Three Architectural Design Firms Picked as Semi-Finalists in Orange County Great Park Competition
The Semi-Finalist Design Teams and Their Great Park Concepts:

Mirrales Tagliabue, EMBT, Spain: A highly stylized plan that calls for re-contouring the land to create a hilly terrain. Sports fields would be placed within the terrain. The central portion of the park is a meadow with a large lake-like water feature. A broad boardwalk is envisioned as a central gathering place. The runway is implied but plan appears to reflect the earlier history of the site before the development of the El Toro military base.

Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey of Mill Valley, California: Plan retains the image of the runways through a series of plantings and reflecting pools. A large “air terrace” is created to provide an area for observation and activity. A land trade program is encouraged to reshape the park, with the major sports component relocated to extend the entire length of Lennar’s Education District. The frameworks of two hanger buildings are retained. An amphitheatre is added to enclose the plaza area between the hangers. The plan also includes four iconic elements: a veteran’s memorial “fog forest”, a geyser fountain, a “smoke signal” fog fountain, and a “solar grove”. Also envisioned is the use of geothermal energy plan as a component of the sustainable energy program.

Ken Smith, Landscape Architect of New York in partnership with Ten-Arquitectos of Mexico City, Mary Miss Studio of New York and Mia Lehrer and Associates of Los Angeles: Plan creates a canyon extending along the northern border of the park site, joining with the Agua Chinon riparian corridor, and ending in a lake feature. An amphitheater faces east across the lake. Runway is retained as linear monument to the Marine history with fighter planes stationed along its entire length. A crossing runway is retained in a stylized manner with segments reused as park features. The sports fields expand across Marine Way with a skate park and amateur athletics stadium adjacent to the railroad tracks. The museum district buildings are planned as earth-covered structures south of the latke. A large parking area is created within an orchard. Two whimsical elements of this plan are the use of free or minimum fee orange bicycles as a mode of transportation and three large hot air balloons as an attraction that would allows people to see the whole expense of the park.

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