Interview with Bruce Jett, JETT Landscape Architecture + Design
Bruce Jett embarked on an exciting journey, founding JETT Landscape Architecture + Design in 1999, with a fresh perspective. He believed that the best designs stemmed from understanding the client’s vision, the team's expertise, and a deep passion for creative urban landscapes. The firm soon became a hub of innovation, where imaginative ideas flourished.
Today, with offices in sunny California and vibrant Seattle, JETT's portfolio showcases a kaleidoscope of projects. From multi-family, residential homes to hospitals, universities, and sweeping land-use plans, their work spans a vast spectrum of projects. At the heart of it all is a genuine love for the urban landscape, driving their dedication to crafting extraordinary spaces.
Jett’s focus is on the trust that is built from working together with visionary developers and talented design teams. Taking a unique vision through to a finished project relies on a great relationship between the landscape architect, the owner, the contractor, building trades, and manufacturers. Everyone brings an important perspective to the project. Working with a team you can trust is paramount. Bruce shares that “Trust is an inherent part of our core values. Everyone that works at JETT understands the value of the personal human relationship.”
We were proud to hear that Tournesol has been able to consistently collaborate and help work through obstacles that come up on projects. Budget constraints, the need for innovative solutions, even custom products, Jett relies on Tournesol to turn challenges into solutions for a more beautiful project.
Livable Cities
Bruce believes ensuring the livability of cities is paramount. He is particularly enthusiastic about collaborating with individuals engaged in innovative projects, such as repurposing vacant offices into housing. He’d like to see how connection to nature can be included in those plans such as vertical gardens.
In past projects, he has worked on initiatives utilizing Tournesol products, developing vegetable gardens managed by the property. This approach includes a weekly delivery to tenants, providing them with freshly picked lettuce “that's what really connects people to nature, to their food source.”
He is actively involved in creating a connected experience for everyone, such as encouraging inner-city children to understand the importance of nature. Rooftop gardens “give the opportunity for the kids to go up on the roof and grow a tomato.“
Gardens in the Sky
Jett is passionate about integrating nature into cities. He explained, “When we start to collaborate with the owner and design team…we explore the relationship between indoors and outdoors so that we're not just behind a wall or window with nature over there. For example, we ask: what are the views? How can you bring nature...that feels like it's in the building itself when it's just on the other side of a curtain wall.”
“I think the important thing that we do is we bring nature to the people in the form of landscapes…what I call gardens in the sky, whether it's on top of a concrete podium over a garage or over occupied space on a tower with a rooftop garden in Berkeley. We are doing things that impact people's lives by showing them that you can be in nature on top of a 15-story building.”
Digging into Trends in Commercial Landscape
Take in the views at the Life Sciences Research Lab Rooftop
This project sits atop a 250,000 sft biotech building that's south of San Francisco.