Years: 

1897–1996

Year Hutchinson Medal awarded:

1977

Born in Leipzig, Germany, Lipp first learned basic horticulture from other German internees while detained in Australia during World War I. He moved to Boston in 1921 to study at Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum; inspired by Jens Jensen, a leading figure in naturalistic landscape design, Lipp relocated to Chicago in 1923, briefly working as a construction supervisor for Jensen. He established his own landscape architecture practice in 1928, creating landscapes for shopping centers, hospitals, schools, churches, and estates across the Upper Midwest. Lipp’s papers, photographs, and design archives are still preserved at the Art Institute of Chicago’s Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives.

Key contributions to horticulture & gardening:

Long-term clients included Colonel Robert R. McCormick’s Cantigny estate in Wheaton, Illinois, a renowned horticultural destination, as well as the Kohler family estate in Wisconsin.

Legacy:

• Photographic survey of Yellowstone National Park exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1951
• American Association of Nurserymen awards (1968, 1971)
• Distinguished Service Award from the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (1980)