From Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, to a luxury residential community in Beijing, and the Rainbow Room in Manhattan, landscape architect Adam Kober of Kober Design Group is known for his hospitality, entertainment, and residential designs. Kober grew up in Indiana, where his family owns and operates a large corn and soybean farm. “I was always artistic and knew from an early age that I wanted to forge a different path—and that staying and working on the farm was not in the cards for me,” Kober shares. Now, he works on projects all over the world, many at notable venues. “Deciding to pursue a career in landscape architecture married my artistic sensibilities with my comfortability in the outdoors,” he says. Read on for a Q&A with the landscape architect.
You work on projects all over the world. How do projects differ depending on location?
Climate, culture, and intended use are the biggest influences on my designs. While various aspects of a landscape layout can be adapted from site to site, the plant material used on each project can vary greatly depending not only on climate, but also on plant availability. While some clients have the budget to import exotic plants from faraway regions, researching what plants are readily available within a reasonable distance can not only save customers money during installation, but also help in making sure there is backup if and when certain plants need to be replaced in subsequent years.
You have designed the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center 26 times. How do you develop a concept for the design?
Each year, I would map out a calendar with anywhere from eight to 10 different garden themes for which we’d plan for the following year. Themes would coincide not only with seasons, but also with current events like Easter, the Kentucky Derby, or even a national presidential election. Once the calendar’s themes are approved, we start to develop them over the ensuing months. Some gardens require more planning than others—particularly if thematic elements need to be built ahead of time.
What is it like to actually implement the design in Rockefeller Center?
While the average garden design is in place for about six weeks, it’s necessary to work on one or two designs in advance in order for all elements to be prepared in time for the day of changeover. During the installation, crews remove everything from the previous design, and the new garden’s material is brought in and completely installed in one evening. We start at 9 p.m. and try to be completely finished by 6 a.m. the following morning. Because we have to close down a lane of Fifth Avenue to unload, everything has to be synchronized as intricately as a Swiss watch.
Can you share some details about the Easter installation with Fabergé eggs?
The Easter Garden has been one of Rockefeller Center’s most beloved standing traditions for decades. While Easter lilies are the cornerstone of the design, we look for ways to infuse fresh excitement and add additional color. One year, we decided to create giant, jeweled, Fabergé-style eggs that sat atop large limestone urns. The eggs were painted in bright hues to help reinforce the colors often associated with the Spring season and were also enhanced with various decorative elements to resemble the iconic Fabergé eggs. We designed four different styles for the eight eggs.
What’s the most rewarding part about seeing your visions come to life, especially in a place as iconic as Rockefeller Center?
Watching the exuberance and joy on peoples’ faces—particularly those of children—is without a doubt the most rewarding part of guiding our visions to life in public spaces. Rockefeller Center is one of the most visited sites on the planet, with millions of guests from all over the globe each year. Nearly 750,000 people visit Rockefeller Center each day during the Christmas season. Being entrusted to make a mark on such a beloved cultural landmark, even for a brief time, is an immense honor that I do not take for granted.
What is your favorite plant?
Although some may label this choice boring, I love boxwood. It’s evergreen; it looks great all year. There are so many ways to use the shrub in both traditional and contemporary contexts. I love the opportunity to incorporate it into my landscapes whenever possible, and to use its sturdy shape to create visually stimulating forms and layers. Oftentimes, a starting point of simplicity can lead to the most arresting visuals.
Dream project?
I would relish the opportunity to give the grounds of the White House an update. While we know that the Rose Garden has undergone some alterations over the past decade, it would be a dream to work on a “facelift.” Because I have experience with designing some of the Christmas installations at Rockefeller Center, I would also enjoy the opportunity to put together a White House Christmas display.
