LASN is a photographically oriented, professional journal featuring topics of concern and state-of-the-art projects designed or influenced by registered Landscape Architects.
Issue link: https://landscapearchitect.epubxp.com/i/457513
84 Landscape Architect and Specifier News tight to the old building, and developing the site toward the Brewery District would best achieve the growth goals, and contribute to the vitality of the recovering neighborhood. The move to stretch the office tower addition toward High Street spawned the creation of new outdoor spaces that provided connections between indoor activities and the landscape. These spaces include a new plaza, dining terrace, rain garden and service court. The plaza, located at the northeast corner of the site, provides Grange with a much improved presence on High Street, a physical connection to the neighboring Brewery District, and an attractive urban space for staff and visitors to enjoy, extending indoor activities generated from the building's lobby, meeting rooms and cafeteria to the outdoors. The 30,000 square foot plaza has a ratio of approximately 30 percent green space and 70 percent hard surface area. Simple in composition, the plaza is designed to interface harmoniously with the adjacent buildings, and made up of a few basic components: defining cast-in-place perimeter walls and stairs; perimeter planting beds of liriope, purpleleaf wintercreeper, low yew hedges; bosques of 'Princeton' elm trees trees; a paved plaza with seating alcoves, and an elegant, low-profile reflecting pool. The plaza is both a viewing and people space. It feels as comfortable with a few people as it does with an event with many people. The plaza was meticulously graded to make the surface appear flat, which was accomplished through the use of unobtrusive Above Water is conveyed from roof scuppers through architectural concrete runnels leading to the rain garden. The rain garden slows the erosive forces of stormwater, while enhancing the water quality. The notched concrete weir controls the water flow into the lower basin, where it pools to a depth of 14 inches before percolating to the detention pipes below. Aligned with the notches, crafted rectangular stone planks prevent erosion and provide a contrasting element to the sweeping masses of wetland plants in the lower basin: 'Sweet Flag', dwarf horsetail, 'Blue Star' and a variety of sedges. The plants were selected for their scale, texture, seasonal color and maintenance qualities to make this a garden that is beautiful as well as functional. Introductions of water-tolerant red maples and swamp white oaks will eventually shade the afternoon sun as well. (Continued on page 86)