Construction Corner: Brightview South River

The above photos are during and after construction shots of the Brightview South River property.

Construction on the new Brightview South River senior living community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland is nearing completion. As Brightview Senior Living’s seventh senior living community in Maryland, Brightview South River will feature 64 assisted living units and 26 units dedicated to Alzheimer’s Care once completed.

As project landscape architect, FTLA handled all elements of landscape design for the site which was designed to achieve a LEED silver rating. Notable features include a covered entry drop-off with a trellis and seating areas, an outdoor dining area and walking path. FTLA also designed an Alzheimer’s garden, roof top terrace and two green roofs for the community.

All site elements such as bike racks, minimal maintenance and adaptive plants and no maintenance seeded grass areas meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s requirements to qualify Brightview South River as a LEED Silver site.

Check back soon for photos of the completed Brightview South River project.

A Note from Joan: Highlights from the ASLA Meeting

The above photos  are of the stormwater facilities at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.

In late October I had a chance to attend the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Annual Meeting & EXPO in San Diego. I was looking forward to the great sessions and networking opportunities, but most importantly as a landscape architect and nature enthusiast, I was excited about the hands-on outdoor adventures.

Dead Man’s Cliff

My favorite outing of the meeting was a kayaking trip that took us by the Salk Institute near La Jolla. While out on the water I got the opportunity to see sand sharks, sea lions and albatross birds up close – as well as the infamous Dead Man’s Cliff.

Dead Man’s Cliff stands about 107 feet tall (depending on the tide) and is legendary to thrill-seekers who used to jump from it into the waters below. If not timed perfectly, the consequences could be—and often were—fatal, which led to the local jurisdiction ultimately prohibiting would-be jumpers by making it illegal to jump from the cliff.

International Wildlife Crossing Competition

Another, very different session I attended also captured my interest. The session showcased ARC, the International Wildlife Crossing Infrastructure Design Competition, which engages the best and most innovative interdisciplinary design teams to create the next generation of wildlife crossing structures for North America’s roadways. Did you know that wildlife-vehicle collisions have doubled in the past fifteen years and has concentrated transportation agencies’ attention on engineering solutions that prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions on the continent’s roadways?

As you may know, FTLA was heavily involved in the design and construction of the Intercounty Connector. One of our objectives was to work with an interdisciplinary team of biologists, environmentalists, and engineers to produce a design that would also work to preserve the wildlife. This competition sheds light on the importance of wildlife crossing and the winning ideas are sure to be great resources for future projects.

I encourage you to learn more about this significant competition and visit www.arc-competition.com. As the 2012 competition unfolds, I will be sure to make a point and update you on its progress.

Hope your New Year is off to a great start!

Joan

Brightview Avondell Pool Building Selected as Finalist for NAHB 50+ Best Housing Awards

Brightview Avondell’s pool building was recently selected as a finalist for the 2012 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 50+ Best Housing Awards for Best Common Use Indoor Space. This is the second national award that Brightview Avondel has won and the fourth overall design award.

Located in Harford County, Maryland, Brightview Avondell is an independent and assisted living community for seniors. Built in two phases, this latest expansion added additional units and amenities to enlarge the community and make it more attractive to potential residents.

As the landscape architect for the project, FTLA was tasked with developing a landscape design that would allow for future growth. In designing the space surrounding the pool building, the goal was to create an exterior space that offered complementary amenities to those inside. The resulting design includes a patio, benches and chairs as well as a fire pit for residents to enjoy on cool evenings. FTLA worked closely with the local fire marshal to find an attractive alternative to the required fencing around the fire pit.

Click here to learn more about other unique design features FTLA provided for Brightview Avondell.