He's Been Designing California's Outdoors for Decades. Here's What He's Learned.
Digest
This podcast features landscape architect Roderick Wiley, who shares his design philosophy shaped by his San Francisco roots and the city's evolving creative landscape. He emphasizes the importance of site-specific design, the "California mindset" of embracing indoor-outdoor living, and the poetic use of water in landscapes. Wiley discusses iconic California projects like Land's End and the Golden Gate Bridge plaza, as well as his approach to winery design and modernist planting palettes. He also touches on teaching design at Harvard, creating authentic Californian spaces, and playful designs like the Bay Area Discovery Museum. Finally, he offers recommendations for wineries, restaurants, and gardens that embody the spirit of California.
Outlines
Introduction and California's Design Philosophy
The podcast opens with a sponsor message from Visit California, promoting the state's diverse recreational opportunities. It then delves into landscape architect Roderick Wiley's design philosophy, emphasizing garden-focused approaches, seasonal celebrations, and creating intimate, scaled spaces, particularly in winery design.
Roderick Wiley: San Francisco Roots and Creative Evolution
Host Aisling Green introduces Roderick Wiley, an award-winning landscape architect, for a live episode. Wiley shares his deep connection to San Francisco, tracing his family history and discussing how the city's dynamic nature and the freedom of the '70s and '80s shaped his creative process and openness to innovation.
Surface Design, Iconic Projects, and Untouched California
Wiley explains the philosophy behind his firm, "Surface Design," focusing on shaping ground experiences with curiosity. He discusses key projects like Land's End, a Golden Gate Bridge plaza, and Bayfront Park, and expresses his admiration for the raw, untouched beauty of coastal areas like Point Reyes, emphasizing responsible access.
The California Mindset in Global Design and Water's Poetic Role
Wiley elaborates on how the optimistic, problem-solving "California mindset" influences international projects. He also discusses water as a crucial design element, balancing its aesthetic impact with the necessity of intelligent water management due to scarcity, aiming for visual beauty and poetic contribution.
Innovative Water Features, Modernist Planting, and Winery Design
Wiley details a project using water in a courtyard with woven bronze panels inspired by music. He discusses his modernist training, advocating for sensual, fragrant planting palettes rooted in regional context, and explains their approach to winery design, celebrating California's unique environment over European influences.
Rethinking Mondavi, Design Inspirations, and Authentic California
Wiley discusses the ongoing project to reimagine the Mondavi winery, focusing on creating intimate, garden-centric spaces. He recommends Faust, Buena Vista, and Scribe wineries for their design and historical significance. He stresses designing authentically Californian spaces by subtly guiding people to appreciate their surroundings, avoiding clichés.
Designing with Nature: Microclimates, Outdoor Living, and Teaching
Wiley emphasizes analyzing site-specific conditions like sun and wind, and how natural forces shape design. He reflects on the "California mindset" of year-round outdoor living and describes his teaching approach at Harvard, focusing on immersive studios that build creative confidence.
Playful Design, Evocative Gardens, and Culinary/Retail Gems
Wiley discusses the playful design of the Bay Area Discovery Museum and highlights gardens like Golden Gate Park and Ruth Bancroft Garden as evocative of California. He recommends Valley Bar and Bottle, Zuni, and the Ferry Building Farmer's Market for culinary experiences, and Blunk Space for artistic inspiration.
Keywords
Landscape Architecture
The art and practice of designing and managing outdoor spaces, integrating natural and built elements. It focuses on aesthetics, functionality, and ecological sustainability, often involving elements like gardens, parks, and public spaces.
California Modernism
An architectural and design movement emphasizing clean lines, integration with nature, and efficient use of materials. In landscape design, it translates to designs that are context-specific, sustainable, and celebrate the local environment.
Sustainable Design
An approach to design that minimizes negative environmental impact through efficient resource use, ecological sensitivity, and long-term viability. In landscape architecture, this includes water conservation, native planting, and ecosystem restoration.
Site-Specific Design
A design approach that deeply considers the unique characteristics of a location, including its history, ecology, climate, and cultural context. The goal is to create designs that are intrinsically connected to their place.
Creative Process
The series of steps and methods an individual or group uses to generate novel ideas and solutions. It often involves exploration, experimentation, collaboration, and iterative refinement, driven by curiosity and intuition.
Garden Design
The art and practice of planning, designing, and planting gardens and other designed landscapes. It involves considering aesthetics, plant selection, seasonal changes, and the intended use of the space for enjoyment and relaxation.
Water Management
The practice of planning, developing, distributing, and managing the optimum use of water resources. In landscape design, it involves strategies for conservation, efficient irrigation, and utilizing water features thoughtfully, especially in arid regions.
Winery Design
The architectural and landscape design considerations specific to wineries, focusing on creating functional spaces for wine production and aesthetically pleasing environments for visitors that often integrate with the surrounding viticultural landscape.
Q&A
How does Roderick Wiley's background as a San Francisco native influence his design philosophy?
Growing up in San Francisco during the '70s and '80s, a "wilder time" with a sense of freedom, profoundly shaped Wiley's creative process. This formative experience instilled an openness and curiosity that he applies to his design work, encouraging exploration and a deep connection to place.
What is the core philosophy behind "Surface Design," Roderick Wiley's firm?
The name "Surface Design" reflects the firm's focus on shaping and composing the experience of the ground. Their approach is driven by deep curiosity and the belief that solutions are always available, even if not immediately apparent. They aim to connect their work to the essence of each site, much like filmmakers capturing a location's spirit.
How does Wiley approach the use of water in his landscape designs, considering both aesthetics and scarcity?
Wiley views water as a powerful element that can enhance a landscape's immersive quality through light and reflection. Simultaneously, he emphasizes intelligent water management, designing with an awareness of scarcity and climate impact. His goal is to create visual delight and poetic experiences while being responsible stewards of water resources.
What distinguishes the "California mindset" in design, according to Wiley?
The California mindset, as described by Wiley, is characterized by an inherent value placed on living both indoors and outdoors, a trait deeply ingrained in the state's culture. This emphasis on outdoor environments and year-round usability, coupled with an optimistic and problem-solving approach, influences his design philosophy.
How does Wiley ensure his designs feel authentically Californian without becoming cliché?
Wiley achieves this by focusing on composition and creating spaces that guide people visually and spatially towards their surroundings in a meaningful way. Instead of overt symbolism, he uses subtle techniques like shaping the ground to connect people to the place, allowing for curiosity and deeper understanding of the environment.
Show Notes
This is a very special episode of Unpacked by Afar. This week, we hosted Unpacked Live — a live version of the podcast — in partnership with Visit California in Dallas, Texas. The event celebrated California's extraordinary creative landscape, and today's guest has literally shaped the ground beneath many Californian's feet.
Roderick Wyllie is an award-winning landscape architect and founding partner of Surfacedesign Inc. A rare San Francisco native, he's helped design some of the Bay Area's most beloved public spaces, including the Lands End Visitor Center above Sutro Baths, a plaza at the Golden Gate Bridge, and Mission Bayfront Park. He also teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
In this episode, Roderick talks about growing up in 1970s San Francisco, what it means to design with rather than against a place, and why he thinks California's greatest creative export might be optimism.
On this episode, you'll learn:
What it was like to grow up in San Francisco in the 1970s and 80s — and how that "wild frontier" shaped Roderick's creative practice
Why Surfacedesign approaches every project like a crime scene investigation, searching for the story embedded in the land
How Roderick thinks about water — both as a design tool and as a precious resource in a drought-prone state
What he's learning from a current winery rethink at the iconic Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa
Where he sends travelers who want to experience California through the lens of landscape and design
Travel Recommendations from Roderick:
Wineries & Gardens
Faust, Napa Valley — A Victorian estate with planting designed to move from light to dark, inspired by the mythology of Faust; beautiful valley views
Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma — One of California's most historically significant wine sites, beautifully sited with two landmark historic buildings
Scribe, Sonoma — A more informal, less precious winery experience; Roderick especially admires the landscape work by Terramoto
Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek — A masterwork dry garden celebrating the succulent landscape; Roderick calls it "spectacular"
Lotusland, Montecito — A fantasy of a California landscape with a larger-than-life history; the opera singer founder married nine times
The Huntington, San Marino/Pasadena — Impeccably maintained, a spectacular garden destination
Parks & Natural Spaces
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco — "It always feels a little bigger than I think it's going to be"
Point Reyes / Inverness — Roderick's favorite stretch of coast, particularly for seeing tule elk in the fog
Blunk Space gallery, Point Reyes Station — A small gallery connected to the legacy of California sculptor JB Blunk
Restaurants & Markets
Valley Bar + Bottle, Sonoma — Informal, locally sourced, creative; Roderick's top pick
Zuni Café, San Francisco — A California cuisine institution on Market Street; intimate despite its size
Ferry Building Farmers Market, San Francisco — "Incredible to see these purveyors that are focused on peppers only or something like that"
Modern Appealing Clothing (MAC), Hayes Valley — A quietly iconic SF clothing store recently named one of the 50 best in the US by the New York Times; Roderick designed a small interior garden inside the space
Art & Culture
Minnesota Street Project, Dogpatch — A collection of galleries with constantly rotating programming
Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito — Roderick and his team designed eucalyptus-inspired play structures; worth a visit even without kids
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:02:00 Growing Up in San Francisco
00:05:00 How Surfacedesign Works
00:08:00 Iconic Bay Area Projects
00:14:00 Water as Design and Resource
00:20:00 Designing Winery Landscapes
00:27:00 The California Creative Mindset
00:35:00 Where to Go in California
Resources
Surfacedesign Inc. — Roderick's firm- Explore the Afar guide to California
- Watch the live recording of our Dallas event on YouTube
- Listen to our other Unpacked Live episodes featuring naturalist Obi Kaufmann and architect Barbara Bestor
Be sure to subscribe to the show and sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Travel Tales, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us, and View From Afar, where we spotlight the people and ideas shaping the future of travel.
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