Before we introduce some new projects we are excited about as we move into the new year, we would be remiss in not expressing our gratitude to our clients for your support and trust in us over the past year(s), enabling us to indulge our passion for fine and creative landscape design, while fulfilling your goals for your outdoor living spaces. We also express our gratitude to the contractors, trades people and vendors whose talent we rely on as team members in the realization of our vision. Some of our notable projects were:
The Smith Residence, Kentfield
Vote for us…
We are in the running for the Pacific Sun’s BEST OF MARIN, in the “Landscape Designer” category. We would very much appreciate your support! You can vote at http://pacificsun.com/best_of/voting/form.php Voting ends Sunday, so please cast your vote this week.
Substantial design takes off…
In 2011 we joined forces with Linda Novy to develop a business model for sustainable landscape rehabilitation of multi-family and corporate properties. Linda was founder and owner of Gardeners Guild Landscape Management Company from 1976 to 2003 and has since been an active landscape management consultant for large properties, advocating sustainable practices to reduce the expense of maintenance and the expense of valuable resources, such as water, that are required to maintain these landscapes. You can read more about Linda at www.lindanovy.com.
In May of 2011 we received our first contract for a phased, multi-year rehabilitation of Crown Colony Homeowners Association in Daly City, a 27 acre property. We have completed the mapping and prioritization, and 2012 will see the design and implementation of the first significant phase of the rehabilitation. Below are before, proposed, and newly installed photos of a small test area that was done last summer.
The sod is low water, “no-mow” fescue, and all the plants, with the exception of the Japanese maple against the garage, are local California natives. We will have more on our web site soon about this exciting project.
Moving into 2012
2200 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco
In 2011 we won a small competition for the 2200 Pacific Homeowners Association to transform their entry landscape into a contemporary, elegant entry to a 1960’s Modern, 12 story building. The design brief described a desire to create a “wow” factor while dealing with large vents in the planters that take up over 50 % of the space, and cannot be blocked!
Our solution is to create stainless steel trays that hover above the vents and hold a soft, naturalistic planting, and contrasts with a new polished black granite wall and architectural-looking barrel cacti in front of the vents.
The planters under the porte-cochere will not receive a traditional landscaping treatment. Instead, the one by the building entry, approximately four feet wide and thirty-six feet long, will feature 3form Varia Ecoresin panels with a ripple-like texture in translucent blue.
The panels, which will lay flat above LED strip lighting, are a tribute to the San Francisco Bay, with a shoreline of stainless steel edging containing crushed glass “landforms.” The LED under-lighting will provide striking visual interest for residents and guests entering the building. On the wall above the installation, stainless steel ripples will enrich the view from the street. Construction began last week. To read more about this project check out: www.prweb.com/releases/prweblandscape-architect/san-francisco-bay-area/prweb9123729.htm
A Conservatory
A conservatory for a Kentfield house receives a living wall, a stainless steel planter with Australian plants and Aboriginal totems, and “Air Plants” suspended on cables from the ceiling.
Bureaucracy, bureaucracy…
As many of you are aware, much of our job is to shepherd plans through the design review and building permit process. In recent years, this has become more difficult. It seems as though the public servants who’s salaries we pay, are more interested in saying “no” or submitting projects to unreasonably lengthy processes. We have opened discussions with new County Supervisor, Katie Rice about this topic. She has asked that we put together a small group of like-minded professionals. The intention is to meet in February with Brian Crawford, head of County Planning Dept. to discuss solutions to this roadblock to the construction industry. If you have any specific concerns you would like me to bring up, don’t hesitate to contact me at: warren@simmonds-associates.com.
Best regards, and looking forward to serving your landscape design needs in 2012,
Warren Simmonds
