Pamela Burton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pamela Burton
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Portrait of Pamela Burton
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Pamela Grace Burton
September 16, 1948 Santa Monica, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design and a M.Arch. Master’s degree in Architecture |
| Alma mater | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Occupation | Principal, President of Pamela Burton & Company, Landscape Architect, Author |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Organization | Fellow American Society of Landscape Architects The Cultural Landscape Foundation Stewardship Council |
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Notable work
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Pamela Burton Landscapes and Private Landscapes: Modernist Gardens in Southern California |
Pamela Grace Burton, born on September 16, 1948, is a talented landscape architect. She is famous for her unique way of designing outdoor spaces, mixing plants, art, and buildings. In 2006, she was recognized as a special member (a fellow) of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
Contents
Pamela Burton's Early Life and Learning
Pamela Burton was born in Santa Monica, California. She studied at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In 1975, she earned two degrees: a bachelor's in Environmental Design and a master's in Architecture.
How Artists Inspired Her Designs
While at UCLA, Pamela worked at ACE Gallery. She helped set up art projects by famous artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer. She also helped create Sol LeWitt’s wall drawings, where colors overlapped. This inspired her.
Artists like Robert Irwin and Elyn Zimmerman also taught her about light, space, and how we see things. Pamela believes that designing landscapes is like a journey. It's not just about the final look, but also the process of creating and walking through the spaces. She says that being aware of your surroundings is very important for designers.
Connecting Buildings and Nature
Pamela learned that architecture and landscapes work together. This idea became clear when she visited Japan during her studies. She saw how gardens and temples blended nature and buildings in a simple, beautiful way. This experience showed her the power of combining these elements. She likes to think of a garden as a "big idea."
Pamela also helped write a book called Private Landscapes: Modernist Gardens in Southern California. This book showed how modern ideas were used in gardens and homes from the mid-1900s. It featured works by architects like A. Quincy Jones and Richard Neutra.
Learning from Her Own Home
Throughout her career, Pamela has been influenced by where she lived. She lived in the hills of Malibu and the valley of Ojai. She learned that the true value of a space isn't always seen right away; it's felt.
Her own gardens became places for her to try out new ideas. She experimented with how indoor and outdoor spaces connect. She also explored how light and shadow, nature and cultivated areas, and social and quiet spots can work together. Her garden shows her favorite themes: outdoor rooms, flowing water, and using plants to tell a story.
Pamela believes that a garden develops its own meaning over time. She is happy if her work makes it seem like she didn't do much at all. This simple look actually takes a lot of effort and careful planning.
Pamela Burton's Professional Work
Pamela Burton & Company has worked on many projects around the world. These include private homes and public spaces in California, Idaho, New Mexico, New York, Australia, Brazil, and Japan. Her projects range from university plans and public plazas to hospitals and libraries.
Pamela believes that by taking care of our landscapes, we are also taking care of ourselves. She says that plants bring beauty and happiness.
Notable Projects and Their Impact
Some of her early projects, like The Bonhill Residence, show how good design can adapt over time. The Colton Avenue Streetscape at the University of Redlands helped connect the campus with the nearby community. The Cantitoe Farm project focused on creating terraced garden rooms. For the Calabasas Civic Center, she designed beautiful, sustainable spaces for everyone to enjoy.
Many of her designs use plants native to California. They also focus on saving water. For example, the Palm Canyon Residence in Malibu is a comfortable home for a large family. It features an olive grove and planted steps.
The School of the Arts Plaza at the University of California, Irvine, designed with Maya Lin, is a central meeting place. It also encourages people to explore their five senses. The Red Tail Ranch in Santa Ynez uses natural rainfall to maintain its timeless oak grassland. The Santa Monica Public Library uses water as a main theme, with shallow pools that cool the courtyard on hot days. Pamela used native plants and a large underground tank to collect rainwater for irrigation at the library, even before "green building" certifications were common.
Creating Layers of Discovery
More recent projects simplify the landscape to its most important parts. This creates a clear structure that can be filled with many different plants. For example, the La Mesa Residence connects small courtyards with nearby rooms like the library and dining area. At the Colorado Center, Pamela improved an office complex by rethinking its design.
At the East Fork Residence, located high up in the mountains, Pamela used terraces with flowering trees to connect the house to the land. She also created "veils" of native trees to frame views of the house. In São Paulo, Brazil, she designed many peaceful spots for office workers and the public. In all her work, Pamela aims to create spaces that offer layers of discovery and new experiences.
Pamela also served on design review boards for several universities, including the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Riverside. She also served on the Architectural Review Board for the city of Santa Monica.
Pamela Burton's Connection to Nature
As a landscape architect, Pamela Grace Burton deeply respects nature and its forces. She believes that to truly understand where you live and how to design your surroundings, you must understand the cycles of earth, air, fire, and water. This means that the better you understand the land's features, the better a building or garden can blend with its natural environment. Pamela sees a garden or landscape as a "big idea" that is simple, balanced, and easy to understand.
During her studies at UCLA, Pamela realized she wanted to create landscapes. She wanted to change the land to make the best use of a site, always keeping the environment in mind. She noticed that things like openings, lighting, temperature (shade and water), sounds, and furniture can all show a strong connection to the surroundings.
Later, during her time studying in Japan, she visited many gardens and temples. She saw how simple beauty and the blending of nature and architecture connected her to something deep and endless. After this, she knew how she wanted to approach her own work. So, blending into the space's boundaries became very important to Pamela. When she designs, she always studies the site and its environment carefully.
Over the years, she has found that balancing four areas is key to creative work: looking, thinking, drawing, and making. "Thinking" means analyzing and connecting ideas about the environment. "Drawing" means recording insights, being imaginative, and putting ideas onto paper.
In her projects, it's easy to see her connection to the natural environment. For example, the Red Tail Ranch is in a classic California landscape with golden hills and oak trees. To blend the house into nature, Pamela and her team designed it to sit on the land like a saddle. This made the project about restraint, letting the house comfortably settle into the landscape and become part of the mountains.
Her book, Pamela Burton Landscapes, shows many of her projects and how they connect with the environment.
Selected Projects by Pamela Burton
- 2016 LUMINA, San Francisco, California
- 2016 Glendale Central Air Terminal, Glendale, California
- 2015 Anita May Rosentein LGBT Center, Hollywood, California
- 2012 Archer School for Girls, Los Angeles, California
- 2011 The Century, Century City, California
- 2010 Valley Performing Arts Center, California State University, Northridge
- 2009 São Paulo Rochavera Esplanade, São Paulo, Brazil
- 2006 Farmer's Market, Third and Fairfax, Los Angeles, California
- 2005 Santa Monica Public Library, Santa Monica, California
- 2004 Colorado Center, Santa Monica, California
- 1998 Gilbert Residence, Brentwood, California
- 1997 Colton Avenue Street Scape, University of Redlands, Redlands, California
- 1995 Art Science Walk, Scripps College, Claremont, California
- 1994 Escondido Performing Arts Center, Escondido, California
- 1992 Biddy Mason Park, Los Angeles, California (Burton and Spitz)
- 1976 Nilsson Residence
- 1975 Jencks Residence
See also
In Spanish: Pamela Burton para niños
