Last updated: June 18, 2024
Place
Duncan McDuffie Estate
Olmsted Archives
Quick Facts
Location:
Berkeley, CA
Significance:
Olmsted Designed Estate
OPEN TO PUBLIC:
No
Duncan and Jean McDuffie were two extremely influential residents of 20th century Berkeley, California, and deserve credit for the shaping of today’s city and environment. When deciding who would do the garden design for their new estate, it made sense they chose the firm that represented the highest standards for their time: Olmsted Brothers.
Olmsted Brothers favored the extensive use of both California native plants and those that grew in the Mediterranean climate for their design at the McDuffie estate. The design mirrored Spanish Colonial Gardens that were often furnished with varying styles of pottery, outdoor furnishings, pools, and fountains.
Having already perfected the art of landscapes with wildflowers and alpines as borders, Olmsted Brothers carried out a similar design for the McDuffie’s. The couple was so pleased with the Olmsted Brothers’ design, they would go on to help them get the commission for East Bay Park.
Source: "Signature Style, Duncan McDuffie, Natural Neighborhoods, Visionary Developer Created Urban 'Residential Parks,'" SF Gate
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr
Olmsted Brothers favored the extensive use of both California native plants and those that grew in the Mediterranean climate for their design at the McDuffie estate. The design mirrored Spanish Colonial Gardens that were often furnished with varying styles of pottery, outdoor furnishings, pools, and fountains.
Having already perfected the art of landscapes with wildflowers and alpines as borders, Olmsted Brothers carried out a similar design for the McDuffie’s. The couple was so pleased with the Olmsted Brothers’ design, they would go on to help them get the commission for East Bay Park.
Source: "Signature Style, Duncan McDuffie, Natural Neighborhoods, Visionary Developer Created Urban 'Residential Parks,'" SF Gate
For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr