Selected Works of Landscape Architect John L. Wong

This monograph presents a comprehensive overview of a Landscape Architecture career spanning more than four decades: the life’s work of John L. Wong. The featured works were created in collaboration across diverse cultures and countries, employing a vast range of concepts and exploring the whole spectrum of possibilities, from crafting small gardens to planning large-scale neighborhoods, towns and new communities.

John L. Wong’s prolific body of work is global with focal points in North America, the Middle East, and Asia, especially Japan, Korea and China. In addition to the wide array of project types and locations, a notable portfolio highlight is his long-term design collaboration with Stanford University, which continues to evolve and have a number of far-ranging impacts. More than 150 campus improvement projects at Stanford University (which include campus connections, open space systems, and public realm and site-specific uses) make up this large-scale design work which both reclaims Leland Stanford and Frederick Law Olmsted’s 100-year-old vision while also building on that legacy to create a beautiful, resilient campus environment that facilitates learning in the 21st century.

Another groundbreaking, in every sense of the word, keystone of this body of work are the groundscape designs for a number of high rises which include 12 of the 100 tallest buildings in the world. With the continual emergence of climate change issues and increasing resilience and social equity requirements asked of environmental design, the remaining works explore Wong’s new and myriad responses to the challenges of our time. A solid grasp of the four foundational elements that make up a project—Client, Program, Site and Budget—is key to a successful design. Combining all four, as well as asking the right questions and listening attentively, is the path to forging the “Big Idea” through which Design can truly begin.

John L. Wong’s work with Stanford University both reclaims Leland Stanford and Frederick Law Olmsted’s 100-year-old vision while also building on that legacy to create a beautiful, resilient campus environment that facilitates learning in the 21st century.