[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 177 (Wednesday, December 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN HONOR OF LAWRENCE HALPRIN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 2, 2009

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise with sadness today to honor a true 
American icon, landscape architect Lawrence Halprin, who passed away on 
October 25, 2009, at the age of 93. Mr. Halprin's legendary work 
profoundly influenced concepts of landscape design in this country and 
around the world.
  A long-time resident of Kentfield in Marin County, California, Mr. 
Halprin's mark on the Bay Area is particularly evident. From the 
groundbreaking Sea Ranch development on our Sonoma Coast to Ghirardelli 
Square and George Lucas' Letterman Digital Arts Center, he designed 
memorable spaces that create harmony between people and environment.
  Nationally, his best known work is the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial 
in Washington, DC, which artfully invokes Roosevelt's life and work as 
visitors stroll through a sculptured plaza in a natural setting. 
Throughout his career, Larry Halprin was adept at revitalizing 
perceptions of urban areas and involving the community in his public 
projects.
  Mr. Halprin often worked in partnership with his wife, the well-known 
dancer Anna Halprin. The two met while attending the University of 
Wisconsin and were married in 1940. While in Wisconsin, they met Frank 
Lloyd Wright at Taliesin, and his ideas inspired Mr. Halprin to study 
landscape architecture at Harvard.
  Their collaboration was based on a shared vision of crafting 
interactive, creative experiences that connect with people on a deep 
level. Halprin also joined Anna's dance work, most famously in their 
1979 ``planetary dance'' on Mount Tamalpais. The goal was to take back 
the mountain for people frightened away by the notorious Trailside 
Killer. The dance is now performed annually in 36 countries.
  While serving in the Navy in World War II, Halprin recuperated in San 
Francisco from a Japanese attack which had destroyed his ship. After 
the war, the couple relocated to the Bay Area.
  Widely recognized as a man whose genius revolutionized landscape 
architecture, Mr. Halprin also won a number of awards. These included a 
Presidential Design Award for the FDR Memorial, the University of 
Virginia Thomas Jefferson Medal in Architecture, and the prestigious 
National Medal of the Arts. A man of many talents, he was also 
recognized for his documentary on Salvador Dali, ``Le Pink 
Grapefruit.''
  In addition to his wife, Mr. Halprin is survived by his daughters 
Dana and Rana and four grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, it is not easy to summarize the scope of Lawrence 
Halprin's influence and accomplishments. As we enjoy his urban 
environments or the spaciousness of Sea Ranch, we can understand how 
much his vision and creativity have enriched our lives.

                          ____________________