Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs joined Lifescapes International in 1982 working her way up from marketing director to vice president of marketing and finally as president and CFO. The landscape company, started by her parents Don and Barbara Brinkerhoff in 1958, has thrived because of “a lot of hard work, persistence, guts, determination, relentless follow-up, and paying exceptional attention to our clients and in-house team,” she says. Here, she talks about creating gardens for Steve Wynn, her own personal living lab, and the benefits of fearless participation.
Did you always have a passion for landscaping?
Always. Everyone at Lifescapes International understands our mantra, ‘We Create Gardens People Love.’ We have successfully created many, many memorable destination resorts and hotels worldwide because of our unwavering belief that creating beautiful gardens is good for business. Even my own personal garden is abundant and verdant (a bit like a living lab) with combinations of desert sensitive, subtropical, and cottage garden plant materials, which are not commonly found together in one location.
As a design firm, you are known for creating some very iconic landscapes—Bellagio Resort & Casino, Wynn Las Vegas, the Mirage, to name a few. Can you tell us a little about your relationship with Las Vegas and your legacy on the Strip?
Our Las Vegas legacy began in 1986 with a fateful meeting with Steve Wynn about his first, ground-up project on the Las Vegas Strip, which became known as the Mirage. He had a clear vision to create a show piece on the greatest midway in Las Vegas—something that would not only exceed his customers’ expectations but also be so unique and so verdant that it would change the world of hospitality. It was the first new resort to be built in Las Vegas in over 15 years, and the pressure to do something truly unusual was on.
Bellagio Resort & Casino
We spent three days in a design workshop, which involved Wynn and his in-house team, and stayed the entire time to gain Steve’s valuable input and participation from the get-go. The work on the Mirage led to a 30-plus year working relationship with Steve and his exceptional team at Wynn Resorts. We were fortunate to have been part of the early renaissance and transformation of Las Vegas Boulevard and have completed 15 casino resorts and destinations on the Las Vegas Strip, such as Bellagio, Shadow Creek, Treasure Island, Paris, Caesars’ Palace, Venetian, Palazzo, Wynn, and Encore, as well as 16 other off-the-Strip destinations in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. We also designed the center median now referred to as the Las Vegas Strip.
Some of your most recent projects include Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, Westin Zhujiajian Resort, and Wynn Palace Cotai. How did you deliver an entertainment-driven experience at each hotel?
What makes projects distinctive is the combination of local softscape (plant materials) and hardscape (pottery, paving sources, decorative elements, etc.). We insist upon involving ownership in the early design concept workshops on every project. It takes commitment from the top, the vision of ownership, and involvement with operations to achieve the best results. We also encourage early participation with the design team members so that we all are involved in setting the tone for a project and rely on an open discussion about all ideas. The design process is an evolutionary journey. It makes a destination that much more memorable when there is fearless participation from all involved in the design process.
Performance Lake at the Wynn Palace Cotai
When designing Wynn Palace, it was all about the Performance Lake. That is the heart and electricity of the resort that calls everyone in. We wanted to make sure that we created an environment that is visually open for people to see from gondolas, rooms, and restaurants, as well as pedestrians and vehicles on the Cotai Strip. The pool is set on a podium at the base of the hotel tower to be a step-down garden that overlooks the fountains. At night, it’s also a viewing area for the spectacular water show.
Westin Zhujiajian Resort
As inspiration for the Westin Zhujiajian Resort, we took influences from the nearby East China Sea, so the gardens were designed to celebrate water in its movement patterns and different forms. Fountain rings replicate the effect of water rippling out. Tiling represents moving water flowing from the fountain. The gardens needed to reflect different energy levels. Some are very passive and quiet, simulating cool, calm water. Other areas are more active to give a sense of animation. The Asian contemporary flair is transferred throughout the wedding gardens, lounging gardens, and porte-cochère garden with lotus flower sculptures and lily pads.
Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort
At Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, the vibe is all about fun and entertainment, with the guests’ playfulness in mind. The beach-inspired designs are accompanied by natural rockscapes, waterfalls, sustainable wood materials, and colorful florals for beachfront appeal. Along with 22 cabanas designed enticingly for hotel guest escape and relaxation, there is also a robust water-oriented recreation area complete with three pools, spa, grotto-inspired waterslide, and a FlowRider Double for surfing.
What has been one of the most challenging projects and why?
One project that comes to mind is Wynn Las Vegas. Steve Wynn did not like the view of the mall across the street and felt it conflicted with what he wanted to achieve. Therefore, the solution our team came up with was to create a 140-foot-tall mountain in front of the resort. It serves a dual purpose; it blocks the view of the mall across the street as well as lending its shape and size to allow the other side of the mountain, an interface with other creative offerings, which became the backdrop for programmed shows. People see the massive, pine-covered mountain from the Strip, and also wonder what it’s like on the inside. It becomes its own oasis off of the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas.
Sustainability is a hot topic in landscape design these days. How do you integrate drought-tolerant landscaping without sacrificing the beauty or integrity of the design?
A great example of this is at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa, the first sustainable landscape environment in Las Vegas at a casino. We were mandated by the city of Summerlin’s requirement to design a “drought-tolerant, desert-sensitive” landscape environment that would honor the sustainability landscape program. The challenge was to create a drought-tolerant palette that was inviting, verdant, and lush. We were able to utilize different textures of hardscape with varying shapes and sizes, while playing with the height of planting to achieve something eye-catching. We also used water features and lighting to add awe and dimension. It went on to win AGA Best Exterior Landscape Design.
How has hospitality changed in the past decade?
Because land is becoming scarce in some areas, developers are building up, so the roof deck is all that is offered for an outdoor experience. We have been able to create vibrant, multifunctional spaces with plenty of entertainment and social areas to get as much bang for the buck. We want to capitalize on the views, while making guests forget they are on a roof. Intimacy must be part of the solution, too. Smaller, more comfortable getaway destinations within destinations seem to be the challenge of current design.
What are the secrets to a successful collaboration?
Pay attention to the vision that a client shares with you. Check your ego at the door when listening to ideas from ownership, from other design consultants, or from maintenance and operations. Tell your clients the truth about budgets and stay involved even when there is a need for value engineering. Downsizing, reselecting, or eliminating design features or plant materials needs to involve the landscape architect as early as possible, and this does happen as part of the design and construction process. We are also a very personal, hands-on boutique landscape design firm with 40 team members who have worked together for many years. This family of professionals is one of our signature secrets in close collaboration with our clients.
What’s a green trend you love today?
The green walls on larger buildings. This is quite a challenge, but the integration of living materials makes architecture softer and complements the total human experience. Our work engages all five senses and we have had clients tell us that that is one of our greatest design considerations.
What’s next for you?
One of our current projects is a mixed-use development outside metropolitan Dallas called Bayside, which will feature multiple hotels alongside a Crystal Lagoon. We are designing and articulating the waterfront and creating an amazing, amenity-rich destination.
