Landscapes

Pamela Burton begins every garden or landscape project, no matter the size, with a big idea. The idea, according to Burton, "must be simple, harmonious, perceptible and the product of a totality of experience." Following the careful observation of a site's natural forces, she lets her mind wander beyond professional knowledge. For Burton, landscapes are symbolic creations--wild spaces in which the journey itself, a sequence of discrete experiences in space and time, is paramount. Her Bonhill Residence, overlooking Los Angeles's west side, was inspired by the elegant gardens of Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, England and is conceived as a series of outdoor "rooms." In her design for the Santa Monica Public Library, Burton created a series of courtyards that weave the interior spaces together, and are integrated with the library as a metaphor for bringing light to the world beneath the surface of the ocean, in the same way that she perceives libraries bringing knowledge to light. Working with Moore, Ruble, Yudell Architects, Burton's landscape design reinforces the library's civic quality. Receptive to the nuances and idiosyncrasies of a site but unafraid to explore the world of ideas, Burton has established herself as a leading figure within the enduring legacy of California modern landscape design. Pamela Burton Landscapes presents nineteen of her built works for public and private clients, with sites ranging from beach to desert and from farm to city block.