2015-2016 ILASLA Awards: Hoerr Schaudt Wins Three

Buckhead Atlanta is a high profile, mixed-use project in Georgia’s capital city. Because Atlanta is primarily a car-focused city, Hoerr Schaudt sought to find a balance between vehicular accessibility and pedestrian-friendly design. The goal was to make the landscape distinctive and welcoming, with mature trees to give shade, beautiful plantings that celebrate the seasons, and quality materials that identified Buckhead as a special place. Variety, scale, and shade infuse the street level with an energy and vibrancy that are typical of a thriving urban environment. To define the streets as distinctive and mature from opening day, 140 specimen trees and four 30,000-pound Oak trees were planted in Buckhead giving an immediate feeling of maturity and graciousness. Overall, the jury was impressed by Buckhead Atlanta’s connection to the community, as well as the careful selection and integration of materials.

Modern Lakefront Residence, located along Chicago’s North Shore, artfully fuses architecture and landscape. Descending a high cliff to Lake Michigan, the landscape is an interpretation of two distinct experiences created by the site – one connected to the street, one to the lake – yet work together as a unified whole. In front, a richly layered ‘Midwest natural’ landscape emphasizes seasonal color and a quiet experience of immersion. At the back of the house, an experience of ‘unfolding’ as the house gradually descends the bluff and landscape merges with structure on the green roof that covers the lower planes of the house. A natural privacy buffer was created and a reclaimed wood fence surrounds the property. Jurors also noted the emphasis to bring in larger trees to immediately create framed views, add depth, and create layers; resulting in a breadth of character and quality of wildlife habitat only a maturated landscape could provide.

McGovern Centennial Gardens, located within Houston’s 445-acre Hermann Park, was designed as a series of experiences that suit a wide variety of audiences – from the family on a casual weekend visit to the expert gardener attending classes hosted by local garden clubs. It was created as a pleasure garden for the people of Houston, yet it is still very horticulturally diverse. The project includes an entrance promenade which leads to a pavilion designed by architect Peter Bohlin; a central lawn with an expansive view to a 30-foot high garden mount and a cascading waterfall; and multiple gardens including woodland, pine, rose, arid, celebration, and family gardens. The jury especially recognized how the split programming of this garden serves as both a public social space and a botanical garden, attracting people who may not typically visit a more traditional botanical garden. They appreciated the garden’s proximity and enhanced entrances to nearby museums, making this a “community hot spot”.

Members of Hoerr Schaudt attended the Awards Celebration at Venue One in Chicago on April 29, 2016.