George Hargreaves: Project Review.

 Silver Lake Reservoir Complex Master Plan: Los Angeles, USA.

This week, I am looking at the Silver Lake Reservoir Complex, by the shared practice of George Hargreaves and Mary Margaret Jones: "HargreavesJones". This project stood out to me due to its focus on education and ecology. The masterplan outlines a design approach for the development of the reservoir area. Instead of designing to disguise the functional nature of a reservoir, it uses this as a focus, to connect and educate users with the facility and overall water cycle that provides them with a multitude of vital services.

It includes in its masterplan, the ecological strategy for boosting levels of wildlife. It does not do this in a fait accompli manner, but outlines a detailed strategy for creating a variety of bespoke habitats, specific to different species. It provides a rationale for this, showing that by encouraging keystone species, a diverse ecosystem will likely follow. This is something I would love to carry into all my projects. 

In regards to aesthetics, the design use a repeated motif of a gentle curve, as shown by the comparison of the two images below. By repeating this shape, in different contexts, the overall scheme feels congruent and connected, rather that a number of isolated components. It contributes to creating an overall sense of identity, which I think is a crucial feature of a successful place. 

For me, the design also has a sense of elegance and intimacy, perhaps created by the low, yet dense, tree cover of the park/green spaces (pictured in top image, above). I feel that this would create a comfortable, protected and safe-feeling environment for the space users. When I first saw the graphics for the green space, I was reminded of  Georges Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" (pictured below). Perhaps through association or perhaps through design techniques, this gives the Silver Lake Reservoir design a sense of regality and romance. Either way, I admire this project for both its form and function. 

Georges Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte". Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Sunday_Afternoon_on_the_Island_of_La_Grande_Jatte.

Project found at: https://www.hargreaves.com/work/silver-lake-reservoir-complex-master-plan/