Discover Halprin’s Sigmund Stern Grove on July 23

Guide: Andrew Sullivan, Dir Landscape Architecture Page/BMS Design Group, RLA, ASLA

Sullivan worked in the Office of Lawrence Halprin during the renovation of Stern Grove between 2000 and 2006, and was a Senior Designer on the Stern Grove project.

Originally donated to the City of San Francisco by Rosalie Meyer Stern in 1931, a free summer concert series has been continuously hosted in the grove since 1938. Built by the Works Progress Administration during the 1930s as a sloped meadow, Lawrence Halprin and colleagues redesigned the landscape and concert facilities between 1999 and 2005. Inspired by greek amphitheaters and the natural setting, the grass terraces and stone retaining walls blend into the site’s topography and compliment the remaining WPA era stonework.

The tour group will explore the landscape, and participate in a discussion about the process undertaken to creatively redesign the landscape while maintaining the spirit of the original Works Progress Administration concept. Sullivan will begin the program by speaking about the natural and the cultural history of the site, illustrating the “sense of place” that guided the redesign. Sullivan will also provide an overview of how he and Halprin worked together to create a master plan for the property, including a description of the public outreach process. The group will then take a walk through the concert meadow.

While the group portion will end at noon, participants will be invited to stay and discuss the landscape with Sullivan and explore the park further on their own or with other participants. Exploratory routes will be suggested.

This tour is part of a larger program intended to celebrate the life and legacy of landscape architect Lawrence Halprin. Learn more about the program and view other tours by returning to the event page for What’s Out There Weekend: The Public Landscapes of Lawrence Halprin.