Pershing Square is the Place to be
Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, Pershing Square has a long and rich history dating back to 1866.
Its last redesign was in 1994, led by the famed architect Ricardo Legorreta and landscape architect, Laurie Olin. As you can see from the pictures, they did a great job:
Pershing Square is playful and elegant; modern but classical; fun and serious; and it’s practical for the people who work, play, and live in Los Angeles. Pershing Square is able to offer many different things for different people.
With its outdoor concert and event center, Pershing Square hosts an array of free programs for the downtown community. While I was there, people were relaxing, reading, walking their dogs, and just taking in the multitude of sights and sounds of the city.
One of the major annual events Pershing Square hosts is the Eggstravaganza Egg Hunt, featuring arts and crafts, clowns, magic, and storytelling. It’s a must attend program for families. Did I mention it’s free?
Because I went to Pershing Square on Car-Free Friday, I took the Metro, combining of both bus and subway.
In fact, this was my first time taking the Los Angeles subway. It was easy to navigate, clean, and fast. Although the underground rail was an expensive and controversial project throughout the 80’s and 90’s, obviously its promoters and advocates were correct—an investment in mass transit for Los Angeles was extremely important.
I will definitely be riding the Metro more often–it’s economical, I don’t have to worry about parking, it’s green, and if I want, I can bring my bike along with me.
What more could I ask for?
What park do you enjoy spending a relaxing afternoon at? Did you take a local bus or subway to get there?
For many, Travelin’ Local is the only place and way to go.
Ahh…a local boy. Laurie Olin is a widely known Landscape Architect, especially around Philadelphia where he and his practice (Olin Studio, Formerly Olin Partnership) exists and thrives. He himself teaches at Penn, which is a sister program to where I went (Temple University). But many of his employees were professors of mine at Temple. So we got a lot of exposure to Mr. Olin. Pershing Square and Independence Mall (Liberty Bell, Independance Hall) in Philadelphia are two of their widely known projects.
We’re spoiled in Philadelphia. We have a ton of great Landscape Architects in the area like Mr. Olin, John Collins, Ian McCaarg or Wallace/Roberts & Todd.
D. Travis North’s last blog post..The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure (A Book by Sean Arbabi)
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Great photographs. Pershing square is very user friendly. Unfortunately, downtown Los Angeles, has never lived up to either its potential or its plans, as have many other major metropolitan cities.
Probably due to a multitude of reasons.
I’ve never taken the Metro here but from what I can gather from your story, it looks like a very attractive alternative from driving. Love the Neon art, btw.
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Wow what an architect! And purple is a healing color. I’m starting to feel I’m missing out!
Tess The Bold Life’s last blog post..10 Rules for a Bold & Daring Life
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@ D. Travis North I wonder why Philly is such a mecca for landscape architects? What draws them to the city?
@ David I agree. In fact, I was just reading an article about the subway system, and why it’s difficult for LA to get it going here. So few of her residents actually work in the downtown area, so the subway must reach far and wide to work. A better idea, that I hope is in the works, is to create more rapid bus routes to more areas of the city.
@ Tess I’m so glad to hear that purple is a healing color. It’s one of my favorites……………..:)
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Hi Lisa,
You amaze me at the number of places you find in your local travels. The park I like to go to? Lapham Peak State Park – just a few miles from our house. It’s out in the country, and there is no mass transit to the park. Lots of hiking trails, and favorite spot always – going up in the tower, which marks the highest spot in our county.
So, I’m liking this park you’ve shared today Lisa – and especially with all the free activities! Doesn’t mean it will cost a fortune to check out some of the local places…
Lance’s last blog post..Money Does Grow On Trees
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The closest thing I’ve done to a subway is walk all the tunnels connecting Rochester MN, Under Mayo Clinic and throughout downtown you can get anywhere walking underground. Pretty cool. But someday a subway I will ride.
Lisa’s Chaos’s last blog post..Well Connected
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@ Lance LA has so many places to go; I wonder if I’ll be able to take them all in……………..:) Free is definitely the way to go.
@ Lisa’s Chaos With one ride, I love the subway. Oh no, I feel a blog post coming on……………:)
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I’m 8 miles from the nearest town, so unfortunately a car is beyond necessary. I do miss walking a couple of miles from my house in Chino Hills just to enjoy Penguins Frozen Yogurt.
Good times.
These days I toss the brood into the Explorer, drive into town and enjoy the farmer’s market, Cheekwood Botanical Gardens or the zoo. Or just hang out in the back yard for a wicked afternoon of trampolining.
Lara’s last blog post..About This Site
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@Lisa – I think that when it comes to the classic cities, like Philadelphia, Washington DC, NYC and Boston, you are naturally going to have a large concentration of Landscape Architects that specialize in Urban Environments. Maybe it’s just the challenge. But I think to some extent, its the heritage. Urban LA’s tend to have a strong interest in history.
On the other hand, if you look back at the history of Landscape Architecture, a lot of the modernist LAs (around the ’50s and ’60s) flocked to Philadelphia for two major reasons: 1) Ed Bacon – the former city planner of Philadelphia. He reinvented the city with the help of John Collins, Laurie Olin and others in the area. It was just a great opportunity for many LA’s to see such work first-hand while also being able to practice in such an LA friendly environment. 2) University of Pennsylvania has always had a renowned graduate program for Landscape Architecture with an incredible faculty (Laurie Olin, for one). Through the seventies and eighties, they were the ones at the cutting edge of the modernist Landscape Architecture movement. So that’s where aspiring LA’s went if they wanted to learn the modern philosophy, and I guess they just stayed.
You also have a large concentration of well-known LA’s in Boston, but that’s mostly because of U-Mass which was also known for its modernist angle.
D. Travis North’s last blog post..Manoa School
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@ Lara Life sounds like fun in Nashville. I love the idea of having a trampoline in the backyard.
@ D. Travis North I find the connection between LA’s and history an intriguing one, especially because my daughter went from an undergrad history degree to a Master’s in Urban Preservation. Universities do tend to be a great draw for smart talent. You’re fortunate to live there.
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Sadly I can’t share your enthusiasm for the current look of Pershing Square, but then I’m biased in large part because I remember what the place looked like before it was retro’d into a design-scheme that I can only describe as “It Came From The ’80s.” My opinion is also jaded because I’ve also seen pix of it from the early 20th century when it was lush with all sorts of botanical delights.
It may have been in need of an updating in the ’90s, but I can only look forward to the day when its current look — dated almost immediately — get’s an overhaul.
Will Campbell’s last blog post..Snakebit
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@ Will Campbell I wish I had seen it when you did, especially the “botanical delights,” but what can I say, I love the color purple…………….:)
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