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Laurie Olin Oral History

Oral History on YouTube: Ideal for mobile devices

In a new series of richly illustrated interviews, Laurie Olin reveals intriguing insights into his life, career, design philosophy and the concepts behind his legacy projects

Olin, a recent recipient of the National Medal of Arts, has profoundly influenced practitioners and the general public through his extensive body of built works and more than forty years of teaching. This is the tenth in the award-winning Pioneers of American Landscape Design^® series of free, Web-based, in-depth, first person interviews with leading landscape architects.

Oral History Framework

Video Clips are divided into three categories: BIOGRAPHY, DESIGN, and PROJECTS.

Each clip is between 2 and 5 minutes long.

Interview: Laurie Olin was interviewed on June 1-6, 2012 by Charles A. Birnbaum in Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and New York City.

Laurie Olin Oral History Transcript

Reflections: Olin's career in practice and in teaching spans over forty years. The Cultural Landscape Foundation contacted former associates, colleagues and family to share their stories and reflections.

Laurie Olin Reflections

YouTube Clip Listing by Category


BIOGRAPHY 1. Prelude to Laurie Olin Oral History Meet landscape architect Laurie Olin. 2. Growing Up in Alaska Hear Olin’s stories of life in “old fashioned America.” 3. College Years Learn how studying Architecture at the University of Washington redirected Olin’s life. 4. Finding Landscape Architecture A Capability Brown design opened Olin’s eyes to landscape. 5. Lessons from the American Academy in Rome Hear how Olin’s 1974-1976 Fellowship in Rome “changed his life again and again for the better.” 6. Teaching at the University of Pennsylvania Hear Laurie Olin explain why Penn’s Department of Landscape Architecture was the most exciting in the world. 7. Recalling Ian McHarg and Ecological Planning Learn how McHarg’s revolutionary ideas influenced Olin and forever changed landscape architecture planning. 8. Starting Hanna/Olin Hear how a project with I.M. Pei Partners launched the partnership between Laurie Olin and Bob Hanna. 9. Harvard Recollections Hear stories from Olin's tenure as Chairman of Harvard’s Landscape Architecture Department from 1982-1986. 10. The Firm Evolves to the Olin Partnership Hear why changing the firm was a smart thing to do. 11. Reflections by Olin Partners “Lessons from Laurie” are revealed.		DESIGN 1. Drawing as a Powerful Tool Olin describes the "power of the pencil.” 2. Accepting How Landscapes Change Olin comments on doing what is right for the site. 3. Design Philosophy behind Hanna/Olin’s Work Learn about Hanna/Olin's site-specific design approach. 4. Why Frederick Law Olmsted is a Hero Hear Olin talk about the unique skills and unrivaled vision of this pioneering landscape architect. 5. Thinking Back and Thinking Forward Olin remarks on the importance of creating vibrant urban communities for all ages. 6. Evoking Nature in the City Olin explains how the elements of nature can contribute to memorable urban spaces. 7. Embracing Change Learn how Olin’s approach to open-ended design accommodates change. 8. What Do Poetry and Design Have in Common? Olin says: know and use your medium well. 9. Making Cities Work Creating spaces which enhance the life of the city should be the goal.		PROJECTS 1. University of Pennsylvania Campus Challenged to alter the landscape, the faculty’s landscape plan from 1976 still shines today. 2. Battery Park City Learn Olin’s design concepts behind this 97-acre development on New York’s Hudson River. 3. Bryant Park Bryant Park’s redesign changed how many parks are designed and managed today. 4. Robert Wagner Park Visual connections to the Statue of Liberty and the Hudson River drove Olin’s design. 5. National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Learn the design precedents which contributed to this Washington, D.C. outdoor gallery space. 6. Independence National Historical Park Discover why Olin’s redesign of this National Park is enjoyed both by tourists and the people of Philadelphia. 7. Washington Monument Grounds Changes brought on by 9/11 stimulated new ideas and a fresh approach to the monument’s overall design. 8. Columbus Circle Olin’s vibrant redesign of this traffic circle created a new gathering place for New Yorkers. 9. The Barnes Foundation Discover how the landscape of this revered Modern art museum reflects Dr. and Mrs. Barnes’s knowledge of gardens and horticulture.

Production Credits and Acknowledgments

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Charles A. Birnbaum, FASLA, FAAR

DIRECTOR/EDITOR

Gina M. Angelone

SA KWA Pictures

INTERVIEWER

Charles A. Birnbaum, FASLA, FAAR

PROJECT MANAGER

Nancy Slade, ASLA

CAMERAMAN

Rick Siegel

GRIPS

Brandon Traina

Anthony Keating

Michael Palmer

Saro Varjabedian

EDITOR

Alejandro Treviño

COMPOSER

Brian Cho

The Cultural Landscape Foundation would like to thank the many people who contributed to making the Laurie Olin Oral History a reality.

A project such as this comes to life through the efforts of many individuals. Special thanks of course go to Laurie Olin for making this all possible: he took six days from his busy schedule in June of 2012 to be interviewed at his office and project sites in Philadelphia, Washington, DC and New York City; he provided numerous fascinating, illuminating, entertaining and revelatory stories and vignettes from his long and distinguished career as an architect, landscape architect, artist, mentor and teacher; and he also gave us access to wealth of material in his personal and professional archives, especially his sketchbooks, which are extraordinary visual diaries that detail a rich and complex biography.

Special thanks are also in order for Gina Angelone and Alejandro Treviño whose commitment to this project went well beyond the anticipated scope of work – their professionalism, attention to detail (particularly in the integration of the visual treasure trove of supporting sketches, watercolors and photography from Laurie's personal and professional collections), and evident love of the video medium for conveying this story, have yielded in a polished result of which we are extremely proud.

At OLIN there are many to thank, beginning with the partners who supported this project from conception through completion. Their openness and commitment to this process made all the difference to its timely development. Specifically, Dennis McGlade, Sue Weiler, Chris Hanley, Rich Newton, Lucinda Sanders and Bob Bedell were enthusiastic supporters and their on-camera interviews discussing Laurie and their work added a remarkable poignancy to the project. The supporting images, which richly illustrate the narrative, took countless hours to acquire. At OLIN, we want to thank Sahar Coston-Hardy for her enthusiasm and thoughtful help organizing and digitizing hundreds of images for this project, and Gary Eggers who so graciously assisted by coordinating our numerous requests. At Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects, many thanks to Emma Cobb for her assistance with images; and to all of the professional photographers and individuals listed below who contributed their time and talent. Finally, special thanks go to William Whitaker and Nancy Thorne at the Architectural Archives of the University of Pennsylvania who made available numerous images from the Archives' extensive collections. As they have with other oral histories in this series, Bill and Nancy continue to surprise and delight us with their imaginative suggestions and resourcefulness, always done in a timely fashion.

Photographs, prints, and drawings reproduced courtesy of the following individuals and institutions:

© Andy Blair, before Battery Park City image; Anita Berrizbeitia; BatteryPark.TV; Robert Benson Photography - Visitor Center, Independence Park, KMW Architecture; Bryant Park Corporation / 34th Street Partnership, Bryant Park; © Sahar Coston-Hardy, OLIN, Bryant Park; Charles Birnbaum; Central Park Conservancy; Scott Frances - National Constitution Center, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects; Office of M. Paul Friedberg; Wally Gobetz; Ken Haab; Linda Jewell; Aaron Kiley; © Paul Lettieri, Photographer, Portrait of Bernie Cywinski, courtesy Bohlin Cywinski Jackson; © Nic Lehoux ,photographer, Liberty Bell Center , courtesy Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Architects; Grace Lo; Machado-Silvetti; © Peter Mauss/Esto, Bryant Park images 2007M32.401 and 520; Elizabeth K. Meyer; ©1984 Steve Rosenthal, Johnson + Johnson Baby Products building, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners; OLIN; Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP; Adele Chatfield Taylor; Michal Tincup; Takashi Sato - J Paul Getty Center_01, 6 - © OLIN; Courtney Spearman; Marek Zamdmer, 16th Street Transitway Mall, courtesy Pei Cobb Freed & Partners.

University Archives:

Architectural Archives of the University of Pennsylvania

109.V.C.21.22- A, 109.V.C.21.22-B, 109.V.A.2.a.4 Photograph of Ian McHarg, 282.IV.B.1.3.b Photograph of Bob Hanna_ Becky Young photographer, 024.I.E.1 Photograph Sir Peter Shepheard, 109.V.C.21.31 Sketch of Narenda Juneja by Peter Shepheard

University of Pennsylvania Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Images of the Landscape Development Plan - University of Pennsylvania - Center for Environmental Design - Graduate School of Fine Arts - 1977

University Archives Washington University in St. Louis

Image 60-104-14, R-66-336-2 Joseph Passonneau

University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections

Negative number SEA0591, Seattle Collections Negative number UW35888

Laurie Olin Oral History

Oral History Framework

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