Pioneer Information
Hideo Sasaki and Associates was founded by landscape architect Hideo Sasaki in 1953, with offices in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts. In 1957 the firm became Sasaki, Walker and Associates, after Sasaki partnered with Peter Walker. Two years later Walker relocated to San Francisco, opening a branch office. In 1964 the Watertown location became Sasaki, Dawson & DeMay, while the San Francisco office continued to operate under the name of Sasaki, Walker and Associates.
During its years of operation Sasaki, Dawson & DeMay, led by Hideo Sasaki, Stuart Dawson, and Kenneth DeMay, developed into an interdisciplinary landscape architecture and planning practice, receiving commissions for college and university campuses, urban and waterfront developments, and corporate headquarters in the United States and abroad. Many talented practitioners contributed to the success of the firm, including Don Olson, Masao Kinoshita, Tom Wirth, and Dick Rogers. The firm’s work in New England includes the design for Constitution Plaza (1964) in Hartford, Connecticut, with architect Charles DuBose, and in Boston, the Christian Science Center (1971), Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park (1976), and the redesign of Copley Square (1970). The firm also created a master plan for the University of Massachusetts with architect Pietro Belluschi (1967-1970). Projects outside of New England include Greenacre Park in New York City (1971) and the Waterfall Garden in Seattle (1978). The firm also engaged in work overseas, collaborating on a master plan for the University of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia with Belluschi and Jung/Brannen Associates (1976-1978). Since the completion of the Deere & Company Corporate Headquarters in Moline, Illinois, in 1960, Sasaki has returned periodically to the site to consult on changes to the overall plan, maintenance, and plant materials.
By 1975 the San Francisco office became the SWA Group and was operating separately from the Watertown office, which became Sasaki Associates.
