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ART & NATURE /
NATURE
MOUNTAINS IN KOREA
Early European visitors to Korea remarked that the land resembled “a sea in a heavy gale” because of the many mountain ranges that crisscross the peninsula in succession like waves in an ocean. Nearly 70% of the Korean landscape is mountainous, and while these mountains may not be exceptionally high, their abundance magnifies their presence .
Historically, these mountains have been objects of worship for Korean settlers. Shamanic shrines and, later, Buddhist hermitages were built high in the mountains to attain kinship with the resident spirits. The mountains were central to local life, inspiring religion, art, and literature, while providing food and water. They even dictated the location and orientation of villages and palaces, which were sited based on the geomantic will and identity of neighboring mountain systems.
LANDSCAPE OF WHISTLING ROCK
WR's landscape and plant palette mimic the mixed deciduous forest in the surrounding mountains.
Japanese Red Pine and Korean Pine dominate the hillsides and out-of-play areas.
Native oaks, maples, and birch provide color in the fall.
The woodland underbrush is painted with the native Miscanthus.
Wildflowers spill into the sunlight and fescues frame the fairways. Trees and shrubs are grouped randomly and are maintained naturalistically.
WATER FEATURES WITH FORM AND FUNCTION
Streams are part of the natural mountain environment, as are the occasional depressions that also hold water. The lakes and streams at WR provide beauty and strategy to the golf, but exist mostly due to engineering necessity.
During the routing phase, Ted Robinson collaborated with local engineers to ensure the golf course would be able to accommodate the heaviest rains. The storm-water management plan called for the creation of 15 lakes throughout the property.
Robinson and Pinnacle Design decided early on to manage the water, wherever possible, with streams rather than underground pipes. These also became strategic elements on many holes in keeping with the naturalistic approach.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
Ken Alperstein, President
Pinnacle Design Company
WR'S DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
The major component of our landscape vision at Whistling Rock was to celebrate the native palette and natural features of the site. The site is blessed with a beautiful mixture of evergreens, hardwoods, and flowering plants, as well as a beautifully rocky terrain. We first accomplished our vision by salvaging thousands of native trees, nurturing them in on-site nurseries, and re-planting them on the golf course after shaping was completed. More than 8,000 pines, oaks, cherries, and maples were strategically planted to frame golf holes and to naturally blend into the native woodlands. When building water features, we stockpiled the native rock and used it to direct the streams and waterfalls and accent lake edges. The ultimate goal was to help the newly built landscape blend seamlessly with the existing surroundings.
PDC also was involved during the construction of the water features ensuring that the vision was properly implemented in the field. We paid particular attention to all proposed lakes, streams, and waterfalls, guaranteeing that they were not only placed strategically but respected the natural flow of the site.
For us, the ultimate goal was that the members and guests of Whistling Rock would never know which landscape and water features existed prior to grading and which were created by the design and construction teams.
The greatest compliment to a built landscape and its designers is when, after the landscape has matured and naturalized, someone asks, “Which part of this course is built into the natural surroundings and which areas were re-created?” If they cannot tell the difference, we have succeeded.
Pinnacle Design / Ken Alperstein
PROJECT LIST
- Estancia (AZ, USA)
- The Quarry at La Quinta (CA, USA)
- Shadow Creek (NV, USA)
- Chileno Bay (Cabo San Lucas, MX)
- Pine Rock Beach (China)
- Tiger Woods Dubai (UAE)
- Sunnylands Annenberg Estate (CA, USA)
- Scottsdale National CC (AZ, USA)