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Transcript of interview with Donald C. Brinkerhoff by Stefani Evans, September 30, 2016
Date
2016-09-30
Archival Collection
Description
Las Vegas tourists who stop to admire the Mirage volcano, the Bellagio conservatory, the Wynn Las Vegas mountain, the Encore gardens, and the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign’s surroundings on the Las Vegas Strip likely do not realize that in each case they have sampled a unique landscape environment conceived by Don Brinkerhoff of Lifescapes International, Newport Beach, California. It is for producing work of this caliber that in 2016 the American Gaming Association selected Brinkerhoff to be the first designer inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame. In this interview, the Los Angeles native and son of a working-class father and an artist/schoolteacher mother, explains how he spent his youth in an owner-built house in the modest suburb of El Monte, where he tended the family truck garden. Despite earning his degree in ornamental horticulture at California Polytechnic (Cal Poly), Don felt unschooled in the arts because the small school did not teach them. To fill that educational gap, Don took his wife and four children to Europe for two years, where he affiliated with the American Academy in Rome and worked for TAC (The Architects' Collaborative) in Greece among other adventures. The family spent another six months in Hawaii, where the children attended school and Don worked with a local landscape architect. The family’s unusual work, school, and travel experience more than completed Don’s arts education and shaped his world view and that of his daughter Julie in countless ways that came to silently benefit the Las Vegas built environment. Upon returning to California in 1968, Brinkerhoff opened his Orange County office, and Lifescapes International became the “go-to” firm to create water features for condominium projects. This work led to his first hotel-casino project at a Sun City golf course condominium project in South Africa, which in turn led to a telephone call from architect Joel Bergman inviting him to become one of three candidate landscape architects to work with Steve Wynn on what would become The Mirage hotel-casino in Las Vegas. Here, Brinkerhoff speaks to his design philosophy as ninety percent problem-solving and ten percent inspiration even as he describes organizing the signature tree for The Mirage, building the Mirage volcano, taking the idea for Bellagio’s conservatory from the DuPont family’s Longwood Gardens, of creating faux banyans in the Mirage atrium, of creating the model for the Las Vegas Strip median, and of building the mountain on Las Vegas Boulevard in front of Wynn Las Vegas to conceal the Cloud at the Fashion Show Mall. While the fortunes of Lifescapes International continue to grow and succeed worldwide, both Don and Julie credit Steve Wynn and their Las Vegas work: “Las Vegas has totally changed our lives.”
Text
Lamar and Patricia Marchese Papers
Identifier
MS-00884
Abstract
The Lamar and Patricia Marchese papers (1959-2015) contain awards, correspondence (both professional and personal), a Clark County Services and Facilities Directory, newspaper and magazine clippings, pamphlets, Parks and Recreation information, KNPR events and newsletters, art exhibits brochures, and musical performances brochures. The collection chronicles the contributions of the long-time Las Vegas community leaders through photographs, speeches, an interview done with Lamar Marchese, professional papers, audiovisual materials, Las Vegas Centennial Board (LVCB) end of year report, and a LVCB book.
Archival Collection
Lori Lipman Brown Papers
Identifier
MS-00346
Abstract
The Lori Lipman Brown Papers date from 1975 to 2009 and document former Nevada State Senator Lori Lipman Brown's political career. It includes correspondence and materials from Brown's service as a Nevada State Senator from 1992 to 1994, case files from her defamation lawsuit against Nevada State Senator Kathy Augustine, and papers from her work opposing the Nevada Question 2 ballot measure on same-sex marriage in 2000. The collection also contains photocopies of biographical materials and personal and publicity photographs of Brown, as well as material from her time working with local high school and commmunity theatre programs.
Archival Collection
Application by Las Vegas Valley Water District and Colorado River Commission of Nevada to the Administrator of General Services (Washington, D.C.) for transfer of certain water facilities, 1951
Date
1951
Archival Collection
Description
Application of the Las Vegas Valley Water District to obtain the water facilities constructed at or near Henderson, Nevada, by Defense Plant Corporation. Document includes background of application, water district plans, consideration of public interest and benefit, and the terms and conditions for the transfer of the water facilities.
Text
Meeting minutes for Consolidated Student Senate, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, June 09, 1981
Date
1981-06-09
Archival Collection
Description
Includes meeting agenda and minutes along with additional information about the letters, ammendments, memorandums, and directory contract. CSUN Session 11 Meeting Minutes and Agendas.
Text
Photographs of Atomic Liquors at dusk, Las Vegas (Nev.), June 28, 2017
Date
2017-06-28
2017-08-12
Archival Collection
Description
The Atomic Liquors bar sits at 927 Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Sheet.
Site address: 927 Fremont St
Sign owner: 100 10th Street LLC
Sign details: Property sold by Lance Johns to 100 10th Street LLC in 2014 for $3,480,000. Recent addition to property in 2017 (927 Fremont Street).
Sign condition: 3 - Decent: neon in great condition, paint chipping off and some bulbs not repaired
Sign form: Directional Monument sign, back to back "Double sided"
Sign-specific description: Uses directional tool of an arrow, has chasing animation in the arrow with incandescent bulbs. It has blade like additions to it for the word "Liquor" and "Cocktails", each word on its own blade which are parallel to the ground, they are painted red. The word "Atomic" sits on the top in a comic style "blast" shaped bubble painted yellow. "Packaged liquors" and "Cold beer" painted on the base structure of the sign. Bulbs glow yellow, "Liquor" glows blue, "Cocktails" glows red, "Atomic" is not lit.
Sign - type of display: Neon and incandescent
Sign - media: Steel
Sign animation: Chaser effect with bulbs
Sign environment: Property surrounded by other bars/clubs and motels.
Sign - date of installation: c. 1952
Sign - artistic significance: 1950s atomic testing theme - popular due to test sight 65 miles north of city
Survey - research locations: Bar website, www.roadarch.com, owner
Surveyor: Danny Jacobs
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-12
Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Chasing; Directional; Monument sign; Back to back; Fascia; Floating Mount Letters
Site address: 927 Fremont St
Sign owner: 100 10th Street LLC
Sign details: Property sold by Lance Johns to 100 10th Street LLC in 2014 for $3,480,000. Recent addition to property in 2017 (927 Fremont Street).
Sign condition: 3 - Decent: neon in great condition, paint chipping off and some bulbs not repaired
Sign form: Directional Monument sign, back to back "Double sided"
Sign-specific description: Uses directional tool of an arrow, has chasing animation in the arrow with incandescent bulbs. It has blade like additions to it for the word "Liquor" and "Cocktails", each word on its own blade which are parallel to the ground, they are painted red. The word "Atomic" sits on the top in a comic style "blast" shaped bubble painted yellow. "Packaged liquors" and "Cold beer" painted on the base structure of the sign. Bulbs glow yellow, "Liquor" glows blue, "Cocktails" glows red, "Atomic" is not lit.
Sign - type of display: Neon and incandescent
Sign - media: Steel
Sign animation: Chaser effect with bulbs
Sign environment: Property surrounded by other bars/clubs and motels.
Sign - date of installation: c. 1952
Sign - artistic significance: 1950s atomic testing theme - popular due to test sight 65 miles north of city
Survey - research locations: Bar website, www.roadarch.com, owner
Surveyor: Danny Jacobs
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-12
Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Chasing; Directional; Monument sign; Back to back; Fascia; Floating Mount Letters
Mixed Content
