Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/137453
Vibrant Landscapes PWL Partnership Landscape Architects Inc. marries bold design and impressive functionality in Vancouver's green spaces by Robin Brunet R ecently, Margot Long had the opportunity to bicycle through the upper peninsula of downtown Vancouver. She departed from Coal Harbour, headed west to cycle the perimeter of Stanley Park, then went east along the seawall to False Creek. Although captivated by the vibrancy of her surroundings, she also absorbed the sights with a critical eye. As the senior principal of PWL Partnership Landscape Architects Inc., she and founding principal (and husband) Jeff Philips, along with partners Bruce Hemstock, Chris Sterry, Grant Brumpton, Derek Lee, Jason Wegman and a talented team of designers have helped create, reshape and revitalize large swaths of the downtown peninsula. "It was a strange feeling to see so many people interact with what is essentially our work," says Long of her bike ride. "It wasn't too long ago when you couldn't cycle along Coal Harbour, nor did the seawall extend to False Creek. And up until recently, False Creek itself was an entirely different area of Vancouver. I saw a new Vancouver that has come about in a remarkably short space of time. Usually people leave behind legacies when they die, but here I was surrounded by ours – and it's not as if I'm even anywhere close to retirement." Although now a Vancouverite, Long didn't become a city resident until the early 1980s. Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Calgary, she became interested in design early on. Her father, an architect, would take the family on trips "off the beaten track," which inspired in Long a deep appreciation for natural and cultural landscapes. Ironically, the lack of landscape architecture schools in B.C. in the late 1970s played a pivotal role in Long's personal life – as well as in the genesis of PWL. "I attended the University of Oregon to get my education," she says. "That campus was a hot spot for aspiring landscape architects. In Vancouver today there must be over 20 University of Oregon graduates, including Jeff." y Photos, left: Southeast False Creek (SEFC) and the Olympic Village. Above: Children playing at Hinge Park, Vancouver, B.C. june 2013 p08-11 PWL coverstory.indd 9 /9 13-05-30 1:57 PM