Peaceful oasis

The closest thing to a silent spot in the county exists a few blocks away from South Coast Plaza, tucked behind a deli and between a pair of stoic black buildings.

In a courtyard that stretches over a little more than one acre, the churning water from a pair of fountains provides the main source of noise. The water trickles and flows through a snakelike stream, finally disappearing beneath a huge, white triangle of granite. On the sides, redwood trees, cacti and a grassy knoll offer glimpses of plant life.

Surrounded by angular walls and those two imposing buildings, the Noguchi Sculpture Garden can feel like a quiet sanctuary in the middle of the corporate bustle ? or the frenzy of summer. “Right here is usually where we hang out,” said DiTech employee Stephanie Porter as she relaxed on a bench with co-worker Chris Markle. “You can see everything.”

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The garden, officially titled “California Scenario” and dedicated in 1982, is a gift to Costa Mesa from two famous people: Isamu Noguchi, the Japanese-American artist who designed it, and Henry Segerstrom, the wealthy developer who commissioned it.

The sculpture garden features seven major components. Perhaps the most striking is the “Energy Fountain,” a cone-shaped structure in which water surges continuously over chunks of granite. Across the courtyard is another fountain, “Water Source,” a tall triangle of sandstone that begins the flow of water down below. “Water Use,” a granite sculpture, is at the end of the stream.

Right next to the Comerica Bank building is “The Spirit of the Lima Bean,” a collection of granite rocks.

The rest of the installations feature plant life: “The Desert Land,” a circular mound with cacti and other species, “The Forest Walk,” containing a collection of redwoods, and “Land Use,” consisting of a grassy knoll topped with white granite.dpt.14-sac-noguchi-CPhotoInfo5R1RV1PJ20060614j0klq9ncPHOTO BY KENT TREPTOW (LA)The Noguchi Sculpture Garden