Core Services
Land Planning
Land Planning is the design process behind our built environment. Quality land planning occurs when the disciplines of landscape architecture, civil engineering, and architecture come together to address the functional, cultural, social, aesthetic, contextual, and environmental needs for a specific site. The diverse and experienced staff at Smith & Associates is fully qualified to creatively integrate the goals of the client with each of these elements, generating exceptional design work while expertly working through the public approval process.
Landscape Architecture
The scope of Landscape Architecture blends with the disciplines of Architecture and Civil Engineering to shape and enhance natural or constructed landscapes. Landscape Architecture affects our experience with our daily environment, thereby affecting our quality of life. Smith & Associates offers experienced Landscape Architectural services on scales ranging from town planning and streetscapes to the detailed design of intimate gardens, and in contexts ranging from urban to rural settings.
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering encompasses all the technical planning aspects of turning a site plan into a built reality. The talented engineering team at Smith & Associates is experienced in the preparation of grading plans; the design of drainage, stormwater detention, and water quality measures; and water and sewer line plans. These services are offered as part of a comprehensive planning process in conjunction with our land planning and landscape architectural services, or if needed, as a stand-alone design service.
Architectural Design
Fulfillment of a project vision is best accomplished when the design concept is carried through to the level of architectural design and detail. Smith & Associates is qualified and experienced in providing conceptual architectural design in order to ensure continuity between land planning and architectural processes. We work carefully with clients to establish an overall architectural theme and from there establish typologies for anticipated architectural details.
Horticultural Consulting
Knowledge of plant varieties, cultural requirements, and growth habits is essential to successful landscape design. Our experienced staff horticulturist assists in the careful design of new landscapes and is also available for consultations regarding existing landscape issues.
|
Other Services
Community Design
For many years, residential design and development has fallen short of creating functional communities, and instead has served to stamp out “subdivisions” across the landscape. At Smith & Associates, we are committed to design at a detailed level, shaping neighborhoods to function as friendlier, more hospitable environments in which strong communities can grow and thrive. Our experience in the design of traditional neighborhood developments (TNDs) and mixed-use neighborhoods and town centers uniquely qualifies us to take on projects of this sort, regardless of size or scope.
Workshops & Charettes
Smith and Associates is available on a consulting basis for the purpose of organizing and leading workshops and charettes. Workshops are a valuable tool in bringing people together, generating and exploring ideas, and formulating a specific design concept or direction to take on a project. Charettes are a specific form of design workshop; utilizing a multi-disciplinary team, a charette generates design and coding documents in a collaborative manner with a group or community. A vision is formulated over hours or days through a communal effort of input and feedback. Involving as many stakeholders, such as land owners, interested neighbors, and public officials, builds consensus and trust within the group. Such a holistic approach insures a high level of support for the final product.
Pattern Books
A pattern book is a collection of illustrated guidelines intended to provide continuity of a design concept all the way through the final implementation and construction phases of a project. Pattern books focus on delineating specific architectural and landscape architectural typologies to be followed in the planning and construction of buildings, landscapes, and other features such as lighting and signage. Such guidelines establish an acceptable range of forms, styles, and materials in order to encourage diversity, while prohibiting elements that would be disruptive to the overall design concept.
Architectural Renderings
The design process necessarily results in a number of black-and-white drawings, whether concept plans or highly-technical construction drawings. A vision for the final product, however, is best communicated through the use of artfully-prepared, full-color architectural renderings. Whether for marketing purposes, or just daydreaming purposes, we are happy to prepare beautiful renderings to help communicate the final vision for any of our projects.
Monuments and Signs
Effective placemaking occurs when design is carried through every detail. Beyond practicality, entrance monuments, fences or walls, and other signage become opportunities to expound upon a project vision and to establish the personality of a place. We are pleased to work with you on signage, entrances, monuments, and directional architecture as part of design and permitting processes.
|
