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Exterior Orchard, A Conversation with Survival Piece V

Outdoor installation of 12 citrus trees at the La Jolla Historical Society’s front lawn

Hexagonal planter redwood boxes, 2 feet tall x 4 feet diameter; an assortment of living citrus trees

Courtesy the Harrison Family Trust

This project examines the necessity of ecologically focused and sustainable food systems in a future where farming practices may become obsolete. Spanning the Society’s front lawn, this installation features 12 living citrus trees rooted in hexagonal redwood planters, representing an alternative farming method in response to environmental destruction.

High Tech High Mesa Externship

On June 4th and 5th we hosted 8 High School seniors at our site. These students met with exhibition curator Tatiana Sizonenko to learn about the Harrisons commitment to ecology. They surveyed the exhibition site, studied Helen and Newton’s original 1972 design plans and then got to work. A makeshift woodshop was setup with limited tools and a single miter saw, assuming the students would have little to no experience in fabrication. To my surprise, these students not only had experience, but also possessed practical knowledge and skills. After reviewing the plans together, the students divided into groups based on their preferred tasks and what needed to be done. Our initial goal was to start one planter, we were blown away when the students completed two planters over the two days of the HTH Mesa Externship. Additionally, they tackled design challenges, considering how the Harrisons would approach this project in 2024, how to reuse the planters or the materials, and how to design planters in an ecological way.