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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS IDENTIFY TRENDS
FOR 2007
Firepits and Outdoor Rooms Headline Residential; Sustainability
is Top Request for Commercial Projects
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2006---Homeowners will be adding firepits
and fireplaces for outdoor entertaining in 2007. And they,
along with commercial building owners, will be paying a lot
more attention to environmentally-friendly landscape options,
such as adding native plants and managing stormwater more
effectively, according to a new survey of leading members
of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
The informal survey conducted in December, identified the
most popular requests from homeowners and commercial clients
for 2007. For homeowners, firepits and outdoor fireplaces
top the list. Also popular are requests for sustainable solutions,
such as using native plants that require less watering and
maintenance.
Homeowners are requesting landscape architects design complete
outdoor rooms, such as kitchens and bars, for entertaining.
Water features such as koi ponds, pools, and fountains continue
to be popular. Incorporating rain gardens and green roofs
in home landscapes will add a different – and more sustainable
- flavor to 2007 homes.
Steve Martino, FASLA, of Phoenix—recipient of both
the ASLA
Design Medal and the
ASLA Residential Design Award of Excellence in 2006—cites
private living spaces, outdoor rooms, and water features as
top homeowner requests. He also says that clients are coming
to him for “green solutions” for their homes.
Commercial clients are also concerned with “green solutions.”
Members polled said they anticipate an increase in client
requests for better stormwater management options, the use
of recycled materials and energy-efficient lighting, green
roofs, and native plantings.
Ann McGinnes, ASLA, of Garland, Texas, says that she expects
to see more requests from commercial clients for “non-traditional”
means of irrigating the landscape and a focus on better management
of water resources. She also says green roofs are gaining
in popularity for both their environmental qualities as well
as their aesthetic appeal.
Other popular commercial client requests should include water
features such as fountains and outdoor employee areas. Madeline
Ann Sutter, ASLA, of Oriental, N.C., says that these employee
areas will be designed for employee “connection with
nature” - places where they can be outside easily for
a respite from work.
Sustainable design is bigger than ever and homeowners and
commercial building owners alike are looking to utilize outdoor
spaces even more. The New Year will bring a number of exciting
and creative design solutions from landscape architects.
About ASLA
Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association
for landscape architects, representing more than 17,000 members
in 48 professional chapters and 68 student chapters. Landscape
architecture is a comprehensive discipline of land analysis,
planning, design, management, preservation, and rehabilitation.
ASLA promotes the landscape architecture profession and advances
the practice through advocacy, education, communication, and
fellowship. Members of the Society use their “ASLA”
suffix after their names to denote membership and their commitment
to the highest ethical standards of the profession. Learn
more about landscape architecture online at www.asla.org.
High res photos available at:
http://asla.org/awards/2006/06winners/images/largescale/108_04.jpg
Caption: Outdoor firepits and fireplaces will be a top pick
for residential homeowners in 2007.
Photo credit: 2006 ASLA Award Winner, Marmol Radziner and
Associates, Los Angeles, Calif., photo by John Ellis.
http://asla.org/awards/2006/06winners/images/largescale/341-07.jpg
Caption: Better management of stormwater runoff will be a
concern for commercial building owners in the New Year.
Photo credit: 2006 ASLA Award Winner, Kevin Robert Perry,
ASLA, Portland, Ore., photo by Kevin Perry, Bureau of Environmental
Services, City of Portland.
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