An Interview with RJM Design.
Meet RJM Designer Zachary Mueting and Colleagues
Zachary Mueting:
The Arroyo Demonstration Trails Project team has some of the most talented designers and trail craftsmen we could hope for today. Our core trail team consists of Hans Keifer, Craig Sensenbach, Robert Perry, and myself, and each one of us brings various strengths and experience to the process—everything from trail construction, to landscape design, to community outreach.
The success of this project will come from the collaborative approach the One Arroyo Foundation has sought to build with the City, the community, and the design team. Even though the Demonstration Trails Project is purely focused on trial improvements at this point, we are sharing developments with the community and listening to their feedback as we go. Success will mean not only physical improvements to the trails, but the connections people will make with nature and each other in our continued understanding of the Arroyo.
What sparked your interest in landscape design?
Craig Sensenbach:
I’ve enjoyed outdoor spaces since I was a kid—window wells along the edge of a house, open-air stadiums, forts, forests, open meadows, dugouts. I find the range of scales, and the feelings affiliated with a space—from exhilaration in an expansive space to a feeling of security in an intimate space—really interesting. Landscape architecture offered a curriculum that promoted learning more about the development of these spaces, their interaction with architecture, engineering, and the design of successful spaces.
Robert Perry:
The natural world of plants provides the essential foundation for human existence by providing the necessary biological energy, oxygen, and physical resources to live on this planet. Working with plants and landscapes is both a sacred and scientific endeavor, and it is not easy or simple to understand. Landscape design lies at the interface between the world of plants and the needs and choices of people. This is a fabulous field of study.
Zachary Mueting:
As a very young man, I spent my time out in nature, building forts, riding bikes, and exploring stream beds. Growing up, I was always more comfortable in the outdoors than not. I ultimately made the decision to study landscape architecture after backpacking across Europe and experiencing public spaces, public parks, and the evolution of garden design. I found that we as a community come together more outdoors in various public parks, gardens, and plazas.
What is your design philosophy?
Craig:
Listen/look first, trust your instinct second, act third, then be open to change and the very real possibility that are wrong.
Hans Keifer:
We like to create trails so they lay lightly and do not change the natural flow of things.
Robert:
Design with nature: Understand the structure and function of natural systems and work within the local ecology to conserve and enhance the natural vegetation and wildlife within the framework of climate, water flow, topography, soils, and indigenous vegetation.
Zachary:
Nature has perfected design over the eons. We would be foolish to try and change it. The best designs are ones that use natural landforms and systems to preserve the character and environment that surrounds us. Every space is unique, as is every community we design for. Listening to both the natural environment and those who will use the public space will help ensure a successful outcome.
What originally attracted you to the One Arroyo project?
Craig:
I sense the value of such an open space reserve in the immediate context of downtown Pasadena. It’s a rare and treasured jewel. Few urban communities are so lucky. My sense has been that this open space “well” can best continue to serve if it’s retained in as natural a setting as possible. Can you hike down into the Arroyo, lose your sense of time, and easily imagine what it was like at the turn of the century? Probably not, what with the adjacent overhead bridges and freeways. But it seems like a worthy goal to retain and preserve the essential, simple nature of a space that can serve as a source of re-creation and help assuage the anxieties and stress of living in a downtown environment.
Zachary:
I’m drawn to projects that offer an opportunity to preserve or enhance a natural space. As our environment continues to become more developed over time, the streambeds and natural hillsides have slowly started to disappear. It is important for all of us to support the careful growth and preservation of these natural landscapes. We can’t stop development, but we can help it fit better into nature.
Do you have a personal connection to the Arroyo?
Craig:
I've lived in Pasadena, attended PCC, and have seen the Bruins win far too few and lose far too many games in the Rose Bowl.
Hans:
Yes, I have been a regular visitor to the Arroyo for over 30 years.
Robert:
I grew up near the Devil’s Gate Dam and later in Eagle Rock, played in the Arroyo, learned to play golf at Brookside, hiked along sections of the creek.
Zachary:
I did not grow up or live in the area surrounding the Arroyo, but I feel connected to the community and understand its desire to preserve natural systems and enjoy the outdoors. I like hearing the history of the Arroyo from people I meet on the trails.
What are some of the challenges you face with this project?
Craig:
Keeping things simple.
Hans:
The existing trails have several drainage and erosion issues that are a challenge to correct.
Robert:
Achieving a sound interface between natural systems and suburban uses—residences, recreation facilities, etc.
Zachary:
The challenge is to carefully implement designs. The most successful designs and projects are ones that evolve slowly over time. It’s very easy to overreach and develop too large of a project, dramatically changing the landscape. With the Arroyo we want to make sure we carefully work within the natural environment.
Have you worked similar projects? If so, what did you learn from those projects that will impact the design of the trails in the Arroyo?
Craig:
Previous trail projects have given us a sound understanding of trail design. Good design hinges on respecting and responding to natural systems, particularly the flow of water, so that the trail damage from seasonal storms is minimized, natural infiltration zones are restored, and safety increases.
Hans:
We work on similar projects all over Southern California on a regular basis. We have learned it is difficult to find solutions that encompass what trail users want and what will create sustainable trails.
Robert:
I have helped establish landscape palettes and planting guidelines for the LA River, consulted on projects involving trails, bicycle paths, and recreational areas along the San Gabriel and Santa Ana rivers.
Zachary:
I have been very fortunate to have worked on projects of all sizes in many different environments. The key lesson in any project is to understand the boundaries of the improvements—not simply physical limitations, but the materials and textures of the design and how they will impact the user experience. An example would be the types of materials that trails are constructed with. The simple makeup of a decomposed granite trail versus a raised boardwalk trail can have a dramatic impact on a user experience.
How do you approach trail restoration in a way that doesn’t disturb the natural environment?
Craig:
By respecting the terrain, the vegetation, and wildlife, good design will present itself. At the end of the day, if the trail works and is seemingly devoid of someone’s interpretation or imposed will, then it’s probably a success.
Hans:
By assessing natural drainage features, topography, vegetation, and soil conditions.
Robert:
Fit the topography as much as possible to reduce the impact on the natural framework of the environment. Be sensitive to issues of compaction, erosion, and potential user impacts.
Zachary:
Natural environments evolve over time. Understanding the evolution of the Arroyo and the community interaction with the trails is key. We want to improve the areas that will maximize the benefit to the community and minimize maintenance, thus balancing the evolution of the trails and the user environment together.
How do you design for environmental sustainability?
Craig:
Incorporating materials that are indigenous to the area, and respecting and responding to natural systems (hydrology, geology, etc.). Where man-made elements are used, utilize materials that are sourced locally.
Hans:
By keeping grades down to below 10% when possible, making sure the trail drains properly, and adding rock armoring when needed to prevent erosion.
Robert:
Enable as much of the natural system to function without disturbance, and look for low carbon interventions to achieve enhancements (i.e. swales to capture impound rainfall). Regarding vegetation: protect existing vegetation, remove exotic species, reestablish native species, work toward biological diversity, and choose plantings that fit microclimate conditions.
Zachary:
Sustainability has too many definitions nowadays. Instead, I tell people that we design natural environments to create a sense of place. By emphasizing natural elements and systems into our designs, we can help balance the human interaction on the environment. Development is inevitable, and people’s interaction within nature is natural. Balancing the two allows for a natural landscape that can flourish and be more enjoyed by the community.
What do you think is the importance of public open space in urban settings?
Craig:
Open space is fundamental to our sanity. We need to connect and reconvene with natural systems and scales beyond the confines of spaces defined by four walls.
Hans:
During these recent times, we have seen a big increase in public use of trails. People need these open spaces to connect with nature, exercise, and socialize.
Robert:
Open space is essential for the health of the public. Health involves being informed about the benefits of the environment as well as the direct experience of the environment. Open spaces provide relief and value to the emotional, physical, and psychological health of people. People should also be vested in the protection, enrichment, and long-term conservation of the environment as a fundamental value in their lives.
Zachary:
COVID has shown us most recently how important the natural world is to our health. Trail and park use has exploded over the last year. I found over my lifetime that people gather most outdoors. We gather in parks, trails, arenas, and plazas of all kinds. When we balance a community’s desire for outdoor elements and public spaces, we create a “natural” infrastructure that connects us to one another and to the world around us.
What role does public input play in your design process?
Craig:
Many people in the community have greater familiarity with the Arroyo than we do. They know cultural and natural histories that can importantly contribute to the process. Hearing from the community can help secure a collective commitment to the fundamental values to be retained and protected.
Hans:
It is always good to hear the opinions of locals regarding their use and ideas of open space. Local knowledge can give you insights on history, trail connectors, access issues, past drainage issues, and other relevant input.
Robert:
An ongoing dialogue is essential to achieving input and understanding of the many ideas and options inherent to any design. This dialogue involves meetings and presentations, workshops, goal setting, expectations and outcomes. Both the professional team and the public become educated about the interests, needs, criteria, and responsibilities associated with design. Design is fundamentally a human endeavor that requires a robust process to discover the best choices to make.
Zachary:
I have long been a believer that the most successful designs are ones that involve the community that will use them. The Demonstration Trail Project is focused on trail improvements, but that doesn’t eliminate the need for community input and information sharing. Through this process, the community can learn what trails have been eroded and how they can be preserved with natural enhancements. Sharing information removes the unknown. It also promotes a greater collaboration of ideas. We have already received several ideas that encompass a variety of creative opportunities in the Arroyo. These ideas ultimately build a foundation for potential future projects within the Arroyo.
With an involved community comes ownership, and with ownership comes preservation and respect for one’s environment.