West 8 receives three Honor Awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects, New York Chapter in the 2015 Design Awards
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), New York Chapter has announced the recipients of its 2015 Design Awards. West 8’s Miami Beach SoundScape Park, Longwood Garden’s Physical Master Plan and Phase 1 of Governors Island Park & Public Space all received the highest Honor Award.
Out of the 58 submissions, which ranged in size and scale, private and public, built and un-built work, 18 projects were selected by the Kentucky Chapter of the ASLA (this year’s jurors) that had “something that elevated them above simply good design and presented solutions that were outside the normal set of design tools.”
With submissions demonstrating design excellence across the board, Jennifer Nitzky, ASLA New York Chapter President commented that “complex site challenges have been met with beautiful, insightful and sustainable solutions on these winning designs. It is very clear with this year’s entries that our members continue to elevate landscape architectural design and are leaders not just in NYC but nationally and internationally as well.”
Resiliency was a keyword amongst many entries. For instance West 8’s design for Governors Island Phase 1 Park & Public Space, undertaken in conjunction with associate landscape architects Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects and The Trust for Governors Island incorporates innovative measures to address resiliency. The transformation of a seemingly ‘invisible’ island into 30-acres of dynamic waterfront park included building up topography to lift the park above the 100-year flood zone.
Likewise, the undulating ‘sea of green’ and mosaic pathway system at Miami Beach SoundScape Park greatly increases the site’s capacity to retain storm water thereby reducing the load on the City’s severely taxed infrastructure and still maintaining maximum accessibility for all users. While Longwood Gardens Master Plan offers a practical, living document that outlines an incremental and ongoing transformation and a map for achieving another century of joy and wonder at Longwood Gardens.
West 8, the six other firms that won Honor awards and the eight firms that won Merit awards will be celebrated at a Spring Party on the 2nd of April. The award winning projects will be on display in an exhibit at the Center for Architecture from April 3-30.
Read more on the West 8’s award winning projects:
– Governors Island Phase 1 Park & Public Space
– Miami Beach SoundScape Park
– Longwood Garden’s Physical Master Plan
To view the full list of Award Recipients read the official press release.
About the ASLA-NY
The New York Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects is the national professional association representing landscape architects. ASLA-NY was founded in to advocate for and serve members studying and practicing landscape architecture in the New York Metropolitan-Long Island region. The Chapter is comprised of over 500 members who engage in public, private and academic practices that participate in the careful stewardship, wise planning and artful design of our cultural and natural environments.
