The Grove , Los Angeles
Harrah ’ s New Orleans
in the corner and four small children causing havoc throughout the house . Don was the trained landscape architect . Barbara was equally creative with floral and planting design , as well as managing the business and the family .
Barbara quickly gained an international reputation for incorporating lush gardens with a cacophony of color and texture complementing Don ’ s design approach and philosophy .
Noted international real estate developer Rick Caruso stayed at Bellagio — which has another iconic garden destination designed by Lifescapes International — and was so captivated by the property ’ s Italianesque beauty that he tracked down Lifescapes and asked the team to design a “ garden that happened to have retail in it .”
That project would become known as the Grove — one of the top retail properties in the country , winning coveted Project of the Year Awards from both ICSC and the Urban Land Institute . The Grove , which receives an average of 49,000 daily visitors ( more than Disneyland ), is well-known for its inviting ambiance and high-caliber retail offerings .
“ Barbara was one of the greatest landscape artists with whom I ever had the pleasure of working ,” Caruso says . “ She brought an incredible amount of energy to the project , which was an essential component in creating the destination retail environment .”
Vegas Versions
With its innovations and beautiful gardens , Lifescapes simply changed the realm of landscape architecture , says Leonard Bergman , president of BWA , a world-class architectural and interior design firm based in Las Vegas that has completed major projects for Caesars Palace , Hard Rock and Paris Las Vegas , among others .
“ Lifescapes considers the human emotional response first , rather than what plants to select and place ,” says Bergman . “ They are one of the most creative design firms ever .” Lifescapes ’ credo is simple : “ We create gardens people love .” That ’ s an understatement . Lifescapes goes above and beyond the usual scope of the job , and is adamant about creating the best environment possible . Bhavna M . Mistry , formerly affiliated with Caesars Entertainment Corp ., recalls working with Brinkerhoff and Lifescapes when Harrah ’ s — now Caesars Entertainment — was building its first 27-story tower at the edge of New Orleans ’ historical district .
“ It was a street that we really wanted to be like no other in New Orleans ,” she recalls . “ I wanted it to become a destination street , where people felt like
they were transported to Europe .”
Brinkerhoff and the Lifescapes team knew that covering the street with asphalt wouldn ’ t deliver a correct sense of place . They recommended granite pavers instead — which were more expensive .
“ Don and his team were right and Harrah ’ s understood Don ’ s thinking ,” Mistry recalls . “ In the end , Lifescapes created this wonderful European street with beautiful sidewalks and large , striking Japanese yews . The street is so beautiful that when there is a major sporting event in New Orleans , the television networks often use it as a background for broadcasting . It ’ s become a wedding destination , too . It shows you the power of good design — the extraordinary and the ordinary — which is why you hire someone like Lifescapes for these kinds of ideas . Putting in pavers was absolutely the right decision .”
Working hand-in-hand with clients like Caesars is a hallmark of Lifescapes ’ approach .
“ You need to listen attentively , work expeditiously , interact skillfully and present confidently ,” says Andrew Kreft , Lifescapes ’ director of design . “ The active participation during the early concept phase is crucial to developing a collaborative relationship with the client , as well the rest of the design team . It ’ s important to understand that everyone is integral and essential to the process . This consensus-based design approach allows for evolutionary growth from the original vision and helps us all to guide and articulate the design direction .”
Over the last three decades , Lifescapes has worked with major casino industry property owners and operators including Golden Nugget Resorts , the
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