Title:
ALCOA Forecast Garden, Los Angeles, CA, 1952-1966Creator/Contributor:
Aluminum Company of America, ClientCreator/Contributor:
Eckbo, Garrett, Landscape ArchitectDate:
1952-1966Subject:
Landscape architects--California
Landscape architecture--California
Gardens--California
Los Angeles (Calif.)
Note:
In 1956, the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) asked Eckbo to create a garden containing large amounts of aluminum, for
the company's publicity purposes. Aluminum had been widely used during the war years as a component in airplane manufacture,
but ALCOA was interested in promoting the metal's peacetime use as well. Eckbo designed a garden for his own family's house
using large quantities of the material in screens, in trellises, in sunbreaks, and most spectacularly in a centerpiece fountain
recalling the shape of a flower. ALCOA's advertising agency used photographs of the garden in promotional materials for at
least five years. ALCOA released a number of publicity statements along with professional photographs of the garden. The
following paragraph describes the aluminum fountain: "ELEMENTS OF GARRETT ECKBO'S FORECAST GARDEN, designed for Aluminum Company
of America's FORECAST collection. Shown is the abstract aluminum fountain, appearing much like a huge flower, located near
the center of the garden. Fabricated from quarter-inch aluminum plate, the fountain is about 3 1/2 feet high at its highest
point, and approximately 6 feet wide at its broadest point. It is finished in olive green baked enamel. The water outlets
are five swaged (tapered) aluminum tubes, with a natural anodic finish, which rise from the center of the fountain-like flower
stamens. Water overflows into the curved concrete basin, in which rugged rock provides contrast with the precise triangular
pattern of the fountain."
Type:
Landscape architecture drawingsPhysical Description:
1 folder, 1 flat file, slides
Language:
English
Origin:
Wonderland Park, Los Angeles, CalifCopyright Note:
Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission
of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright
owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Copyright Owner: University of California Regents
Copyright Owner Note: All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in the collection should be discussed with the
Curator.
Copyright Contact:
230 Wurster Hall #1820 , University of California , Berkeley, California 94720-1820
Related Item:
Metacollection:
Designing California
: ceda_dc001