Vertical Oasis: Verdant Sustainability in an Arid Climate, designed by Floor Associates, received one of the most prestigious awards in landscape architecture – the Honor Award in Residential from the American Society of Landscape Architects.
“Congratulations to Floor and Associates on their impressive win with the Optima residential project. Their innovative approach and commitment to sustainability has truly made this project a showcase. Functional and creative design has always been a hallmark of their work and consistently has set the bar high for landscape architecture in Arizona,” said Galen Drake, AZASLA Chapter President.
Optima Camelview is a beautiful case study example of best design practices, where groundbreaking research, integrated design and a collective vision came together to create a truly sustainable and truly immersive landscape experience. Designed by David Hovey Architect, in collaboration with Floor Associates landscape architects, the 700-unit condominium complex, located in downtown Scottsdale, AZ, has over 500,000 SF of green roofs enveloping every layer of the seven-story buildings. The effect is stunning. The first of its kind, this concept presented numerous technical and logistical challenges, which the landscape architects addressed through extensive research and innovative design. The overwhelming success of the project provides a strong proof of concept and the project has received numerous design and sustainability awards including LEED Gold Certification.
Floor Associates is a national leader in the practice of landscape architecture and sustainable design and their design ethic is consistently expressed in beautiful, award-winning works that inspire, educate, and authentically embody their environs. Their work transcends its Southwest desert context to provide a national precedent for the role that landscape architects should play in sustainable design.
“ASLA Professional Awards acknowledge exceptional projects that define and move the profession of landscape architecture forward,” said Curt Millay, Executive Secretary of the American Society of Landscape Architects. “We congratulate Floor Associates on this incredible achievement.”
The award will be presented during a virtual Professional Awards Ceremony later in the fall.
BACKGROUND
This specific category award recognizes Residential single and multifamily site-specific works of landscape architecture that elevate the design principles of quality, context/place, environmental responsibility, maintenance requirements and durability. Innovative design and construction techniques that help to reduce overall construction and maintenance costs will also be recognized. Entries in this category must have been built.
The prestige of the ASLA Professional Awards program relies in large part on the high caliber of the juries convened each year to review submissions. Juries represent the breadth of the profession, including private, public, institutional, and academic practice, and exemplify diversity in professional experience, geography, gender, and ethnicity.
This year, 31 projects were recognized in seven categories: general design, residential design, urban design, analysis & planning, communications, research, and The Landmark Award.
