Livestrong HQ garden a model of green landscaping
It’s not about the bike. What it’s about is this—cancer survivor, superstar bicyclist, and Austin resident Lance Armstrong put his fame and influence to good use in the fight against cancer, founding Livestrong (formerly the Lance Armstrong Foundation) in 1997 to improve the lives of those affected by the disease. After 10 years in leased suburban office space, Livestrong converted a paper warehouse in East Austin into its LEED-certified permanent headquarters, with eco-friendly landscaping designed by acclaimed landscape architect and Austinite Christy Ten Eyck.
(Update: Following Lance Armstrong’s admission of doping and personal attacks on those who were telling the truth about it, I just want to say on record that I’m deeply disappointed in him. He was a local hero who let down those who believed in him. That said, I hope that Livestrong is able to continue its good work.)
I zipped over there (in my car, not on my bike) on Monday, having heard about it from several people, and I was not disappointed. Native trees, shrubs, and perennials are thoughtfully planted to enhance and shelter the remodeled building by Lake|Flato Architects. With pops of yellow, Lance’s signature color, and the creative use of recycled concrete and metal industrial-style trellises, the garden is very Austin.
It starts at the street with a double row of native shade trees providing shelter from the brutal Texas sun. A gravelly drainage swale is planted with grasses, yuccas, and yellow-striped agaves—tough survivors all. “Monument walls” of concrete salvaged from the original building have been erected to give some separation from the street, without entirely closing it off.
These vertical slabs of urbanite, as recycled concrete is called, still bear the chips and scars of their deconstruction and stand tall nonetheless (a metaphor for cancer survivors?). They are held securely in place with anchored steel posts in back.
The parking lot is decomposed granite, a pervious surface that allows rainwater to percolate through. Strips of urbanite are used to define the parking spaces. A nice selection of native trees shades the lot, but will someone tell the groundskeepers to please remove the tree stakes and wires that are beginning to strangle the trees? Tree stakes and supports shouldn’t be left on for longer than a year because they weaken the trunk’s own support system, plus constricting wires around the trunk can girdle and kill a young tree as it grows. OK, I’m stepping off the soapbox now.
I love this trellis and arbor made of industrial-looking screening and beams. A yellow-flowering butterfly vine (Mascagnia macroptera) has climbed to the top and will eventually shade the entire arbor.
Some of the flowers had already gone to seed, producing the papery “butterflies” that the vine is named for.
You step up from the parking lot onto a sheltered patio that runs across the front of the building.
Metal screening offers filtered views of the parking lot and the street.
More urbanite was put into service to create a bench and a trough fountain—a contemplative and peaceful spot from which to enjoy the entry garden.
Honeybees (yellow-striped, of course) were coming in for a drink on the day I visited.
Native Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus drummondii), a great hummingbird attractor, adds hot color alongside the fountain and the screens that support the butterfly vine.
Flame acanthus (Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii), clipped into a hedge along the parking lot, is another hummingbird magnet.
Along the side of the building, metal screens support more butterfly vines, which are planted along with candelilla (Euphorbia antisyphilitica) in simple concrete boxes.
A few variegated agaves add more of that Livestrong yellow.
A site concept statement is posted near the entrance, providing a welcome introduction to the garden.
If you’d like to see the Livestrong garden for yourself, it’s located two miles from downtown Austin at 2201 E. Sixth Street.
And if you’d like to see more Ten Eyck gardens, I’ve posted about two: Christy Ten Eyck’s personal garden in the Tarrytown neighborhood, and the Capri in Marfa, Texas.
For more garden-worthy uses of recycled concrete, see my post about Wendy Brennan’s garden.
All material © 2006-2012 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Very nice landscape, so restful and appropriate for the people who will use the garden. So many ideas to take away from this beautiful place.
There is definitely a sense of whom this garden is for, Shirley. It’s not show-offy. It’s a calm, upbeat, looking-forward sort of garden. —Pam
What a beautiful garden I love the concrete. I’m going to have to get to Austin one of these days.
The use of recycled concrete is very cool, Jeanne. Yes, do come to Austin—there’s much to see and do here. —Pam
Lance Armstrong ROCKS!
He’s done so much good, hasn’t he? And his biking success after beating cancer is still inspiring, no matter what one thinks of the controversy that has tainted his legacy in the sport. —Pam
Glad you found that landscape, and provided some background on it that I haven’t heard…I’ve only seen it on her website, or somewhere else. And when in Austin, I always have much to do.
I’ve lost count of my designs ruined by the same thing with trees. Maintenance…the last frontier of our landscapes.
Maybe you should start a landscape/garden maintenance blog, David, and invite guest posts from experienced gardeners and designers all around the country. —Pam
There’s so much to like about this garden and the philosophy of the center. I do wish that urbanite was available in Nashville.
It is, Gail! Urbanite isn’t really something you buy. You make it by recycling broken-up concrete from an old sidewalk or patio. If you don’t have any of your own, you may be able to find it, free for the hauling, on online classified sites like Craigslist or Freecycle. —Pam
Another great design, beautifully photographed. Thanks, Pam. I wonder what that yellow flowered shrub or tree behind the Livestrong sign is. Galphimia glauca? Something else?
Hi, Peter. Christy tells me that it’s Caesalpinia mexicana, or Mexican poinciana. Looks like it’s only marginally hardy here in Austin’s 8b but should come back from the roots most winters. Update: See Christy Ten Eyck’s comment about this plant below.
Very nice design that is appropriate to the climate, thanks for posting about it.
I was just staring at a strong sturdy Crepe Myrtle at Peet’s Coffee this morning that still had the stake and rubber tie, three years after planting…sigh.
Argh! Doesn’t that frustrate you? I called a grocery store manager once to tell them they were killing their lovely parking-lot trees—and the next time I was there, the supports were gone! —Pam
Very good use of recycled and industrial and LEED too. The next time I am in Austin I would like to see this. Do you have additional photos of the Flame Acanthus? Flame Acanthus has such a strange growth pattern that I find it difficult to place in a landscape but isn’t that clipped hedge ingenious?
I liked the hedging of it too, Jeanette. I grow it in my own garden but let it do its own thing. I like it both ways. Here it is growing big and shrubby with plumbago at Green ‘n Growing Nursery and big and shrubby in my sunny former garden. —Pam
I hope I can post another comment. Inspired by your photograph of the Anisacanthus I googled and found an image of yours taken at the LBJWFC – https://www.penick.net/digging/?p=14446. Thanks for your links. I have this against a fence and this year I tried it in a spot allowing it to hang over a retaining wall. I don’t have photographs of this in my blog as the photos I have taken are so poor. Now, in our zone 8 this is deciduous. I wonder what this hedge looks like in the winter? Does it continue growing and blooming in Austin? I might try this hedge technique with a second row of evergreen in front. I saw your photographs of the Pequin hot red peppers and envisioned a row of those red peppers in front of the Anisacanthus hedge. Wow, that would be fun. I think you have put it with turk’s cap? …. you are an inspiration. Good for Lance Armstrong he has a great spirit.
It would be bare in the winter, but you wouldn’t have to cut it back to the ground. I usually cut mine back hard at the end of winter in order to keep it compact, but I didn’t last year, and it came back just fine. So it would definitely work as a deciduous hedge. It would be a hot combo indeed with the chile pequin in front, but remember that chile pequin dies to the ground in winter. Still, it would be fun to try it! —Pam
Huge Tour de France fans in this house so very sad about the recent news. This beautiful project really picks up the spirits, doesn’t it? Thank you, Pam!
Yes, I’ve felt the same way. Lance is a local hero here in Austin. His work at Livestrong, no matter what else, is inspiring. The garden at Livestrong is pretty great too. —Pam
Pam thanks for this – just wanted to say something about the Caesalpinia mexicana. I had always relied on this wonderful, tough bloomer in Phoenix for a small tree. I saw one growing in Austin at Z Tejas and also one across the street from Livestrong when we first visited the site prior to design. They seemed to be thriving at both locations so we used them. They will take a hit in a freeze but seem to recover fine.
We felt that the scarred, tough concrete was the perfect material to signify living strong during and after a battle with cancer. Thanks again for the nice photos Pam and everyone’s comments!
Hi, Christine—thanks so much for commenting with additional information about your design! I’m glad to know that Caesalpinia mexicana is hardier in Austin than I’d thought. And your comment about the recycled concrete is exactly what it conveyed to me when I visited the garden. A perfect signifier! —Pam
There’s no denying–Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong organization is brilliant, as is the landscaping of the facility. I love the symbolism of the upright urbanite–intentional or not–and the fountains are stunning. While contemporary in design, the garden is so restful and soothing. Thank you so much for sharing it with those of us who are too far away to see it in person.
Ten Eyck, who designed it, said in a comment above that the urbanite symbolism IS intentional, Julie. I love how much thought went into this garden, don’t you? —Pam
What a great space filled with inspiring ideas — especially the concrete.
Yes, that’s one of my favorite features as well. —Pam