Professor Plays Conductor to Model Railway Exhibit's Design

Charles Sullivan, a UC Berkeley professor of landscape architecture who also goes by Chip, has loved trains since he was a boy. On his first Christmas ever, his grandfather gave him a Lionel model train, and since then he has been surrounded by train buffs.

So when the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers asked him to design the garden railway exhibit that opened last Wednesday, he said he was thrilled.

"I went 'Holy cow!' That's every boy's dream-to design a large railroad-so I couldn't believe it," Sullivan said.

The exhibit, called "The Golden Gate Express," will run on Tuesdays through Sundays until April 19.

In the exhibit, two trains run on suspended tracks, one above the other. The trains circle around landmarks made from recycled and reclaimed materials.

Sullivan was responsible for the conceptual planning of the exhibit. Figureplant, a professional model-building company, built the models, while the conservatory's horticulture staff arranged the flowers.

The professor was approached in April by a fellow member of the San Francisco Garden Club who knew of his love for trains and asked him to design sketches for a large garden exhibit at the conservatory. Sullivan agreed, met with conservatory staff to discuss his concept and sketched multiple designs before reaching a final draft.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a model of the Golden Gate Bridge made of red objects, including Mardi Gras beads, pens and plastic monkeys from the Barrel of Monkeys game. Around the bridge are miniature plants that Sullivan said are meant to give a sense of scale.

The exhibit is designed so viewers first see a model of the conservatory itself. Recognizable landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Chinatown's Dragon Gate fill the background, giving the illusion of distance and space.

"We had the challenge of putting something together that was expected to be extremely popular and designing in a big viewing space," said Brent Dennis, director of the conservatory.

Ideally, new aspects will be added annually, such as landmarks, seasonal themes and timelines. A camera could be added to the front of the train to make a video of its path, Sullivan said.

Lola Heer, who is on the conservatory's advisory council and recommended Sullivan to the staff, said she was pleased by how the exhibit turned out.

"I think it was wonderful. And over time and everything, it'll have more buildings," she said.

In addition to designing the exhibit, Sullivan recently signed a book contract to write and illustrate the first graphic novel about the history of landscape architecture. He said he would be excited to work with the conservatory again.

"As a small kid I grew up looking at these railroad catalogs of these dream layouts," Sullivan said. You never quite have all the supplies you want to make the perfect ideal train set. This was quite an experience. I hope I'll be on board again."

Tags: LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE