Fulfilling the mandate of Arete “Excellence,” this garden at the Historic Schoolhouse is a gift both to the German Village neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio and its current inhabitants. The jury felt that of all the excellent work being recognized this year, that this project stood out for its excellence at every level and for the overall transformative effect this project was able to achieve.
It occupies what was once a parking lot and simultaneously respects the adjacent street and provides refinement, color, and texture to the public but at the same time provides a welcome private respite for its current inhabitants. The glass roofed porch addition ingeniously placed above the drive ramp and overlooking the central parterre peacefully co-exists with the Historic Schoolhouse. The use of materials are impeccable and of particular note is the paving with its use of large flat stones intermixed with stones set on edge. The plantings are robust and appropriate given the scale of the Historic Schoolhouse. This submission provides a wonderful example of how a well-planned urban garden can provide delight and enrichment to our built environment.
