Recognition of Excellence in Landscape Design We are always thrilled when the design community recognizes our work, and the 2017 Marin Design Awards nomination is no exception. We are competing against a very talented group of Landscape Architects. May the best designer win! Marin Design Awards
This time last year I was lucky enough to be in Cordoba, Spain. One of the Christmas traditions that Cordobans treasure is the annual “La Fiesta de los Patios d Cordoba”. Begun in 1918 as a spring festival, it has expanded over the years to include a smaller but no less enjoyable event over the Christmas period. Due to a hot, dry climate, homes in Córdoba were built with a central patio beginning in the days of the Romans. This tradition was [...]
Article by P.J. Bremier, for Marin Magazine Photos by Lee Anne White WISHFUL THINKING CAN pay off when you plan the pool of your dreams. An offhand comment from a Kentfield homeowner prompted Warren Simmonds, principal of San Anselmo’s Simmonds and Associates Landscape Architecture, to design that client a surprise. Simmonds proposed to tuck an 85-foot-long slide into the property’s hillside, complete with four twists — two of them hairpin turns — that would swiftly conduct swimmers through a subtropical [...]
Seasons greetings, gratitude, and best wishes for the new year! "Beauty surrounds us, but usually we need to be walking in a garden to know it." - Rumi Happy Holidays from Simmonds & Associates
A new book shows how beauty and sustainability in landscape design go hand in hand. Closer to Nature: The Alluring Landscapes of Simmonds & Associates showcases the sustainable landscape design strategies of this Northern California-based landscape architecture firm. Released this week by Whitespace Press, the illustrated book by Lee Anne White explores the ways in which the firm has created beautiful, inviting and contemporary environments while embracing creative strategies for conserving water and other natural resources. The founder of Simmonds [...]
PITTER PATTER Don’t get your hopes up, the sound isn't Santa’s reindeer coming for an early surprise, but a long anticipated visit from Mr. Rain. The drought has caused a lot of concern among Bay Area residents. We are very proud of our eco-centric community, bombarding the xeriscape section at Home Depot, replacing roses with agaves, opting for artificial turf as opposed to tradition sod lawns. We have come a long way! Now, let’s completely switch gears for a moment [...]
Multi-Family Portfolio In 2011 we won a competition for the 2200 Pacific Homeowners Association to transform their landscape into a contemporary, elegant entry fitting for 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 street-side planters that take up over 50 % of the space, and cannot be blocked! Stainless steel trays hover above the vents and hold a soft, naturalistic planting, which contrasts with [...]
A clearing in a Eucalyptus forest, bordered by a creek, provides the setting for this “rustic but elegant” landscape. Upper decks were expanded to gain views of San Francisco, and additional sunshine, and descend to a generous lower deck edged with stone. This deck provides a perch overlooking a spa, built for 12 people, artfully created to harmonize with its natural surroundings. A fire pit found at the Sausalito Art Festival complements the spa. A patio with joints of Isotoma [...]
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 [...]
