CONCORD ACADEMY
The world isn't flat
Site Planning, Grading, Drainage
Enjoyment, Livability, Exploration
We know that we spend 90% of our time indoors, which is why it pays to put thought into designing landscapes that draw you outdoors. So often people do not realize the potential of their land. Either it is a large space and there are corners that they never use, or it is a very small space and they don’t know how to make the most of it.
In a new building project, a landscape architect can work with the architect to make sure that entrances, exits and views are oriented to optimize the experience of the outdoors.
Whatever the site, we make sure that landscapes are approachable, they get you outside and they enhance your enjoyment of being outside.
Community Planning, Consensus Building
Wether you are a municipality hoping to bring a wide range of constituents on board for a vision of a new park, or family thats needs help balancing the vegetable garden vs. the basketball court, our services help build consensus around a shared vision. Our focus on testing options allows stakeholders to see the implications of various ideas and have a conversation about the best way forward.
We use a variety of tools to help get everyone looking in the same direction: plans, sections, 3d models, renderings,
on-site mock ups, and opinion surveys. We can do whatever it takes to understand the parameters, test the possibilities and build excitement for a vision.
Site Planning, Grading, and Drainage
While many architects initially think about their buildings as sitting on ground as flat as their desks, the reality will always set in that the world isn’t flat. There are views, there is rainwater, there are accessibility issues- and there are artful ways to handle these realities and there are clumsy ways.
By including a landscape architect early in the process, you benefit from our skills at visualizing landform and integrating inevitable level changes into cohesive site plans.
At a Concord residence, our early involvement helped ensure that house looked well grounded, despite the fact that it needed to be raised 4’ above pre-existing grades in order to avoid a high water table. In addition, we were able to facilitate the preservation and transplant of important trees, which further grounded the new building.
Permitting
Construction and permitting are complex processes these day, and we can help make that process run smoothly. Wether you are building near protected resources, such as wetlands, rivers or coastline, or trying to meet town requirements for parking and other infrastructure, we can are able to tailor design to get through permitting quickly. We can also represent the project for you at hearings.
During the construction process, we work closely with contractors to make sure the designs are executed in a timely manner with the design intent intact.
Land Use Planning, Sustainability
There is only so much land to go around, and the way we use it is increasingly more important. Wether you need to find the balance between utilitarian and pleasurable uses of your parcel, or you need sustainable solutions for land management, we help make the most of this limited resource.
