Comments on: Portland | Distilled

By: Alice Joyce

Alice Joyce — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:29:38 +0000

Hey Susan and Michelle, I wrote the entry for Ira’s Fountain in the book,
1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die …and the designer is listed as Angela Danadjieva! Halprin is mentioned of course, but in my research, Halprin always credited AD with the fountain’s design. It was his firm, and she was the associate he chose for the project.

By: Garden Bloggers

Garden Bloggers — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:50:47 +0000

Hi Susan,

Just a quick note to let you know that last week I added you entry to the blogroll for GardenBloggers.com.

When you get a second can you add http://www.GardenBloggers.com to your blogroll?

Thanks.I’m happy to add! You will find it in ‘What I like Now’–S

By: Michelle D.

Michelle D. — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:47:01 +0000

Susan,
Thank you for your thoughtful post.
I especially enjoyed seeing Ira’s fountain.
I still get a little bit miffed every time I hear that Lawrence Halprin ‘designed’ it.
It in fact was designed by Angela Danadjieva.
She was working at Halprin’s office at the time so of course his name goes on the bronze plaque.
I love how she described her design process that relied on clay models rather than sketching on paper.
Her environmental mitigation philosophy about how the water could be used to create an exciting energy within the park while at the same time close off the exciting energy of the adjoining city was brilliant.

I wish Halprin stepped up to the plate, pushed his ego aside and gave the young newly immigrated Angela Danadijeva her well deserved recognition back in 1970.
But for those who have worked under the helm of well known landscape architectural firms while putting in their board required hours, Angela Danadijeva will always be the true respected designer of Ira Kellers fountain.

Ironically I love the engraved saying that lies in one of the concrete platforms , “Strength and Beauty come from Us- Not from Tyranny”.

Thank you Michelle. Of course, like every other tourist I had no idea.

By: Chloe

Chloe — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 04:51:17 +0000

Real Snakes? How cool is that? I was cleaning my dinky fountain today and trying to get it to make a decent splatter! I think it needs a door in the back where I can put in the rushing water sound CD! I love your take on Portland…. even better distilled!

Not real snakes…bronze or copper w/green patina.

By: Alice Joyce

Alice Joyce — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:55:42 +0000

There were quite a few children ‘frolicking’ in the water. Quite a sight!
What a gift from the city to the people.
BTW, I also saw a new fountain on a hot evening when it was teeming with kids, in the Pearl District – I believe it’s the Jamison Square Fountain. A shallow form, unlike Ira’s

I went to Jamison Square also in the Pearl–it was teaming with toddlers! Moms were on the lawn with their coffee, bigger kids climbing the ‘boulders’–Ecotrust is right across the street where the MacLean quote photo is from…

By: Alice Joyce

Alice Joyce — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:47:46 +0000

Susan, you’ve created a beautiful metaphor, if I’m using the term correctly (or stretching it somewhat): The images play off each other provocatively, engagingly, alluringly! I would love to talk ‘garden design’ with you in person one day.

I would also have loved to have trotted along behind you & the APLD folks, sharing that itinerary and listening in to your conversations. The trip I put together for the following week was so very different than my previous time in Portland, when I visited a swath of public gardens as research for my book.
Green walls, roofs and the Chinese Garden were quite a change – I’ve yet to distill my experiences.

But I did feel the pulsating energy of the river which I believe you refer to, setting apart Portland in the mind’s eye.

You mention tracking back, so I’ll note my July 29th post on Ira’s Fountain – it seems to relate to yours:

http://bayareatendrils.blogspot.com/2009/07/exquisite-rush-of-cascading-water-ira.html

Looking forward to your facebook album & always to your thoughtful, savvy tweets. Alice aka Bay Area Tendrils

Alice–I’d be honored to talk ‘garden design’ with you any time! Thanks for the link to Ira’s Fountain–were there swimmers there the day you were there? Kids & young men were swimming the day we were there. It was cool the way the fountain was ‘used’

By: Stephanie Martin

Stephanie Martin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:37:30 +0000

Lovely thoughts in your blog, Susan. Again, one of your greatest gifts is your ability to enjoy similar objects of various styles, thereby not pigeionholing yourself as a designer but enabling you to be extraordinarily responsive to the needs and desires of your client.

Although . . . the snake water feature gave me the heebeegeebees! (It’s just that I do not like snakes!)

By: Dee/reddirtramblings

Dee/reddirtramblings — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:24:19 +0000

I saw Portland for the first time last year at the GWA Symposium. It was so different climatically and stylistically that I still think about it. It’s interesting to read what you saw and felt.~~Dee

Dee–Thanks for commenting. I hope we meet at this year’s GWA in Raleigh–it will be my first one. I’ve never been there either…