Brian & Nancy Malk Sunset Overlook
La Jolla, California
The Parks Issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. La Jolla Overlook is one of several great projects we are excited to showcase on LandscapeArchitect.com.
The University of California San Diego overlooks the Pacific from the coastal bluffs of La Jolla Shores, offering sweeping ocean views. For years, one stretch of bluff has drawn students and visitors who gather on foot or from their cars to watch the sunset. Seeing an opportunity to elevate this beloved spot, UC San Diego engaged Sotelo Landscape Architects to design the Sunset Overlook as a dedicated viewing deck, creating a welcoming place for the campus community and visitors to gather, pause, and take in the beauty of the coast.
Sotelo's vision for the site creates a welcoming arrival sequence with new accessible parking stalls and decomposed granite paths that guide visitors to the viewing deck. A boulder engraved with the name "Brian & Nancy Malk Sunset Overlook" marks the entry and recognizes the donors. Visitors can gather at two picnic tables by Timberform Site Furnishings or relax on the built-in lounge bench. An exhibit honoring the Kumeyaay Nation and the land on which the overlook sits is crafted from Ipe wood with marine-grade hardware selected to withstand coastal exposure.
The overlook takes advantage of the views of Scripps Pier and city to the south, and provides seating oriented toward the sunset. The deck's faceted design uses angled planes of Ipe wood to transition from walking surface to lounge bench. Seating is backed by poured-in-place vertical, board-formed concrete walls. Safety is provided along the deck's elevated edge with Jakob wire mesh railing, chosen for its transparency to avoid obstructing views. The surrounding landscape enhances the sensory experience using California native plants that provide aroma and textural softness as wildflowers sway in the ocean breeze.
The Sunset Overlook elevates an informal roadside clearing into a meaningful place for reflection and connection to the coastal landscape. By giving form to an experience long valued at this bluff, the project creates a lasting opportunity to engage with the Pacific horizon and the natural beauty of the La Jolla shoreline.
To see more Park projects, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/landscape-articles/call-for-editorial-parks#article1
For more information about submitting a project, go to: https://landscapearchitect.com/research/editorial/editorial-submissions.php
