fine Arts.

The CLASS Fund, through the Ralph Hudson Environmental Fellowship, provided
support for the printing and distribution of the report.

A CASE STUDY METHOD FOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Final Report to the Landscape Architecture Foundation, Washington, D.C.

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Revised, July 16, 1999

Mark Francis, FASLA

Landscape Architecture Program
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA 95616
(916) 752-6031; (916) 752-1392 (Fax)
[email protected]
lda.ucdavis.edu/dept/lda/faculty/francis.html

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Contents

Executive Summary/Abstract
Acknowledgments

3
3

Introduction
Study Approach
Project Objectives
Study Approach and Methods
The Case Study Method and a Definition
Use in Other Professions/Fields
Similar Efforts
The Value of Case Studies
Some Limitations
Case Studies in Landscape Architecture
Some Key Issues in Case Study Analysis
Seminal Case Studies in Landscape Architecture
Critical Dimensions
A Suggested Format for Case Studies
Methods
A Landscape Typology
An Issue Typology
Sample Case Studies
Bryant Park, New York City
The Sea Ranch, California
Implications/Recommendations to LAF
Conclusions/Future Work
Bibliography
Some Useful Web Sites
Some Useful Listserves

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5
6
7
7
9
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12
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15
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35
36
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Appendices:
A. Individuals and Organizations Contacted
B. Questions Asked in Interviews
C. Urban Land Institute Project Reference Files
D. Contemporary Landscape Inquiry Project
E. Lincoln Land Institute Research Projects

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Author

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

A CASE STUDY METHOD FOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Executive Summary/Abstract
Case studies are widely used in most professions, including medicine, law, engineering,
business, planning and architecture. This practice is also becoming increasingly
common in landscape architecture. The primary body of knowledge in landscape
architecture is built up through written and visual documentationstoriesof projects,
be it well known ones such as New Yorks Central Park or more modest projects such as
a small neighborhood park. Together, these cases provide the primary form of
education, innovation and testing for the profession. They also serve as the collective
record of the advancement and development of knowledge in landscape architecture.
This report summarizes a research project commissioned by the Landscape Architecture
Foundation (LAF) in 1997 and completed in 1998 for development of a case study
method for landscape architecture. The report concludes that a case study method is a
highly appropriate and valuable approach in landscape architecture. The body of
research and practice in landscape architecture is already based to some degree on a case
study method. Many past designed projects, research studies and educational curricula
have utilized a case study approach. The profession lends itself especially well to this
type of critical analysis. With increased rigor and funding, the case study method
promises to be an increasingly common and effective form of analysis and dissemination
for landscape architects.
The Landscape Architecture Foundation is well positioned to take a leadership role in
advancing the quality of practice and knowledge of case studies in landscape
architecture. The report suggests several parallel actions the Foundation can take alone
and with others to advance utilization of the case study method in environmental design
in general and landscape architecture in particular. It specifically calls on LAF to begin a
three year Case Studies Initiative to fund the preparation and publication of ten or
more new case studies a year, organized around geographic region and project type.
These cases, to be selected by a review panel appointed by LAF, would be made
available in several forms including publications, online, and in a Case Study Institute to
be administered by LAF in cooperation with ASLA and other related organizations. A
large audience exists for such a service, including professionals, academics, public
officials, and the general public.
Acknowledgments
I would like to express my gratitude to the Landscape Architecture Foundation and its
Board for their foresight in commissioning this study. I would especially like to thank
Frederick Steiner, ASLA, LAF Vice President for Education and Research, and Professor
at Arizona State University, and Susan Everett, FASLA, the Foundations executive

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

director, for their valuable assistance and encouragement during this project. The
CLASS Fund provided valuable support through its Ralph Hudson Environmental
Fellowship. I want to thank my graduate research assistant Mary Bedard for her help
with this project and Susan Palo for editing suggestions. I would also like to thank the
many people who gave of their time to inform this project. While I have purposely kept
their input confidential, their voices are heard throughout this report.

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

A CASE STUDY METHOD FOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Outstanding new projects can result from putting a new twist on ideas from the
past.
Urban Land Institute, 1998

Introduction
Case studies have a long and well-established history in landscape architecture. They
are how landscape architects tell stories about and inform their colleagues and the
public about their work. In doing so, they establish and communicate the professions
unique place in history. Case studies have been frequently used in landscape
architecture education and research. Practitioners have also utilized them to a more
limited extent. As the profession develops more of its own theory and knowledge base
and communicates this more broadly, the case study method promises to be an effective
way to advance the profession.
The purpose of this present study, commissioned by the Landscape Architecture
Foundation in 1997 and completed in 1998, is to explore ways that case study analysis
can be more effectively used in landscape architecture. Recommendations include
launching a Case Study Initiative to support development of new case studies and to
disseminate them through publications, professional and continuing education, and the
World Wide Web.
Project Objectives
As defined by LAF and the author, this project has several related goals:

Advance and improve the level of practice and scholarship in landscape architecture
through the development of a case study method that can be used to critically
document and evaluate projects and issues;

Develop a case study method that can be used in undergraduate and graduate
education and could be easily adopted by teachers, students, researchers, and
practitioners;

Create a way to provide accessible knowledge of designed and natural landscapes so

that future practice can be better informed by past experience;

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Expand the depth of critical analysis in landscape architecture so that the value of
landscape architecture can be more effectively communicated to the public and
allied professions; and

Advance the state of the art of landscape architecture research and practice.

Study Approach and Methods

The research approach used to develop a case study method for landscape architecture
involved several steps:

A review of past approaches to case study analysis in other professions and the
social and ecological sciences, including a summary of the benefits and limitations of
this approach.

A review how environmental design professionals and researchers have utilized case
study analysis for designed and natural places. This review included an
examination of research reports, journal articles, books, and project descriptions in
professional magazines. In addition, existing sources of case study analysis that
exist on the Web (such as the University of Torontos Web archive) and at other
organizations (such as the Urban Land Institute, Lincoln Land Institute, Urban Parks
Institute, etc.) were identified and evaluated.

Interviews with several leading researchers and practitioners (see Appendix A) to

assess how they would see a case study method being useful in future research and
practice. Questions asked in the interviews conducted in early 1998 included: What
is the value/limitations of case study analysis in landscape architecture (design,
teaching, research)? Seminal projects/examples/literature? Critical dimensions to
include in case study analysis? Would you use a case study archive in your practice,
teaching? If so, how? What recommendations would you make to LAF to advance
this kind of work? Interviewees were asked to suggest additional key people to talk
with, although not all were contacted due to time limitations.

In addition, the same questions were posed as an electronic survey via some key
listservers, including the Landscape Architecture Electronic Forum, Child-Youth
Environments, Environmental Design Research Association and Urban Parks
Institute listserve (addresses are listed at the end of the Bibliography). Responses
received are summarized in this report.

Development of a set of critical dimensions important to document with case study

analysis. These include items such as baseline data, key actors, site context, funding,
major design principles, perceptions of success, use, meaning, maintenance and
management, evaluation, etc. How to collect and present this type of data is
discussed.

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

After completion of a draft report in April 1998, it was submitted for review to LAF
and its board. In addition, I conducted a critical review by sending the draft for
comment to those who were interviewed as part of my research as well as other
leading landscape architecture practitioners and academics and selected people from
other fields (e.g., planning, urban development, land conservation, etc.). Those that
provided input are listed in Appendix A).

In addition to this final report summarizing the results of the study to LAF, the results
will be more widely disseminated on LAFs Web site and in a manuscript to be
submitted to Landscape Journal and a more popular article for LAND or Landscape
Architecture.
The Case Study Method and a Definition
The case study method has long been utilized in various professions and fields as an
established method of education and research1. Law, business, medicine, engineering,
and public policy (Yin, 1976, 1993, 1994; Stake, 1995) all have used the case study. Fields
such as sociology, economics and psychology also use case studies as a research method.
Case studies often serve to make concrete what are often generalizations or purely
anecdotal information about projects and processes. They also bring to light exemplary
projects and concepts worthy of replication or broader dissemination.
While case study definitions have taken different forms, I offer the following definition
of a case study as one well suited for landscape architecture:
A case study is a well-documented and systematic examination of the process, decisionmaking and outcomes of a project that is undertaken for the purpose of informing future
practice, policy, theory and/or education.
Case studies can be valuable for a profession in a number of ways. For practitioners,
they can be a source of practical information on potential solutions to difficult problems.
For professional education, case studies are an effective way to teach by example, to
learn problem solving skills and to develop useful evaluation strategies. For the
profession as a whole, case studies are a way to build a body of criticism and critical
theory and to disseminate the effectiveness of landscape architecture outside the
profession.
There are several ways case studies can be used. In the design professions such as
landscape architecture, they typically are used to describe and/or evaluate a project or

For an excellent overview of case study methods and applications as utilized in a

variety of fields see Robert Yins Applications of Case Study Research (1994), and Case
Study Research: Design and Methods, 1993 both published by Sage.

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

process. In other fields, case studies are sometimes used to explain or even predict theory
related to practice or phenomenon. Here multiple case studies are looked at with an eye
for generalizable lessons or principles that can advance knowledge2. Case studies can be
of exemplary projects that are stellar or exceptional projects. They can be conducted of
more typical projects, which may be easier to replicate. They can be done of
contemporary projects as well as more historic types. Successful cases typically include
both aspects.
The literature on case study method is clear on the potential benefits and limitations
(Sommer & Sommer, 1986; Sommer, 1997, Web et. al., 1966; Zeisel, 1990). While there
are many benefits of a case study approach, there are some important limitations as
well. One typical problem is the inability to compare across cases, especially where
different types of data have been collected. In landscape architecture, some designers
consider taking pictures of built projects as a form of case study analysis. Empirical and
critical analysis is often missing. So, too, is the use of systematic methods. There is an
opportunity through the leadership of LAF in cooperation with organizations such as
the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Council of Educators in
Landscape Architecture (CELA) and others to increase the level of rigor and application
of case study analysis in landscape architecture. They can show how case studies can
both better inform practice and advance the state of the art of landscape architectural
research.
Case study analysis is one of several well-established research methods in landscape
architecture3. Case studies typically utilize a variety of research methods. These include
experimental (Ulrich, 1984), quasi-experimental (Zube, 1984), historical (Walker and
Simo, 1994), story telling/anecdotal documentation (McHarg, 1996) as well as multimethod approaches4.
Use of Case Studies in other Professions/Fields

I am grateful to Robert Sommer of the University of California, Davis for pointing

out to me that it is often in the looking across multiple case studies with an eye
toward synthesis and patterns rather than the individual case study that common
themes and principles can be identified. An excellent example of this are the
Kaplan books The Experience of Nature (1989) and With People in Mind (1998) which
summarize many case studies of people-plant relations and presents them as
patterns and principles useful for design and management.
My purpose here is not to review the full array of landscape architecture research
methods. Each method has its place depending on the research approach,
hypothesis and issues to be addressed.
Much of my own case study research has utilized a multimethod approach
combining observational, attitudinal, archival, historical and quantitative methods.

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

The professions of law, medicine, business and engineering have relied on case studies
for education, research and practice. The body of case studies in these fields is well
developed. For example, the case method is a core part of the curriculum in medicine,
law and engineering. The Harvard Business School and Law School routinely use case
studies to train their students, in continuing education and for advanced research. The
case method is now the educational standard in most professional education. There is a
well-developed case study methodology in the social and natural sciences, much of
which is useful for landscape architecture.
While similar to case studies in landscape architecture, the social and natural sciences
employ a well developed case study methodology which differ in some key ways.
Business and law often invent hypothetical case studies for use in education and
practice. These are presented to demonstrate how difficult management or clinical
situations could be handled in real practice. They challenge students and practitioners
to be effective problem solvers and devise solutions to common situations encountered
in practice.
Most similar to uses in landscape architecture are the ways case studies have been used
historically in urban planning, architecture, urban design, and urban land development.
Design education today relies heavily on case studies. Research in architecture,
planning and urban design often rely on a case study approach be it a historical, socialor policy-oriented examination.
Similar Efforts
In the course of my research, I examined a number of existing case study programs and
archives both in landscape architecture and related fields, including planning, urban
land development and urban parks. They include:
Urban Land Institute. The Urban Land Institute has developed a strong record of using
case studies as a focus of their organization dedicated to advancing urban land
development practice. ULIs Project Reference Files contain development details on over
250 innovative and successful projects from 1985. They develop up to twenty new case
studies a year. These are available by mail or on line. Abstracts are free. Subscribers get
access to the full case studies. Cost is $75 for ULI members and $95 for nonmembers.
ULI also uses their cases as the curriculum in their workshops and institutes held in
various parts of the country. More information on ULI and their Project Files is included
in Appendix C.
Contemporary Landscape Inquiry Project (CLIP). The Contemporary Landscape
Inquiry Project at the University of Torontos Virtual Landscape Architecture Library
web site includes over 160 project case studies in landscape architecture, maintained by
landscape architecture faculty and students. The site includes case studies of varying
lengths and qualities, a case study search engine and a way to input new case studies

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

online. According to the projects own description on their web site, case studies of
existing landscape projects are very rough and unedited and are posted as examples and
need more work and better image support, particularly sections and details. This
project represents a good first effort in making notable landscape architecture projects
available to a large audience and provides lessons for what LAF could do to improve the
quality and content of case studies in landscape architecture. More information on CLIP
is included in Appendix D.
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. The Lincoln Institute's goals are to integrate the
theory and practice of land use and taxation and to understand the multidisciplinary
forces that influence them. The Institute explores these issues through three focused
program areas: 1) Program in the Taxation of Land and Buildings, 2) Program in Land
Use and Regulation Program in Land Values, Property Rights and Ownership and 3)
Program in the Taxation of Land and Buildings Actual Value. Much of this research
utilizes a case study approach. Lincoln Land Institute studies are well regarded and
their seminars and conferences have influenced land policy. A few examples of projects
they have sponsored include: Government and Vacant Land: Creating Cityscapes,
Public Policy and Sprawl: Implications of Existing Development Patterns, State-Level
Growth Management, Urban Transformations and Land Use Regulation, and,
Changing Character of Public Spaces in Contemporary Metropolitan Areas. A unique
part of their mission is to examine international as well as national projects. More
information on the Lincoln Land Institute and projects they support is included in
Appendix E.
Trust for Public Land. TPL is a national land conservation organization with a strong
record of advancing urban and rural land preservation and design. They offer several
case study oriented services and publications such as The Power of Parks, Green
Cities Initiative, and GreenSense: Financing Parks and Conservation. They recently
collaborated with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) with funding from the Graham
Foundation to produce and publish an excellent book of case studies on urban parks
(Garvin and Berens, 1997).
Urban Parks Institute. Based in New York City, this institute, established with a $1.6
million grant from the Lila Wallace Readers Digest Fund in 1995, provides training and
advancement of best practices in urban park and open space development. They hold
annual Urban Parks Institutes to bring city officials, academics and practitioners
together to examine advancements in the field. They maintain an excellent web site
Urban Parks Online, which provides case studies of successful urban park projects.
They sell for $30 a set or for $3 each Park Places case studies include a photo of the
project, project background, funding, impacts, lessons learned and a key project contact.
American Planning Association (APA). APAs Planning Advisory Service (PAS) has
developed a large number of planning case studies available to APA and subscribers on
line. About 1,600 planning agencies, consultants, and educational institutions subscribe
to PAS. Since 1949, the service has produced 475 PAS Reportsresearch monographs

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

that provide practical solutions to the problems planners face every day. Subscribers
receive PAS Reports immediately upon releaseeight reports a year. They also receive
the PAS Memo each month. The PAS inquiry service allows subscribers to tap into
APA's vast collection of planning reports, ordinances, regulations, and vertical files on
375 planning subjects. PAS gets about 5,000 calls a year.
Case studies are developed and published by other organizations such as the American
Institute of Architects (AIA), Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA),
and Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA), although mostly through
their conference proceedings, journals or newsletters. This is also true of the American
Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). ASLAs Landscape Architecture publishes
landscape architecture case studies and is closely followed by the profession. ASLAs
Landscape Architecture Technical Information Series (LATIS) is also a potential source
of publishing case studies.
The Value of Case Studies
Robert Yin suggests that the value of case studies is their ability to retain holistic and
meaningful characteristics of real life situations (1994, p. 3). Case study analysis is a
particularly useful research method in professions such as landscape architecture,
architecture, and planning where real world context tends to make more controlled
empirical study difficult.
Case studies can often answer big questions at the intersection of policy and design.
They are useful in participatory planning, for culturally sensitive design, and for studies
trying to refine or test emerging concepts and ideas. Questions posed in case studies by
Ian McHarg, Kevin Lynch, Herbert Gans, and Jane Jacobs 30-40 years ago still form the
basis for much contemporary thinking in environmental design in general and
landscape architecture in particular. From these cases, new normative theory was
developed.
In my review of the literature and in interviews, several valuable benefits of case studies
were identified, especially for landscape architects. These are summarized in six general
areas: teaching, research, practice, theory building, criticism, and communication and
outreach:
Teaching. Landscape architecture today is predominately taught by example. Case
studies are an effective and established way to use examples in the classroom or studio.
Most schools utilize some form of case study method in their curriculum. Case studies
are a useful way for students to gain insight into past projects in order to successfully
design new ones. They are particularly instructive in teaching history and useful for
students in community outreach projects. Case studies are an excellent way to get
students involved in landscape architectural research because the method is easily used
by students, including those early in their training. Examples of past case study

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

approaches to landscape architectural education include McHargs early case study

studios at the University of Pennsylvania focused on the Delaware River Basin, the work
of Carl Steinitz at Harvard where his studios have developed useful information for
specific communities or regions including Monroe County, Pennsylvania (1994) and
Camp Pendelton, California (1996). Clare Cooper Marcus, through the work of her
students in her social factors seminar course at Berkeley, has developed a large body of
case studies of the use and redesign of urban open spaces (Cooper Marcus and Francis,
1997), particularly in the Bay Area5.
More recent examples include Ann Spirns studios at the University of Pennsylvania
developing and evaluating community garden case studies in West Philadelphia, Rob
Thayers studios at UC-Davis developing case study projects in the Putah/Cache Creek
watershed of central California, and John Lyles studios at Cal Poly Pomona on regional
design problems within the Los Angeles Basin. Several courses have utilized case
studies to teach theory in landscape architecture, particularly at Arizona State, Harvard,
UC-Davis and Virginia.
Research. There is a large and well-developed literature on the case study method and
its many applications (see Bibliography). Landscape architectural researchers have
utilized the case methods in post occupancy evaluations, landscape ecology, site
technology and historical analysis6. Many MLA and Ph.D. theses and dissertations are
excellent examples of case study analysis7. Organizations such as the Council of
Educators in Landscape Architecture, the American Society of Landscape Architects and
the Environmental Design Research Association all report on advances in case study
research to some degree at their annual meetings8. Increased use of case studies helps to
expand the research base in landscape architecture as well as to communicate these
research advances to the profession.
Practice. Case studies are a structured way of recording and record keeping for
landscape architectural projects. They are useful in case law and have a value for
defensible practice. Case studies are also a useful way for practitioners to evaluate the
success and failure of projects, although few practitioners do this. Future practice can
build on existing cases by understanding aspects of a project unique to a given context
while gleaning principles useful in similar projects. Case studies can help practitioners

My own interest in the use and meaning of public space began as a student in
Clares course in 1970 where we conducted case studies of Union Square in San
Francisco and several neighborhood parks in Berkeley.
See past ASLA Research Awards in Landscape Architecture for some more notable
examples.
There continues to be a problem of accessing and disseminating these theses. This
is a useful role for LAF especially in developing their web site and publications.
Many of these case studies are published in the Proceedings of these organizations
yet they are still largely unknown and inaccessible to practitioners.

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

replicate successes and avoid failures. Case studies can be helpful in demystifying what
landscape architects do and how projects come together. They can be particularly useful
in the design process as a way of engaging a variety of people in a complex process,
moving from problem identification to creating a solution. Case studies can also serve
as how-to guides which, if well designed and clearly expressed, can lead someone
step-by-step through any process.
Theory Building. While not always used this way, case studies can be instrumental in
developing new theory related to landscape architecture. They can not only describe
but also explain and predict future action. Case studies can be used to develop what
Kristina Hill calls a strategic approach or rules of thumb regarding landscape
architectural projects from the scale of the site to the region (1995). For example, case by
case data on amounts of impervious surface can test the larger community or regional
impacts of a project. Findings from case studies on pedestrian or park behavior can be
used to predict how activity may take place in similar projects9. They can help to
develop models and theory of what makes a particular type of project or development
work (Steinitz, 1995, 1996).
Criticism. A body of criticism is essential for any profession to develop and progress.
Case studies are a useful way to develop criticism in landscape architecture. They can
illuminate both the positive as well as the more negative aspects of projects. Case
studies can also inform the ongoing intellectual debate and critical discussion within
landscape architecture.
Communication and Outreach. Case studies are an effective way to communicate the
results of landscape architectural projects. They are particularly well suited for
reporting in the media and are easily understandable by the public. They can give
visibility to the uniqueness of the profession and its many important contributions.
Some Limitations
While case studies are still one of the best means for communicating lessons in many
fields, they are plagued with difficulties. Some of the most common limitations for
landscape architecture include:

They are often costly to do, especially if they are done well with time spent on site.

For example, William Whytes (1980) case studies of public spaces in Manhattan in
the 1970s first alerted designers and city officials to the importance of use in
making successful outdoor spaces and led to development of policies in many
cities for the design of plazas and public space.

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Project designers, owners and managers may be unwilling to provide frank

information about problems with their projects, information necessary to prepare a
full and critical case study.

They are not as effective on new projects. The Urban Land Institute, for example,
typically waits one or two years after a project is complete before they begin a case
study. Some projects are best evaluated after a decade or more.

Professionals in landscape architecture often lack the scientific background and

training in research methods essential for good case study research.

Comparison across individual cases may be difficult because of a lack of comparable

methods.

Limited information is available on existing case studies. For example, cases done as
graduate theses are rarely published or easily accessible.

A limited number of case studies are available beyond the well-known projects that
tend to be studied over and over again (e.g.: Bryant Park, Central Park, etc.)

Practitioners often do not have the time to find and read case studies.

One risk with case studies is that they may portray only one solution to a problem
and as a result may limit broader creative thinking.

Case studies can sometimes point out failures as well as successes of projects. While
we often learn as much or more from failure than success, professionals are often not
eager to have this aspect of their project highlighted.

Funding is limited for supporting case studies in landscape architecture.

There is often a lack of peer review of case studies unless submitted for publication
in refereed journals such as Landscape Journal, which very few are. As a result,
publications that contain case study projects are not as rewarded in tenure and
promotion cases as much as scientific research10.

Case Studies in Landscape Architecture

10

An exception is when a case study results in a stand-alone monograph or book, it

is rewarded in the tenure system. Examples include Herbert Gans The Urban
Villagers (1966) and Clare Cooper Marcus Easter Hill Village (1975).

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Case study analysis has a long history in landscape architecture. While not always
called case studies, documentation and dissemination of projects have been done since
the days of Olmsted. Many of these are simply documentation and publication of
projects lacking more in-depth and critical review. Professional design awards are a
useful source of exemplary case studies11. Some contemporary landscape architects
have used case studies to develop and test their theories and design ideas. They include
some of the most important landscape architects working today, including Rich Haag,
Randy Hester, Ann Spirn, Ian McHarg, Carl Steinitz, Rob Thayer, John Lyle and Peter
Walker, to name just a few. There is also a sizable literature of landscape architecture
projects based all or in part on case studies (see seminal case study project list below).
There has been recent expansion in the number of case studies, particularly those
published by Process Architecture and Spacemaker Press in the United States.
Some Key Issues in Case Study Analysis
There are several critical issues when doing case studies. It is important to address these
when designing a case study method and carrying out the study. Questions include:
Who does the case study? What is the role of participants in carrying out the case study
(designer, client, and users)? What constitutes success or failure of a project? How will
failures be reported? How can objectivity be insured in carrying out a case study?
Seminal Case Study Projects
There are several seminal projects that make up a large part of the knowledge base as
well as the popular culture of landscape architecture. These single projects as well as
comparative studies of project types have had enormous influence on development of
the profession. They illustrate the impact that well documented case studies have on
past and future practice.
In my interviews, the following single or comparative case studies were cited as seminal
to the theory and practice in landscape architecture. While not a comprehensive survey,
it demonstrates the large number of well recognized case studies that exist that have had
a significant impact on landscape architectural thought and action.
Single Case Studies:

Central Park, New York, NY

Easter Hill Village, Richmond, CA
Gas Works Park, Seattle, WA
Ghiradelli Square, San Francisco, CA
Greenacre Park, New York, NY

Amelia Island, FL
Boston Commons, MA
Bryant Park, New York, NY
Camp Pendelton Study, CA

11

Publications of the professional awards programs of the American Society of

Landscape Architects, the Rudy Bruner Award, and the EDRA/Places Exemplary
Place Awards are rich sources of very good case study projects.

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Community Open Spaces, Francis et.

al., 1984
Contemporary Landscapes of the World,
1990
Design for Human Ecosystems, Lyle,
1996
Design with Nature, McHarg, 1995
Ecological Design, Thompson and
Steiner, 1997
Gardens in Health Care Facilities,
Cooper-Marcus & Barnes, 1995
Great Streets, Jacobs, 1996
Grey World, Green Heart, Thayer, 1994
Image of the City, Lynch, 1961
Modern Landscape Architecture,
Johnson, 1991
The Death and Life of Great American
Cities, Jacobs, 1961
People Places, Cooper Marcus and
Francis, 1997
Politics of Park Design, Cranz, 1982
The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces,
Whyte, 1980
Public Space, Carr et. al., 1992
Urban Parks and Open Spaces, Garvin
and Berens, 1997
Yard, Street and Park, Girling and
Helphand, 1994

Lovejoy & Forecourt Fountains, Portland,

OR
Manteo, NC
National Center for Atmospheric
Studies, Boulder, CO
Reston New Town, VA
Plan for the Valleys, MD
Paley Park, New York, NY
Peoples Park, Berkeley, CA
Raleigh Greenway, NC
Seaside, FL
Seattle Freeway Park, Seattle, WA
Stanford Campus Plan, Palo Alto,
CA
Tanner Fountain, Harvard,
Cambridge, MA
Vietnam Memorial, Washington, DC
Village Homes, Davis, CA
Washington Environmental Yard,
Berkeley, CA
The Woodlands New Town, TX
Comparative Case Studies:
Cities Reborn, 1987
City Form and Natural Process,
Hough, 1984

Critical Dimensions
Case studies can be utilized to bring out several kinds of information. While some of
this information may be unique to the given project and its context, it may also be useful
to advancing knowledge in the profession in general. Elements that a full case study
should include are:

Baseline information/context location, size, client, designer(s), consultant(s),

density, land use type, etc.

Role of key participants Landscape architect? Other professionals? Client? Users?

What is the nature of the team? Who leads the team? Their role in beginning of
project? How has this changed during course of project?

Financial Initial budget? Final costs? Reasons for any difference?

18

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Process Political process? Decision making process? Design process?

Implementation Process? Who influences a projects decisions and outcomes? Why?
How does project come together?

Problem definition and response What problem(s) is the project trying to solve?
Was it solved? If so, how? If not, why not? Were other problems solved?

Goals What are key goals (social, ecological, aesthetic)? How set? Who defined
them? Did goals change during course of project? If so, how?

Program How was program developed? Who developed it? Was it modified
during course of project?

Design Key design concepts? Inspiration for form? How did designer translate
goals into form?

Site visit(s) What does the project look like? How does it work? How does it feel?

Use How is the place used? Who uses? Does not use? How? Scale relationship to
similar projects?

Maintenance and management problems of management and maintenance?

Maintenance costs? Perception of project by space managers?

Perception and meaning How place is perceived and valued?

Scale Size of Project? Dimensions of key elements? Amount of site coverage and
impervious surface?

Time How well does the place fare over time? How does project age
incrementally?

Unique constraints How were they addressed in process?

How is the community served by this project? Social impact? Meaning?

Environmental sensitivity and impact - How is the environment served by this

project? Contribution to sustainability?

Impact on profession How is the profession served by this project? What does it
contribute to the professional knowledge base?

Infrastructure Underlying challenges of site? Technology constraints?

19

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Lessons learned - Place specific versus more generalizable lessons learned?

Theoretical underpinning Why project was done? Question(s) it is trying to

answer? Problem(s) it is trying to solve?

Outside critiques By awards jury? Experts? Users? Review committees? Design

critics? Journalistic reporting? Has there been any controversy associated with the
project? Has this been resolved? If so, how?

A Suggested Format for Case Studies

From this range of knowledge that can make up a case study, at least three levels of
information are possible in a case study analysis. The first, and simplest, is a project
abstract (2-3 pages). The second is a full project case study. The third is more in-depth
case study material with information included of a more contextual or specialized
nature. While each may have a different audience, the need, especially in teaching, is
most critical for the more detailed case study at the second and third level.
Abstract/Fact Sheet

Photo(s)
Project Background
Project Significance and Impact
Lessons Learned
Contact
Keywords

Full Case Study

Project Name
Location
Date Designed/Planned
Construction Completed
Cost
Size
Landscape Architect(s)
Client
Consultants
Managed by
Context
Site Analysis

20

Project Background and

History
Genesis of Project
Design, Development and
Decision Making Process
Role of Landscape
Architect(s)
Program Elements
Maintenance and
Management
Photograph(s)
Site Plan(s)

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

User/Use Analysis
Peer Reviews
Criticism
Significance & Uniqueness
of Project
Limitations
Generalizable Features &
Lessons

Future Issues/Plans
Bibliography of Project
Citations/References
Web Sites/Links
Contacts for Further
Information

In-depth Analysis
There are often more in-depth and case specific considerations unique to the type of case
study. They may include:

Archival research (e.g., project records, newspaper articles, etc.)

Awards or special recognition for project
Copies of articles or reports on project
Interviews with client
Interviews with managers and maintenance people
Interviews with users
Interviews with nonusers
Longitudinal studies of the place over time

Methods/Process
Case study analysis typically involves the following steps: 1) designing the case study,
2) conducting the case study, 3) analyzing the results, and 4) disseminating the results.
Case studies can be done alone or together to compare across projects (Yin, 1994). Case
studies in landscape architecture can be organized around 1) type of project (see
typology), 2) type of problem, 3) geographical region, or 4) designer. Each has its own
unique purpose and benefits.
One methodological issue is who actually should do the case study. It is important that
objectivity be insured in the design and carrying out of the case study. Subjectivity can
be avoided if other people (such as academics, journalists, and users) are involved in
preparing the case study. The person or team that prepares the case study needs to be
free of bias and skilled in asking questions, listening, and comprehending the type of
place and issues involved.
Information for case studies can be gathered in a variety of ways. It is important to be
systematic and consistent in using the methods. Most successful case studies utilize a
variety of methods such as the following:

21

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Site visits
Site analysis
Historical analysis
Design process analysis
Behavioral analysis
Interviews with designer(s), developer(s), manager(s), public officials, etc.
Interviews with users and non-users
Archival material searches including project files, newspaper articles, public records,
etc.
Bibliographic searches
Web searches

A Landscape Typology
Case studies can be organized in several ways. One is geographically-based to
document projects within a region or part of the country or world. Another is by type of
funding, decision-making, or role of the landscape architect. A third is by project type,
which is particularly helpful to compare and learn across projects. Case studies of
projects can follow a typology for landscape architecture that may include the following
types (partial listing)12:

12

Campuses
Cemeteries
City Plans
Community Open Spaces
Gardens (Private)
Gardens (Public)
Greenways/Parkways
Historic Landscapes
Housing Environments
Institutional and Corporate Landscapes
Landscape Planning
Metropolitan Open Spaces
National Forests
National Parks
New Community Design
Plazas

This typology is adapted from W. Tishler (Ed.) American Landscape Architecture.

Washington: National Trust for Historic Preservation,1989 and Carr et. al. Public
Space. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992.

22

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Recreational Areas
Regional Plans
Restored Natural Landscapes/Reclamation
State Parks
Streets
Urban Parks
Waterfronts

An Issue Typology
Case studies could also be conducted and organized around issues that face landscape
architects. While any types of issues are possible, they could address, for example13:

Approaches to community participation

Design decision making
Development costs
Low cost urban parks
Use and users
Meaning
Park management and maintenance
Permanency in community gardens

Two Case Study Examples - Bryant Park and The Sea Ranch
To illustrate how case study analysis could be structured, two seminal landscape
architecture projects are developed as example case studies: The Sea Ranch in Northern
California (New Community Design/Landscape Planning) and Bryant Park in midtown
Manhattan (Urban Parks). I know both projects well, having lived in one for several
summers and worked across the street from the other for three years. I have also been
involved in research on both places. They are not presented here as full or complete
cases but abbreviated illustrations of the type of information that should be included in
case studies of landscape architecture projects. I refer readers to the case studies and
publications cited on these two projects.
I have chosen these two projects because there is a significant and accessible body of
case study material already published on each, including reports from the designers and
critical writing by others including designers and journalists. While these are larger

13

I am indebted to Anne Vernez Moudon of the University of Washington- Seattle

for pointing out that case studies are especially needed that address processes and
issues as well as specific types of projects.

23

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

scale and complex projects, they both represent the breadth and depth of issues found in
landscape architectural projects.

24

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Case Study Example: Bryant Park, New York City14

PROJECT NAME
LOCATION
DATE DESIGNED/PLANNED
CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED
CONSTRUCTION COST
SIZE
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT(S)
CLIENT/DEVELOPER
CONSULTANTS/ARCHITECTS
MANAGED BY

Bryant Park
Avenue of the Americas between 41st and
42nd Streets, behind New York Public
Library, Manhattan
Original design completed in 1934;
Redesigned early 1990s
Built in phases from 1991 to 1995
Park Rehabilitation = $5.9 million
4.6 acres
Hanna/Olin, Landscape Architects
New York City Parks Department & Bryant
Park Restoration Corporation (BPRC)
Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer, New York City
New York City Parks Department & Bryant
Park Restoration Corporation (BPRC)

Context. Bryant Park, located one block from Times Square and behind the main branch
of the New York Public Library, is a major public open space in Manhattans bustling
midtown. It is located in a busy office and educational district of Manhattan and serves
as an outdoor retreat for office workers, tourists, and students. In the 1970s it was
populated by drug dealers and the homeless. Today it is heralded as a revitalized and
democratic urban public space that can serve as a model for other cities.
The history of the park graphically demonstrates some of the conflicts inherent in
managing public spaces in dense urban centers. Considering its location, the notion of
Bryant Park as a place for relaxation can be viewed as appropriate on one hand and
unrealistic on the other. Clearly many urbanites seek a place of retreat from the activity
of the city, and Bryant Park is one of the few places in central Manhattan that could
conceivably offers this respite. Indeed, in their 1976 study of the park, Nager and

14

Material for this case is drawn from Biederman, D.A. and Nager, A.R. 1981. Up
from smoke: A new improved Bryant Park? New York Affairs, 6: 97-105; Carr, S., M.
Francis, L. Rivlin and A. Stone. Public Space. New York: Cambridge University
Press. 1994; Garvin, A. and G. Berens. 1997. Urban Parks and Open Space.
Washington: The Urban Land Institute; Longo, G. 1996. Great American Public Places.
New York: Urban Initiatives; Nager, A. R. & W.R. Wentworth. 1976. Bryant Park: A
comprehensive evaluation of its image and use with implications for urban open
space design. New York: CUNY Center for Human Environments; and Thompson,
W. The Rebirth of New York Citys Bryant Park. Washington: Spacemaker Press. 1997.

25

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Wentworth found that relaxing or resting was the most frequent activity engaged in by
the park users they interviewed.
However, as these same researchers suggest, some of the very factors that made the park
a place for retreat and relaxation, such as its ample vegetation and the stone fences
separating it from the street, also encouraged its intensive use by drug dealers, who
operated easily in the semi-seclusion of the park during the 1970s until its
redevelopment in 1990s. During the 1970s it became clear that some design or
management changes were necessary in order to counteract the appropriation of the
park by dealers and their clients and to increase its use by a wider range of people,
including local office workers and shoppers. This concern gave rise to current redesign
and development of the park, completed in phases from 1991 to 1995.
Site Analysis. Bryant Park is bounded on three sides by streets and on the fourth by the
back of the New York Public Library. Two of the three streets, 42nd and Avenue of the
Americas, are heavily trafficked. Historic elements include a stand of heritage Sycamore
trees on the site framing a central lawn area and a plaza at the western end. There are
stunning views of the skyline of midtown Manhattan from most parts of the park, and
the New York Public Library building forms a strong visual edge at the east end of the
Park. Wally Wentworth and Anita Nager (1976) conducted a behavioral analysis of
Bryant Park in the early 1970s followed by filming and observation of use of the park by
the sociologist William Whyte. Landscape architect Laurie Olin conducted detailed
sketches, site analysis and redesign studies of the park in 1980s15. Several economic
studies were done on the importance and redevelopment of the park during that same
period.
Project Background and History. While Bryant Park has served as a public open space
since the mid-1850s, its main configuration was established in 1934 and then modified in
the early 1990s. Bryant Park was originally a potters field in 1823. It was developed as
a park in 1847 and named Reservoir Parkafter the city reservoir that was constructed
on the site now occupied by the public library (Berens, 1998, p. 45). In 1884, it was
renamed Bryant Park after the poet William Cullen Bryant, who was a strong advocate
for parks. When Robert Moses became head of the New York City Parks Department in
1923, he mounted a major redevelopment of the park. Moses intended the park to be a
place of "restful beauty," with ample trees and hedges, rather than a space for active
recreation (Biederman & Nager, 1981). Moses held a design competition, and the
winning design converted the park into a classically influenced formal space,
surrounded by a stone fence and laid out in a symmetrical fashion.
Until then the park was on grade with the surrounding sidewalk, but fill was used from
nearby subway construction to raise the park above the surrounding streets. Gayle

15

See Olins engaging sketches pp. 9 17 in W. Thompson, The Rebirth of New York
Citys Bryant Park. 1997.

26

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Berens of the Urban Land Institute, who has written an excellent and detailed case study
of the park, attributes the decline of the park to the late 1960s when it was ignored by
leisure-time users (1998, p. 46). The recent redevelopment effort was made largely to
address the perception of Bryant Park as a needle park for drug dealing (Longo, 1997).
Years of neglect, deterioration and problems of use led the Rockefeller Brothers Fund to
fund a reexamination of the park. The fund brought in noted public space expert
William Whyte, who used past research on the park to create a formula for redesign (see
Program).
After Whytes report, the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation, a public-private
partnership, was formed to redevelop the park and a team of designers was hired.
Construction of the park took place in the early 1990s and the park has enjoyed a rebirth
and transformation as a result. Today it is a well-used and popular open space in
midtown Manhattan.
Genesis of Project. The recent redevelopment of Bryant Park grew out of significant
social and crime problems with the park, especially during the 1970s. To redevelop the
park, the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation, a private nonprofit group funded
primarily by corporations located near the park and the Rockefeller Brothers' Fund, was
founded in 1980. While the Corporation dealt extensively with maintenance and
security issues in cooperation with the City's Parks and Police Departments, its major
goal was "to fill Bryant Park with activity, to attract to the park as many legitimate users
as possible" (Bryant Park Restoration Corporation, 1981). In the years it has operated,
the restoration group in conjunction with the Parks Council, the Public Art Fund, and
other organizations has been responsible for an array of events and new activities in the
park. These include several concert series, an artists-in-residence program, arts-andcrafts shows, a booth selling half-price tickets to musical and dance events, and book
and flower stalls (Carr et. al, 1992). It is generally agreed that these activities, along with
improvements in policing and maintenance, significantly increased park use and
reduced crime (Fowler, 1982). However, it was clear that more had to be done to restore
and refresh the park. Landscape architects Hanna Olin were hired in the early 1990s to
redesign the park. Their design goal was to make the park a multiuse and user-friendly
urban open space.
Design, Development and Decision-Making Process. Six million dollars worth of
physical changes were made to the park in several phases in the early 1990s. These
included adding more seating, increasing access points, refurbishing hedges, lawns and
flower beds, restoring the fountains and Bryant statue, and expanding the librarys
central book stacks underneath the Great Lawn (Program on Public Space Partnerships,
1987). The office of Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates, a firm known for being
sensitive to historical landmarks, was hired as architects for the restaurant addition at
the rear of the New York Public Library facing the park. This proposal to encroach into
the public park with a private development received considerable opposition, including
objections from the influential private advocacy group, the Parks Council. After three
years of public debate and review, a scaled-down proposal called for two smaller

27

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

buildings on the upper terrace, one housing an upscale restaurant, the other concessions
for lower cost food. Design coupled with an aggressive programming of events,
increased maintenance (including an annual maintenance budget of $2 million and 35
full time staff) and new elements such as food, music and movable seating provided the
ultimate formula for success for the park (Thompson, 1997; Berens, 1998).
Role of Landscape Architect(s). Landscape architect Laurie Olin and his firm Hanna
Olin played a major role in the design and redevelopment process16. Their concern was
design, rather than sociology since the existing park had many physical problems
ranging from years of neglect to numerous dead ends, hidden places and general lack of
amenities. In the end, many of the changes were subtle, building on the classical
principles of Mosess 1930s design.
Program Elements. The park redesign program was essentially identified in the original
behavioral research done by Anita Nager and Wally Wentworth, two doctoral students
in environmental psychology at the City University Graduate Center, directly facing the
park (Nager & Wentworth, 1976.). William Whyte summed up the problems with the
park as Access is the nub of the matter. Psychologically, as well as physically, Bryant
Park is a hidden place. The best way to meet the problem is to promote the widest
possible use and enjoyment by people. (quoted in Berens, 1998, p. 46). Whyte
translated this observation into a number of specific recommendations in 197917:

Remove the iron fences;

Remove the shrubbery;
Cut openings in the balustrades for easier pedestrian circulation in and out of the
park;
Improve visual access up the steps on the Avenue of the Americas;
Provide a third set of steps midway between the existing stairs and 42nd Street;
Provide ramps for the handicapped;
Open up access to the terrace at the back of the library with new steps;
Restore the fountain; and
Rehabilitate Carrere and Hastings historic restroom structures.

While not all these ideas were adopted in the final design program, they became the
essential redesign agenda for Bryant Park. A number of additional elements were
included in the park including 2,000 movable folding chairs, extensive new planting (to
make the edge of the park more like a public garden). The restrooms were also restored
(complete with fresh flowers and a baby changing table).

16

17

The redesign process and role of the landscape architect for Bryant Park is discussed
in great detail in Thompson, W. The Rebirth of New York Citys Central Park.
Washington: Spacemaker Press. 1997.
William H. Whyte, Revitalization of Bryant Park. Report to the Rockefeller
Brothers Fund. 1979.

28

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Maintenance and Management. One of the keys to the parks rebirth as described in
recent case studies of Bryant Park was its extensive management and maintenance
program (Berens 1998; Thompson 1997). Aggressive activity programming has clearly
played a key in the parks success. For example, numerous free concerts, fashion shows,
and fairs have been held in the Park on a regular basis. A staff of over thirty people
maintain and manage the park including a full time horticulturist, a maintenance and
sanitation crew, and a security team that operates twenty-four hours a day, seven days a
week (Thompson, 1997, p. 33). This unusual level of maintenance is made possible by a
unique public-private partnership between the City of New York (who in many ways
gave up its claim to maintaining the park), corporate and institutional tenants of
surrounding buildings, and the private foundations. A Business Improvement District
(BID) assesses fees that are used to fund management and staff maintenance for the
park18.
User/Use Analysis. Significant behavioral problems identified in several detailed
studies of the park led to the current redevelopment. In the early 1970s, the detailed
study conducted by environment psychology doctoral students Anita Nager and Wally
Wentworth (1976) identified many of the core physical problems with the park. Many of
these were perceived safety concerns that kept people out of the park except during
peak periods. My faculty office at the City University Graduate Center was directly
across the street from Bryant Park from 1977-80. and I frequently used the park during
lunch hours and on nice days. I also had my students use the park as a way to evaluate
the use and meaning of urban parks. The park was run down but a pleasant retreat
from the busy world of Midtown Manhattan. One would see drug dealing occurring on
the edge of the park, but the Central Lawn was often a safe haven especially during
periods of heavy use19. It was this perceived sense of danger that led planners and land
owners to want to change the park.
Since redesign, amount of use and diversity of users have clearly increased in the park.
Park use has reportedly more than doubled since the redesign and female use of the
park is up considerably based on records kept by the managers (Thompson, 1997, p. 33).
A postoccupancy evaluation was conducted after some construction was completed in
1993 by a student in the same CUNY environmental psychology program that

18

19

For a detailed discussion of how the Business Improvement District was used to
rebuild and maintain Bryant Park see Gayle Berens, Bryant Park, p. 48, 1998.
It was interesting to me that the drug buyers I observed were typically well dressed,
office workers from surrounding offices. This has been found to be the case in
studies of drug selling behavior in public space (Carr et. al, 1992). One wonders if
this activity has only shifted to less supervised and policed public spaces. The
problem in Bryant Park was that during periods of low use of the park, drug dealing
was the predominate activity in the park.

29

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

conducted the original 1976 study of the park20. Using behavioral observation and
interview methods, the author found that increased visual and physical access resulted
in people feeling safer using the park. The CUNY study found much of the success was
due more to increased maintenance and policing than physical design. It is clear
however that the redesign is a magnet for users and contributes to the parks overall
success. Continued observation, evaluation, programming, and redesign will be needed
to keep the park functioning as a successful urban park.
Peer Reviews. Bryant Park has enjoyed a very favorable acceptance by the larger
landscape architecture and urban design community. It has received many awards from
organizations such as the American Society of Landscape Architects, the American
Institute of Architects and the Regional Plan Association (Thompson, 1997, p. 34). It has
been widely publicized in professional magazines and books. Bryant Park was selected
by a distinguished jury assembled by Urban Initiatives in 1996 as one of the 60 most
flourishing and successful public spaces in America (Longo, 1996). In 1998 it won one of
the first Exemplary Place Awards by the Environmental Design Research Association
and the journal Places (Places, 1998) awarded by a jury that included the landscape
architect Lawrence Halprin, architect Donlyn Lyndon and social researcher Clare
Cooper Marcus. As far as peer review, Bryant Park has become one of the most
publicized and heralded urban parks since Olmsteds Central Park.
Criticism. Bryant Park has also enjoyed quite favorable reviews in the popular press.
According to Bill Thompson (1997, p. 34), Time magazine named Bryant Park the Best
Design of 1992, New York Magazine called it a touch of the Tuileriesthe perfect
endorsement for restoring public space with private funds, and a New York Times article
by Paul Goldberger called the restored park a monument of pure joy.
Yet the redesigned park has not been without critics. Some have expressed fear that the
park has become privatized. With its redesign and upgrading and addition of
expensive restaurant, the park has attracted more of an upscale clientele and
discouraged use by more undesirable users.
Urban designer Stephen Carr, landscape architect Mark Francis, environmental
psychologist Leanne Rivlin and planner Andrew Stone raised a number of concerns
before redevelopment of the park took place (Carr et. al., 1992). First we worried if
Bryant Park could accommodate all of these new activities and still serve as a place of
retreat and relaxation for some of its users. Another issue was who has ultimate control
over public parks. In spring 1983, the Restoration Corporation, in cooperation with the
New York Public Library, entered into a 35-year agreement with the City Parks
Department whereby the Corporation would be responsible for all aspects of the park's
maintenance, management, and renovation, under the overall supervision of the City's

20

Park, S. Post-occupancy evaluation of Bryant Park. New York: Environmental

Psychology Program, City University Graduate Center, 1993.

30

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Parks Commissioner. Responding to the original cafe proposal and the overall
management plan, Peter Berle, then president of the Parks Council said, "I'm concerned
about taking public land, removing it from the protections of public park status and
turning it over to a private entity....If you have a private entity running a public park,
who is to say that you and I may not be the undesirables next year?" (Carmody, 1983, p.
B3).
Significance & Uniqueness of Project. Bryant Park has become a model for how to
transform rundown historic urban parks into lively and successful public spaces. The
private-public partnership used to redevelop Bryant Park has been widely heralded as
one of the best ways to renew older urban open spaces in periods of declining public
funding of parks and open spaces (Berens, 1998).
Limitations. It is unclear if the early success enjoyed at Bryant Park can be sustained
over the long term. Recent declines in funding for maintenance and management for
Bryant Park have caused some to worry whether current levels of use can be maintained
without impacting on the parks overall image and safety.
Generalizable Features and Lessons. The key ingredients of Bryant Parks rebirth
programming, movable seating, food, high quality maintenance, strong design and
detailingare ingredients for any successful public open space. Yet the scale of funding
used to transform Bryant Park is not typically possible even in major parks in other
downtown areas. Yet there is evidence that funding is increasing for park
rehabilitation21.
Bryant Park process and design offer several lessons for the design of similar park
projects. The process used in Bryant Parks transformation is a model for similar
projects. Bryant Park is an exemplar of how behavioral analysis can be combined with
thoughtful design to create successful public spaces. Yet not every urban park can
command a multimillion-dollar budget raised from private sources. Most projects are
more modest in budget and scope. However the principles are the sameget people
involved, do careful social and economic analysis, realize that design alone is often not
enough (programming and management are critical as well) and that good parks must
be continuously evaluated and redesigned to ensure success.
Future Issues/Plans. The Bryant Park Restoration Corporation is continually seeking
additional funding for the park. They would like to extend the park hours and institute

21

A number of private foundations have become funding partners for rehabilitating

urban parks in larger and medium sized cities. Especially noteworthy is the Urban
Parks Initiative of the Lila Wallace Readers Digest Fund that is supporting up to
$100 million in park renovations in various cities. Other foundations are following
Wallaces lead, which include the Goldman Foundation, which are funding
waterfront park projects for the Trust for Public Land in San Francisco.

31

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

a sculpture program (Berens, 1998). In addition they would like to renovate the Pavilion
at the corner of West 40th Street and Sixth Avenue. Landscape architect Laurie Olin
offers the following assessment of the future of the park: The Park now has a
constituency of tens of thousands of people. Its going to endure. (Thompson, 1997, p.
34).
Bibliography and Project Citations or References. See Footnotes or References at end
of report.
Web Sites/Links. See list at end of report.
Contact for Further Information
Laurie Olin
Olin Partnership
421 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 440-0030
(215) 440-0041 (Fax)

32

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Case Study Example: The Sea Ranch, California22

PROJECT NAME
LOCATION
DATE DESIGNED/PLANNED
CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED
SIZE

COST
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT(S)
CLIENT/DEVELOPER
CONSULTANT/ARCHITECTS23

MANAGED BY

The Sea Ranch

Mendocino Coast, northern California
(about 100 miles north of San Francisco)
1963-1968; plan refined and modified since
Being built in phases, currently about 63%
built-out
5200 acres along 11 miles of coastline with
3500 acres developed as home sites and
common areas with the remainder in
permanent open space and forest preserve;
2310 house sites with 1461 houses (or 63 %)
developed by 1997
N/A
Lawrence Halprin, Lawrence Halprin and
Associates, San Francisco
Oceanic Properties (until 1988)
Charles Moore, Donlyn Lyndon, William
Turnbull and Richard Whitaker (MLTW);
Joseph Esherick; Richard Reynolds,
Ecologist; Robert Muir Graves (Golf Course
Architect)
The Sea Ranch Homeowners Association

Context. The Sea Ranch is a planned community located along 11 miles of the Northern
California Coast about a two and one half-hour drive north of San Francisco. Located
just north of Stewarts Point and south of the community of Gualala, The Sea Ranch is a

22

23

There is an extensive literature on The Sea Ranch, including document of the design
process in Lawrence Halprins books such as RSVP Cycles. For this case, I drew
primarily from Lawrence Halprin, The Sea Ranch: Diary of an Idea. Sea Ranch, CA:
Comet Studios, 1995 and R. Sexton, Parallel Utopias: The Sea Ranch and Seaside, San
Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1995. In addition, I employed site visits, interviews and
archival documents including newsletters from The Sea Ranch Association, sales
brochures and other reports.
A number of architects have designed houses in Sea Ranch. Listed here are the
architects for the most noteworthy public buildings in Sea Ranch. These architects
also collaborated with Lawrence Halprin in developing the original design
principles of Sea Ranch. Donlyn Lyndon is currently collaborating with Halprin on
the commercial expansion of the Village Center.

33

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

former Sheep Ranch now transformed into one of the most fashionable yet
environmentally friendly communities in California.
The Sea Ranch is an early and largely successful example of sustainable development.
Along with the Woodlands in Texas, Amelia Island in Florida and Village Homes in
California, Sea Ranch is an example of a large scale residential development planned to
fit the environment. It has become one of the most celebrated and recognized examples
of environmental planning and architecture.
Site Analysis. The Sea Ranch property is one of the most beautiful found along the
California coast. It has a rich ecology ranging from tidal pools to meadows and coastal
forests, all with extensive biological diversity. Visually it is a striking landscape and one
that has been well preserved, especially given the large amount of development that has
taken place over the past three decades. Environmentally, the Sea Ranch has a number
of problems, including strong coastal winds, harsh storms and high risk for forest fires
that occasionally occur along the coast24.
Aided by Richard Reynolds, an ecologist, landscape architect Lawrence Halprin
conducted ecological studies of the site including analysis of climate, wind, and views.
He writes in his own thoughtful and frank autobiography of the project, The Sea Ranch:
Diary of an Idea (1995): We began by camping on the Del Mar Ranch and continued in
that mode for several years, living on the land with the weather, the seasonal changes,
the native inhabitants and the culture of the area. In those days this North Coast was
wild, unfriendly, mostly uninhabited, austere and sometimes belligerent (Halprin,
1995, pp. 4-5). He goes on to say that our most difficult task was to find a way for
people to inhabit this magnificent and natural system without destroying the very
reason for people to come here (Halprin, 1995, p. 26). What Halprin and the other
designers did not realize at the time was that the environmental ideals would become
embraced by the future generations of the environmental movement. Sea Ranch became
a perfect place for some people to express their own environmental concerns.
Halprin decided that the narrow linear form of the parcel and its complex typography
were not conducive to a town like plan (Sexton, 1995, p. 34). His studies led to the
concept of clustering and tucking structures into hedgerows to leave broad natural areas
of open commons and meadows. Overgrazed land was to be rested and allowed to
return to its natural state. The development would become a wildlife preserve.

24

We experienced first hand a wildfire when we were staying at Sea Ranch in the
summer of 1997. In the course of a few minutes, strong north winds spread a small
brush fire through the southern end of Sea Ranch threatening many of the homes
there including Lawrence Halprins own house and that of the Nobel laureate Milton
Friedman. In talking with Halprin a year after the fire, he commented that he
thought that the fire was in fact ecologically healthy and the landscape had healed
itself quickly.

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Residential design would allow houses to blend in and become part of the natural
environment.
Project Background and History25. In 1964, Oceanic Properties, Inc. (later called
Oceanic California, Inc. and now Castle and Cook Development) purchased the ten-mile
Del Mar Ranch. In 1964, Sonoma County approved a Precise Development Plan for
the southern one third of the Ranch. A similar plan for the northern two-thirds was
approved in 1968. At this time, the developer gave to the county the 124-acre Gualala
Point Regional Park at the Gualala River estuary. By 1988, all remaining building sites
had been sold.
Genesis of Project. The Sea Ranch began essentially as a developers desire to create a
large housing project on a beautiful undeveloped site. To their credit, the developers
had the foresight to hire landscape architect Lawrence Halprin and a group of
environmentally minded architects in planning their development. According to author
Richard Sexton, who has done a comparative analysis of The Sea Ranch and the new
urbanist community Seaside, Florida, the goals of Sea Ranch planners were to protect
the environment and enrich the lives of its residents (Sexton, 1995, p.27). The goal he
states was to provide an opportunity for people to get back to the land.
It is important to note that planning for The Sea Ranch began before the environmental
movement had become such an integral part of the development review process. It is
clear that The Sea Ranch, even with its environmental sensitivity, would never be
allowed to be developed today given the strict development controls imposed by the
California Coastal Commission and its environmental review process.
Design, Development Process. Sea Ranch was developed with a number of site
planning principles intended to protect the natural and open space quality of this
picturesque part of the California coast. These included keeping houses nestled against
hedgerows, preserving open spaces, and developing an extensive system of trails and
access to the bluffs and beaches. A major planning idea was the development of Open
Space Commons intended to protect nature while providing for public access and
enjoyment. These commons are open spaces preserved or created for their view values
across meadows to oceans, bluffs, special structures, land configurations, etc. These
open spaces would contain hiking, bicycling, and equestrian trails as well as natural
land features such as rock outcroppings, drainage swales, sand dunes, etc.26. About half
of the land in Sea Ranch is kept in commons or permanent open space protection.

25

26

Project history is drawn primarily from The Sea Ranch Association Owners Manual,
The Sea Ranch Association, 975 Annapolis Road, P. O. Box 16, The Sea Ranch,
California 95497-0016, 1996, and interviews with home owners and realtors.
Lewis Owen, Trail research reviewed, p. 3, The Sea Ranch Surroundings, Spring
1991.

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Even with such a clear vision for development of Sea Ranch by Halprin, the plan
required continued refinement and clarification. As early as 1969, the developers hired
landscape architect Yosh Kuromiya to carry forward Halprins original planning in areas
of equestrian and hiking facilities and the impact of expansion of Highway 1 (which
runs the length of Sea Ranch).
Role of Landscape Architect(s). Landscape architect Lawrence Halprin and his office
played a critical leadership role in this project. In fact, The Sea Ranch project allowed
Halprin to develop and test many of his early design principles of integrating people
and nature through design. He writes, For me, The Sea Ranch became the place where
I tested many of the basic ideas on the importance of place as a generator of community
design (Halprin, 1995, p. 11-12). Halprin and his colleagues not only established the
overall plan of conservation and development of the site but also contributed design
guidelines that would ensure that future development would be kept to these principles.
With changes in developers and the involvement of residents, it is a tribute to Halprins
original vision that these principles have largely held up over time.
Program Elements. The Sea Ranch is primarily a second home residential community
planned on 3500 acres. There are 2310 private house sites, of which about two-thirds
have been developed as of 1998. About 80 new homes are being built each year. The
project also includes many miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails that run along its
entire length, two community swimming pools; golf course; community garden; village
center with mailboxes, small gift shop, restaurant, lodge and rental agency. Home sales
prices in 1998 ranged from the mid $200,000 to well over a $1 million.
Maintenance and Management. The Sea Ranch functions with a large number of rules
ranging from those governing trail use and dogs to architectural guidelines. Design
review is an extensive and sometimes contentious process that is strongly linked to the
planning and environmental goals of the community. The Sea Ranch Homeowners Manual
presents a complicated design review process with over 35 steps. Site specific design
and design quality is emphasized. Its Declaration of Restrictions, Covenants and
Conditions states:
It must be assumed that all owners of property within The Sea Ranch, by virtue of
their purchase of such property, are motivated by the character of the natural
environment in which their property is located, and accept, for and among
themselves, the principle that the development and use of The Sea Ranch must
preserve that character for its present and future enjoyment by other owners. It is
also assumed that those who are entrusted with the administration of The Sea Ranch
will discharge their trust in full recognition of that principle and, to the extent
consistent therewith, will foster maximum individual flexibility and freedom of
individual expression.
The Sea Ranch Owners Manual (1996) goes on to state: The Sea Ranch Concept
embraces the idea that we can live lightly on the land, and achieve a harmonious

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

relationship with nature by introducing only structures that seem to exist within the
landscape instead of intruding upon it.
Clearly, design review is intended to reinforce the importance of the landscape and
conspicuous non-consumption while allowing some freedom of expression.
Interpretation of these principles is governed by a Design Committee, an autonomous
body made up of design professionals, who must approve all construction and
landscape changes through an established design review process. They utilize design
criteria, including height, bulk, setbacks and siting standards. Minimum overhangs are
used to maximize solar heating. Roof forms must reflect the slopes of the hills. Only
native plants are allowed and property lines are kept invisible. As stated by the
homeowners association, these restrictions are intended to maintain architectural
quality, protect property values and uphold the philosophy of the early designers and
architects.
The Sea Ranch Trails Code is an example of the strong environmental ethics of the
development. It states:27

Respect the people, the land and the sea

Protect wildlife, plants and trees.
Safeguard streams, tide pools, beaches and ponds
Honor the property of others
Go gently and stay on the trails
Keep horses under control, dogs on leash
No bicycle riding on the bluff trail
Respect the environment
Be responsible for your own safety

Use/User Analysis. The Sea Ranch is comprised of three primary user groups:
homeowners (some of whom live permanently in Sea Ranch), renters and
tourists/passersby. The Sea Ranch with its beautiful natural surroundings, open space
and amenities, enjoys considerable use, both by residents as well as the general public.
Recreational activities include golfing, tennis, swimming, biking and fishing. Visiting
The Sea Ranch during peak seasons, one is struck by the few people ones sees. This is
due to the fact that the development is so spread out and the fact that many people use
it as a retreat from their hectic lives in the city. Many of the old timers know each other
and can be found talking together at their mailboxes, at the recreation centers or when
they pass on trails.
Permanent residents have developed a number of informal groups, clubs and interest
groups to create more of a sense of community. The Sea Ranch Homeowners Manual lists
over 50 cultural, card, exercise and special interest groups ranging from quilting groups

27

The Sea Ranch Trails Guide, The Special Trails Committee, August 1993.

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

to music groups. There is much to do here if one wants to, although as a visitor it is
difficult to get a strong sense of community. It is interesting that with all its publicity
and interest, I could not find a systematic evaluation, such as a post occupancy
evaluation, of The Sea Ranch.
Peer Reviews. Sea Ranch has received substantial recognition from the press and from
the professional design community. It has also received numerous planning and design
awards. The Sea Ranch stands with developments such as McHargs Woodlands in
Texas and Mike and Judy Corbetts Village Homes in Davis, California as one of the
most notable and celebrated ecological developments of this century.
Criticism. The Sea Ranch with all its success and recognition, has attracted criticism28.
Much of it relates to the ephemeral nature of The Sea Ranch as a second home and rental
community. With its strong open space and trail system, it is still primarily an autooriented development (Sexton, 1995). Social diversity is limited. Halprin states that one
of their original goals was to have a great diversity of people in their interests,
backgrounds and hopefully, incomes. (Sexton, 1995, p. 46). This clearly is a goal that
was never realized.
Larry Halprin himself is one of the sharpest critics of how The Sea Ranch has evolved
differently than intended. He writes, In my mind, The Sea Ranch started out to be a
new kind of utopia. It was a vision of how a like-minded group of people could live
together under a set of environmental and aesthetic premises and constraints and
govern themselves to maintain an agreed upon value system. The entry of the new
settlers was encouraging and ecologically synergistic. But as time went on, the
succeeding waves of people flawed the experience for me (Halprin, 1995, p. 54). This
shift is also true of most other planned utopian communities from Greenbelt, Maryland
to Seaside, Florida. Halprin is also critical of the way houses have grown in size and
their distraction from the open space quality of the development29.
Significance & Uniqueness of Project. This project is significant in a number of ways.
It broke new ground in environmental planning, showing developers that
environmental sensitivity can be economically successful. It provided a model for other
designers and planners to follow for site planning and community design. It also
marked a historic collaboration between some of the most important modern architects
and landscape architects. It was also a unique project in that it was done before
environmental restrictions would have made the project almost impossible to
implement.

28

29

This criticism is based on published reports as well as many visits to The Sea Ranch,
including staying for several weeks in 1997 and 1998, talking with residents and
observing activity.
Personal correspondence with Lawrence Halprin, 1997.

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Limitations. Perhaps the greatest limitation of The Sea Ranch is its lack of social
diversity. While this was a concern of its original planners, their vision of a modest
development with diverse residents was undone by the projects popularity and
economic success. Like any community, the Sea Ranch has experienced growing and
management pains. Yet the active engagement of its residents in the overall
management of the community has served to address many of these problems.
Generalizable Features and Lessons. The Sea Ranch provides many lessons and
models for other development. It serves as a workable environmental planning model
that has been well documented and disseminated for others to follow30. The great
economic success of The Sea Ranch demonstrates the value of producing a strong
environmentally based plan at the beginning and sticking to its principle.
Comparison to other Projects/Cases. There are a number of similar case studies of
planned residential communities. There is also a well-developed comparative case
study of The Sea Ranch and Seaside Florida31. Other similar cases include Village
Homes in Davis and Laguna West in Sacramento, both in California.
Future Issues/Plans. Halprin himself poses the most critical question for Sea Ranchs
future: Perhaps most importantly, The Sea Ranch still needs a heart. Most communities
come by that organically because they are based physically on a contained mandala
form. Our community, however, is 11 miles long. It is narrow and linear. This may be
the greatest challenge which lies ahead for The Sea Ranch to create a community center
with a heart. (Halprin, 1995, p. 57).
Like most planned communities, The Sea Ranch continues evolve. Larry Halprin has
recently completed a plan to expand The Sea Ranchs commercial center. New
recreational facilities continue to be developed as the community grows. New hiking
and bicycle trails continue to be developed along the forest ridges. Design review
standards are being refined to address community concerns32. The Sea Ranch will
change and evolve over time, yet its essential qualities will remain over time.
Bibliography of Project Citations/References. See Footnotes or References at end of
report.

30

31

32

One of the best sources of this process is Lawrence Halprins early RSVP Cycles.
(1970) which like McHargs Design with Nature (1995) had an enormous impact on
young landscapes architects of that period, including myself.
See Sexton, R. Parallel Utopias: The Sea Ranch and Seaside, San Francisco: Chronicle
Books, 1995.
A case in point is the recent addition of small television satellite dishes as acceptable
additions to homes.

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Web Sites/Links. See list of Web sites at end of report.

Contact for Further Information:
The Sea Ranch Association
Box 16
The Sea Ranch, CA 95497-0016
(707) 785-2444
(707) 785-3555 (Fax)
www.tsra.org
Implications/Recommendations to the Landscape Architecture Foundation
There are several ways LAF could become involved in the development and
dissemination of case studies in landscape architecture. These could range from
developing an in-house staff responsible for preparing and publishing case studies
(much like the Urban Land Institute) to simply publishing and promoting existing case
studies. The former could involve a commitment of several hundred thousand dollars
of staffing and publishing costs to be successful. It is doubtful that revenue would cover
this cost, even over the long term. Major outside funding may be needed to fund such
an effort. The latter approach could be accomplished within existing LAF/ASLA venues
at a cost of a few thousand dollars annually.
Based on my research, I recommend that the Foundation take more of a middle
approach. Rather than devoting sizable resources to develop an in-house staff, they can
use the considerable expertise that exists within the professional and research
community to develop a number of high quality and comparable case studies in
landscape architecture. I propose that the foundation develop, alone or in partnership
with other organizations, a major three year Case Studies in Landscape Architecture
Initiative to build up a critical mass of high quality case studies in landscape
architecture. The case studies would be organized around selected types of landscapes
(see above) as well as geographic regions and perhaps be expanded to include
international projects in later years.
The development by LAF of a Case Studies in Landscape Architecture Initiative could
involve the following activities. The recommendations are organized by more
immediate actions LAF could take followed by longer term proposals.

Development and Funding of Case Studies:

To create a critical mass of case studies, LAF would commission: 1) ten or more new
case studies of projects, 2) several issue-based analyses of existing cases, and 3)

40

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

several hypothetical cases useful for education. Emphasis would be placed in the
initiative on inviting new cases with written and visual narratives of landscapes. In
addition, a number of issue-oriented cases would be commissioned that look across
existing cases and synthesize knowledge useful for landscape architectural practice
and research. LAF would also support development of hypothetical case studies to
challenge new thinking and invent new ways of practice for the profession. This is
often done in schools of business and law and could be valuable for landscape
architectural education and practice as well.

LAF would provide funding, a suggested methodology and a dissemination

mechanism for the case studies

LAF would establish a clear statement of the criteria for selection of cases.
Emphasis should be placed on cases that can advance theory, improve practice and
reach supportable conclusions and recommendations.

To develop a substantial number of case studies, LAF would issue a call for
proposals (by mail, newsletter and its Web site) to professionals and the general
public to nominate potential projects to be developed as a LAF case study. Proposals
would need to address the significance of the project and its potential contribution to
the profession. The incentive for the nominator is that selection could bring national
attention to a local project or professional. A review panel appointed by LAF would
develop a list of potential cases and issue a Request for Proposal to do case study
projects.

LAF would award grants on a competitive basis to researchers to do the in-depth

case studies, following a common format provided by LAF. Landscape Architecture
Programs would be invited to prepare the case studies in their own region. For
example, schools such as Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State, etc. could be asked to
submit proposals for Midwest case studies. Washington, Washington State, UBC
and Oregon could be asked to prepare cases in the Northwest. Schools would need
to demonstrate how the effort would fit into their curriculum and what unique
abilities and resources such as matching funding they would bring to bear to each
project. Funding provided by LAF would be $2,000 to $10,000 per case depending
on the complexity of the case.

LAF would establish a National Advisory Council to oversee the Initiative and to
ensure that a high standard of quality and consistency is maintained as case studies
are developed. This oversight would also add the referee function required for
academic advancement. At least one LAF Board member would sit on this panel.

LAF with input from CELA and ASLA would ensure that an adequate peer review
process of experts is maintained before the case studies are selected, completed and
published.

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Dissemination of Case Studies:

LAF would disseminate the case studies through an online archive of case studies
at their website with specific cases, baseline data, and images. These would be
searchable by topic, problem, location, use, goal, etc. Abstract information could be
available free with more detailed case studies available for a charge (e.g.: annual fee
or by case). Reduced fees could be provided for ASLA members. On line access
makes it easy for authors to update information and for professionals and students
to have quick access to the very latest information.

LAF would also develop and sell case study publications or CD-ROMs on selected
case study topics such as sustainable development projects, urban waterfronts, etc.
For firms and practitioners, the cases will need to be organized in a way that they
would find useful. LAF could also publish a yearly or bi-yearly publication Case
Studies in Landscape Architecture to ensure that the cases are more widely distributed.

Starting in the second year of the Initiative and utilizing existing and new case
studies, LAF could develop a series of Landscape Architecture Case Study
Institutes or study courses. Institutes could be organized around project type or
by geographic region. These would be particularly well suited for continuing
education credit when and if this becomes part of professional licensure.

LAF could join with CELA and/or ASLA to sponsor sessions at annual meetings on
case studies and invite people doing this kind of work to present and discuss their
work. The focus of these meetings could be on case study methodology, comparative
analysis, and theory building.

After it has developed its own track record with case studies, LAF could partner
with other organizations (such as Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture,
American Society of Landscape Architects, Environmental Design Research
Association, American Institute of Architects, American Planning Association, Trust
for Public Land, Urban Land Institute, Urban Parks Institute, etc.) to develop a
national archive of case study projects related to the built and natural environment.
Partnership would allow LAF to reduce costs and reach a broader audience. In my
conversations with representatives from some of these organizations, I have found
an openness to working with LAF on joint case study projects.

LAF could also explore co-sponsoring, with organizations like ASLA, AIA, APA,
National Trust for Historic Preservation, CELA and EDRA, a National Conference
on Case Studies in Environmental Design with other national organizations.

42

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

LAF could explore providing support to Landscape Journal and/or Landscape

Architecture to devote part of their issues to present case studies in landscape
architecture developed as part of the Initiative.

At the end of the third year, the Foundation would conduct an evaluation of the
Initiative to explore ways it could, if desired, institutionalize the program.

Conclusions/Future Work
It is clear that case study analysis should occupy a central role in landscape architectural
practice, education and research. As in other professions, such as medicine, law,
engineering, etc., case study analysis is an effective way for landscape architecture to
advance and mature as a profession. Case studies are an effective way for the profession
to go about training students, developing a research base and advancing and improving
practice. They are also a way for the profession to avoid re-inventing the wheel and
remain honest about its successes and failures. Yet additional support and funding are
needed to improve the quality and expand the quantity and accessibility of case studies.
Beyond what LAF can specifically do to advance work in this area, there are several
more general findings of this study.
Further research on case studies in landscape architecture is needed in several areas.
Existing methods need to be made more systematic and rigorous and tested in a wider
variety of settings. There is a need to develop better comparative methodologies for case
study analysis. More case studies are needed on topics such as effective design
practices, aesthetics, landscape meaning, the components of successful projects, and
design theory. There also needs to be more post occupancy evaluations of landscape
architecture projects, where evaluation becomes part of every built project. With
increased support, case study analysis promises to greatly advance understanding of the
profession for both practitioners and the larger public.

43

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

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Sage.
Walker, P. and M. Simo. 1994. Invisible Gardens. Cambridge: The MIT Press.
Webb, E. J., D. T. Campbell, R. D. Schwartz & L. Sechrest. 1966. Unobtrusive Measures:
Nonreactive Research in the Social Sciences. New York: Rand McNally.
Whyte, W. H. 1979. Revitalization of Bryant Park. Report to the Rockefeller
Brothers Fund.
Whyte, W. 1980. The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Washington, D.C.:
Conservation Foundation.
Zeisel, J. 1990. Inquiry by Design. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Zube, E. 1984. Environmental Evaluation. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Some Useful Web Sites
American Community Gardening Association: www.communitygarden.com
American Institute of Architects: www.aia.org
American Planning Association: www.planning.org
American Planning Association Planning Advisory Service (PAS):
www.planning.org/PAS/pas.html
Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture: www.idaho.edu/cela
Decision Case Education: www.decisioncase.edu
Design Net Journal: www.scc.msu.edu/~laej

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Environmental Design Research Association: www.acs.ohiostate.edu/edra26/leadin.html

Harvard GSD GIS site: www.gsd.harvard.edu/educ_res/crg/gis/
Initiative for Architectural Research: www.architectureresearch.org
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy: www.lincolninst.edu
Trust for Public Land: www.tpl.org
University of Toronto CLIP site: www.clr.utoronto.ca/VIRTUALLIB/CLIP/
Urban Land Institute: www.uli.org
Urban Land Institute Project Reference Files: www.uli.org/prf/test/index.htm
Urban Parks Institute: www.pps.org/urbanparks
Urban Parks Institute Park Places Case Studies:
www.pps.org/urbanparks/gpp_home.html

Web Sites for Bryant Park and The Sea Ranch Cases
Bryant Park, Activities scheduled in:
newyork.citysearch.com/E/V/NYCNY/0004/51/96/cs1.html
Bryant Park, Live camera shot: www.otec.com/cgi-bin/parsefile?TEMPLATE=/htdocs/park-cam.html
The Sea Ranch Association: www.tsra.org
The Sea Ranch History: www.tsra.org/History.htm
The Sea Ranch Environment (including lists of birds, endangered species,
environmental restrictions): www.tsra.org/OtherInfo.htm#Environs
The Sea Ranch Activity Groups: http:
www.tsra.org/Contacts2.htm#Activity%20Groups
The Sea Ranch Design Manual (including design review guidelines):
www.tsra.org/DesignMan.htm
The Sea Ranch Maps: www.tsra.org/Maps.htm
The Sea Ranch Properties: www.thesearanch.com
Some Useful Listserves
Child-Youth Environments: [email protected]
Environmental Design Research Association: [email protected]
Landscape Architecture: [email protected]
Urban Parks Institute: [email protected]

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Appendix A
Individuals and Organizations Contacted
Nigel Allan, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Geography, University of
California-Davis
Anne Beer, Professor Emeritus of Landscape Architecture, Sheffield University
Gayle Berens, Urban Land Institute, Washington, D.C.
Kathleen A Blaha, Vice President, Trust for Public Land, Washington, D.C.
Herb Childress, Jay Farbstein & Associates, San Luis Obispo, California
Clare Cooper Marcus, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Architecture Emeritus,
University of California-Berkeley
Galen Cranz, Professor of Architecture, University of California-Berkeley
Kerry Dawson, ASLA, Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Georgia
Susan Everett, FASLA, Executive Director, Landscape Architecture Foundation,
Washington, D.C.
Jane Goodman, Education & Outreach Director, Clean-Land, Cleveland, Ohio
Randy Hester, FASLA, Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of
California-Berkeley
Kristina Hill, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of WashingtonSeattle
Margarita Hill, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland
Mina Hilsenrath, ASLA, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of
Maryland
Stan Jones, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Oregon
Skip Mezger, ASLA, Principal, CoDesign, Inc., Landscape Architects, Davis, California
Patrick Mooney, ASLA, Professor and Chair, Landscape Architecture, University of
British Columbia
Jack Nasar, Chair, Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA), Professor of
City Planning, Ohio State University
Cynthia Orcutt, ASLA, Landscape Architect, Yarmouth, Maine
Michelle A. Rinehart, Coordinator, Initiative for Architectural Research (IAR), American
Institute of Architects, Washington, D.C.
Jan Schach, FASLA, Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Kentucky
Robert Sommer, Professor of Psychology, University of California-Davis
Frederick Steiner, ASLA, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Planning, Arizona
State University
Robert Thayer, Jr., FASLA, Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of
California-Davis
Bill Thompson, FASLA, Managing Editor, Landscape Architecture
Tom Turner, Professor of Landscape History, University of Greenwich-London
Anne Vernez Moudon, Professor of Urban Design and Planning, University of
Washington
Dennis Winters, Graduate Student in Landscape Architecture, University of Toronto

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Appendix B
Questions Asked in Interviews

How have you used case studies in your own work?

What do you see as the value and/or limitations of case study analysis in landscape
architecture (design, teaching, research)?

What do you consider to be some of the most seminal case study projects, examples,
and/or literature in landscape architecture?

What critical dimensions are essential to include in any case study analysis?

Would you use a case study archive in your practice, teaching? If so, how?

What recommendations would you make to Landscape Architecture Foundation to

advance case study analysis in landscape architecture?

Are they any additional people you think it would be useful to talk with?

Additional comments?

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Appendix C:
Urban Land Institute Project Reference Files
www.uli.org/prf/test/index.htm
The Urban Land Institutes Project Reference Files (PRFs) contain development details
on more than 250 innovative and successful projects from 1985 to present. All users can
use the database to receive summary reports or subscribe to receive full text reports online. Abstracts are free. Subscribe for 1 year and get access to 250+ profiles from 1985 to
1998 + 20 new projects a year. Cost is $75 for ULI members and $95 for nonmembers.
Subscribe on-line and receive your password in minutes! Or call 1-800-321-5011.
Published in hardcopy since 1971, PRFs feature project reports (four to six pages on
average) of innovative residential, retail, office, industrial, and mixed-use projects. Each
profile report includes a complete description of the project; the challenges faced and the
lessons learned; distinctive features that set it apart from the ordinary, sales, rent, and
cost data; and illustrations of the site and building plan. The PRF Online Database
contains more than 250 records from 1985 to 1998. Five new projects are added to the
database quarterly.
ULI Project Reference File reports are written by the ULI research staff in cooperation
with the developer. Project selection is based on the following criteriathe project is:
financially successful at the time of the report; innovative in its market; sufficiently
completed and operating long enough to evaluate success; and geographically diverse.
The easy-to-use search and index allows subscribers to get to the projects quicker than
the former hardcopy product. ULI designed the PRF database to let users search the fulltext of projects using key words or phases, or choose among a variety of key terms
indexed by ULI. The simple design of on-line PRF allows the users to download the
document quickly. Each image for each file is not attached to each file but is a separate
link. The image is downloaded only if requested by the user. Most project reference files
are less than 50k in file size, and most images are less than 100k, which allows for a
relatively quick download.
Sample Project Reference File Abstract:
Abstract/Description (source: www.uli.org/prf/test/index.htm)
Reston Town Center Project
Name: Reston Town Center
Location: Reston, Virginia
Project Type: Mixed-Use/Multi-Use
Volume: 21
Number: 11
Year: 1991
Abstract: The Reston Town Center Urban Core is an 85-acre mixed-use urban center
located within a 460-acre Town Center District that was identified in Reston's original
1962 master plan. The first phase of the Urban Core, completed in 1990, includes 530,000

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square feet of office space, 240,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and entertainment
space, and a 514-room hotel.
Features: Gridded street system; unanchored upscale retail, restaurants, and
entertainment at street level; open-air, pedestrian orientation; single developer and
manager.

Examples of ULI Case Study Project Files Available On Line for 1995-97
Project Name

Location

Category

Sub-Category

Year

Albina Corner
Crescent 8
Hawthorne Park
Lakeview Corporate Park
Maple Court
New Neigh. Shop. Center
Norm Thompson Headquar.
Nyland Cohousing Com.
Old Orchard Center
Peakview Apartments
Poplar Project
Portland Int. Airport
SunTec Center
Sycamore Plaza
Tchoupitoulas Self-Storage
Kensington Business Centre
Marketplace at Cascades Ct.
Washington's Landing
Westminster Place
Wyndham
101 Hudson
640 Memorial Drive
Circle Centre
Entertainment Ct. at Irvine
Highland Vil./Providence Pt.
Homan Square
McConnell at Davidson
Pearl Lofts
Preservation Park
Riverbank State Park
The Arizona Biltmore
The Carriage Works
The Forum Shops at Caesars
The Greenwood
The Heritage on The Garden
The Waterside Shops
The Westchester

Portland, Oregon
Greenwood Village, CO
Kansas City, Missouri
Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
New York City, New York
Newark, New Jersey
Hillsboro, Oregon
LaFayette, Colorado
Skokie, Illinois
Lafayette, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Portland, Oregon
Marina Centre, Singapore
Cincinnati, Ohio
New Orleans, Louisiana
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Loudoun County, Virginia
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
St, Louis, Missouri
Henrico County, Virginia
Jersey City, New Jersey
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Indianapolis, Indiana
Irvine, California
Issaquah, Washington
Chicago, Illinois
Davidson, North Carolina
Portland, Oregon
Oakland, California
New York City, NY
Phoenix, Arizona
Atlanta, Georgia
Las Vegas, Nevada
Englewood, Colorado
Boston, Massachusetts
Pelican Bay, Florida
White Plains, New York

Residential
Multifamily-Rental
Commercial/Industrial Office/Industrial Building- Suburban
Special Use
Parks- Recreation
Commercial/Industrial Industrial/Office Parks
Residential
Multifamily-Rental
Commercial/Industrial Shopping Centers/Neigh./Com.
Commercial/Industrial Office/Industrial Building- Suburban
Residential
Single Family Attached
Commercial/Industrial Shopping Centers- Regional
Residential
Multifamily-Rental
Residential
Single Family Detatched
Commercial/Industrial Shopping Centers- Specialty
Mixed-Use/Multi-Use Downtown
Commercial/Industrial Power Center
Commercial/Industrial Office/Industrial Building- Urban
Mixed-Use/Multi-Use Suburban
Commercial/Industrial Shopping Centers- Regional
Mixed-Use/Multi-Use Downtown
Residential
Large-Scale Urban Redevelopment
Residential
Large-Scale Planned Communities
Commercial/Industrial Office/Industrial Building- Urban
Commercial/Industrial Office/Industrial Building- Urban
Commercial/Industrial Urban Entertainment Centers
Commercial/Industrial Urban Entertainment Centers
Residential
Single Family Attached
Residential
Large-Scale Urban Redevelopment
Residential
Single Family Detatched
Residential
Multifamily-For Sale
Commercial/Industrial Office/Industrial Building- Urban
Special Use
Parks- Recreation
Commercial/Industrial Hotels
Commercial/Industrial Office/Industrial Building- Urban
Commercial/Industrial Urban Entertainment Centers
Residential
Multifamily-Rental
Mixed-Use/Multi-Use Downtown
Commercial/Industrial Shopping Centers- Specialty
Commercial/Industrial Shopping Centers- Regional

1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996

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Trovare
Truman Annex
Union Seventy Center
Alliance
Beaver Creek Resort
Cascade Court Apartments
Castlestone
Chateau Sonsta Hotel
Country Club of the South
Del Norte Place
Dewees Island
Kapalua
Maho Bay
Meyerland Plaza
Perimeter Expo
Pine Square
Pioneer Place
State Street Bank Building
The Farm
The Rookery
Washington Mutual Tower
Wimbledon Apartments
Woodfield Village Green

Newport Coast, California

Key West, Florida
St. Louis, Missouri
Fort Worth, TX
Avon, Colorado
Seattle, Washington
Baltimore, MD
New Orleans, LA
Atlanta, GA
El Cerrito, CA
Dewees Isalnd, SC
Maui, Hawaii
St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Houston, Texas
Atlanta, GA
Long Beach, California
Portland, Oregon
Boston, Massachusetts
Soquel, California
Chicago, Illinois
Seattle, Washington
Spring, TX
Schaumburg, Illinois

Residential
Multifamily-For Sale
Mixed-Use/Multi-Use Suburban
Commercial/Industrial Industrial/Office Parks
Commercial/Industrial Industrial/Office Parks
Commercial/Industrial Resorts/Conference Centers
Residential
Multifamily-Rental
Residential
Single Family Attached
Commercial/Industrial Hotels
Residential
Resort/Golf Course Communities
Residential
Multifamily-Rental
Residential
Resort/Golf Course Communities
Commercial/Industrial Resorts/Conference Centers
Commercial/Industrial Resorts/Conference Centers
Commercial/Industrial Power Centers/Outlet Centers
Commercial/Industrial Power Centers/Outlet Centers
Mixed-Use/Multi-Use Downtown
Mixed-Use/Multi-Use Downtown
Commercial/Industrial Office/Industrial Building- Urban
Residential
Multifamily-Rental
Commercial/Industrial Office/Industrial Building- Urban
Commercial/Industrial Office/Industrial Building- Urban
Residential
Multifamily-Rental
Commercial/Industrial Power Centers/Outlet Centers

Appendix D:
Contemporary Landscape Inquiry Project

52

1996
1996
1996
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995
1995

1995

A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Appendix E:
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
(Source: www.lincolninst.edu)
The Lincoln Institute's goals are to integrate the theory and practice of land use and
taxation and to understand the multidisciplinary forces that influence them. The
Institute explores these issues through three focused program areas:
1) Program in the Taxation of Land and Buildings
2) Program in Land Use and Regulation Program in Land Values, Property Rights and
Ownership
3) Program in the Taxation of Land and Buildings Actual Value
Projects they have supported include:
Assessment in the Greater Toronto Area: Impacts and Policy Implications
Measuring the Tax Subsidy Produced by Use-Value Assessment of Open Space on the
Urban Fringe
Land Taxation in South Africa
Redistribution of Fiscal Stress
Valuation of Open Space
School Finance Reform and Property Tax Revolts
Efficiency and Equity of a Forest Site Value Tax
Land Taxation and Land Use in Asia
Land Taxation and Value Capture Initiatives in Britain
Property Tax Appraisals and the Reuse of Inner-City Properties
Property Taxation in Transitional Economies: Case Studies
Land Tax Systems: Comparative Issues, Strengths and Problems
The Two-Rate Tax: The Amsterdam, New York, Experience
The Latin American Experience with Value Capture
Infrequent Assessments Distort Property Taxes: Theory and Evidence
Program in Land Use and Regulation Politics of Megaprojects
Growth and Spread of Vacant/Underutilized Land and Land Value Depression in
Buffalo: 1946-1996
Use of Growth Management Tools to Achieve Sustainable Development
Developing Model Solutions to Recycling Brownfield Areas
Government and Vacant Land: Creating Cityscapes
Public Policy and Sprawl: Implications of Existing Development Patterns
Vacant Land In Latin American Cities
State-Level Growth Management
Urban Transformations and Land Use Regulation
Changing Character of Public Spaces in Contemporary Metropolitan Areas
Changing Organization of Work
Land Use Patterns, Social Justice and Environmental Improvement

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Non-Profit Developers and Vacant Land

Boston as a Global City Region

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A Case Study Method for Landscape Architecture

Author
Mark Francis, FASLA, is professor and past chair of landscape architecture at the
University of California (UC), Davis and principal of CoDesign Landscape Architects.
Trained in landscape architecture and urban design at UC-Berkeley and Harvard
University, he is co-author or editor of several books, including Community Open Spaces
(Island, 1984), The Meaning of Gardens (MIT, 1990), Public Space (Cambridge, 1992), and
The California Landscape Garden: Ecology, Culture and Design (California, 1999), and over
sixty articles and book chapters. His work has focused on the use and meaning of the
built and natural landscape. Much of this research has utilized a case study approach to
study parks, gardens, public spaces, streets, nearby nature, and urban public life.
He has received five national ASLA Honor and Merit Awards for his work in planning,
research and communication, as well as awards from the American Planning
Association, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Graham Foundation, and the
University of California Humanities Council. He is associate editor of the Journal of
Architectural and Planning Research and a member of the editorial boards for Environment
and Behavior and Childrens Environments. He is an appointed member of the National
Urban and Community Advisory Council (NUCFAC), past Chair of the Environmental
Design Research Association (EDRA), and a member of the advisory boards of the
Urban Land Institute, Trust for Public Land, the American Community Gardening
Association, and Nearby Nature (Eugene, Oregon).
He is currently working on a book on the theory and design of urban places.

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