Pioneer Information
Born in Santa Monica, California, Burton was raised in California and New Mexico and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design and a master’s degree in Architecture from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she studied with influential architects Charles Moore, Yoshio Taniguchi, Charles Gwathmey, and Eugene Kupper, among others. Upon graduation, Burton opened her own office in 1975. Drawing inspiration from her travels in Japan, study of Buddhist spiritual centers, and friendships with minimalist artists including Robert Smithson and Elyn Zimmerman, Burton developed a style characterized by contemplative form, clear hierarchies of space, and the use of native, sustainable plant materials. She became a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2006.
