El Monte

Hato Rey, Puerto Rico

Designed by Hideo Sasaki
and Hunter Randolph

It was a unique moment in time, a “coalescing of different forces and ideas,” Sasaki recalled
- Melanie Simo in her article, “Hideo Sasaki,” Pioneers II

El Monte (The Knoll), a multi-family apartment complex in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, was built as part of the urban renewal efforts that followed World War II.

With landscape and gardens designed by Hideo Sasaki and posterior implementation adjustments by Hunter Randolph, the site plan provided a seamless continuum between the public and private realms and explored the use of tropical flora (both native and exotic). More importantly, El Monte set the paradigm that established the landscape as the nexus of Modernism in the Caribbean. Nevertheless, El Monte, its iconic landscape, and the people who created it have yet to be recognized for the local, regional, and potentially international importance of their contributions.

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Photo © Marisol Diaz

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El Monte
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education partners

Additional Sponsors

American Society of Landscape Architects’ Indiana, Pennsylvania/Delaware, Minnesota, Northern California, Texas, Upstate New York, and Washington Chapters • Astorino • Charles Butt • Design Within Reach • Topher Delaney • Sandy Donnell & Justin Faggioli • Fathom • Tom Fox • Hillman Foundation • Indianapolis Museum of Art • Lorraine Osmundson • Richard T. Murphy • National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Northeast, Southwest, and Western Offices- with funds from the Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Foundation of New York, Dodge Jones Foundation Intervention Fund, and Eastern Massachusetts Preservation Fund • James Richards • Seibert & Rice • Diana & Bruce Shuman • Ann Stack • SWA Group • TBG Partners • Michal and Jeffrey William Tincup • Unilock Inc. • The Woltz Charitable Trust


El Monte Hato Rey, Puerto Rico Designed by Hideo Sasaki and Hunter Randolph Intro history threat help learn It was a unique moment in time, a “coalescing of different forces and ideas,” Sasaki recalled - Melanie Simo in her article, “Hideo Sasaki,” Pioneers II El Monte (The Knoll), a multi-family apartment complex in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, was built as part of the urban renewal efforts that followed World War II. With landscape and gardens designed by Hideo Sasaki and posterior implementation adjustments by Hunter Randolph, the site plan provided a seamless continuum between the public and private realms and explored the use of tropical flora (both native and exotic). More importantly, El Monte set the paradigm that established the landscape as the nexus of Modernism in the Caribbean. Nevertheless, El Monte, its iconic landscape, and the people who created it have yet to be recognized for the local, regional, and potentially international importance of their contributions. more... Photo © Marisol Diaz	Boston City Hall Plaza Boston, Massachusetts Estates Drive Reservoir Oakland, California Heritage Plaza Heritage Park Fort Worth, Texas Kaiser Roof Garden Kaiser Center Oakland, California Lake Elizabeth Allegheny Commons Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Manhattan Square Park Rochester, New York Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks Kent, Washington Miller Garden Columbus, Indiana El Monte Hato Rey, Puerto Rico Pacific Science Center Courtyard Seattle, Washington Parkmerced San Francisco, California Peavey Plaza Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, Minnesota Home \| Map \| Exhibit \| Artists \| Press
education partners Additional Sponsors American Society of Landscape Architects’ Indiana, Pennsylvania/Delaware, Minnesota, Northern California, Texas, Upstate New York, and Washington Chapters • Astorino • Charles Butt • Design Within Reach • Topher Delaney • Sandy Donnell & Justin Faggioli • Fathom • Tom Fox • Hillman Foundation • Indianapolis Museum of Art • Lorraine Osmundson • Richard T. Murphy • National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Northeast, Southwest, and Western Offices- with funds from the Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Foundation of New York, Dodge Jones Foundation Intervention Fund, and Eastern Massachusetts Preservation Fund • James Richards • Seibert & Rice • Diana & Bruce Shuman • Ann Stack • SWA Group • TBG Partners • Michal and Jeffrey William Tincup • Unilock Inc. • The Woltz Charitable Trust

El Monte

Hato Rey, Puerto Rico

Designed by Hideo Sasaki and Hunter Randolph

Designed by Hideo Sasaki
and Hunter Randolph