Award Presentation Design

ASLA Award Presentation

American Society of Landscape Architects - Highest Award Winning Submission

Challenge:

A completed built work is beautiful but has yet to win a national award after 3 submissions.

Process:

Use judging criteria as a guideline
Define a clear concept
Improve photography to tell the story
Improve graphics representation
Choreograph a full landscape experience

Solution:

Re-design of the design submission to tell the unique & compelling story about the project.

BEFORE

AFTER

The Heritage Flume

An artful center piece at the Heritage Museums and Gardens.

Site Plan

The flume unites the site across dramatic elevational change, engages the existing woodland, and introduces a new aquatic plant collection.

History & Concept

The form of the flume was inspired by the historic gristmills of the region. The concept sites a reflective line of water through the woodland that terminates in the water garden.

Site Plan

Minimizing disturbance to the existing landscape was a priority to the design and construction of the project. A system of carefully-placed supports navigate the 26-foot grade change while avoiding conflicts with existing vegetation.

Flume Materials & Details

The welling pool is a two-tiered chamber system designed to gently circulate the reflective water. Materials were chosen for durability, availability, and value. Construction was simple and modular.

Sensitive Construction

The water feature was constructed telescopically through the existing canopy so that all mature trees and shrubs below could be preserved.

Preserved Iconic Rhododendron

The water feature appears at the Visitor’s Center as a welling pool that extends beyond the terrace, leading the eye through the famed rhododendron collection, to the Forest Dell and gardens below.

Landscape For Habitat

Passing through the tree canopy, the shallow pool becomes a water resource for many native bird species.

Landscape Expression

A rustic finish on the weathered steel structure complements the textures and tones of the woodland.

Seasonal Inspiration

The prominent horizontal form reads as a sculptural datum through the forest, remaining legible year-round through the region’s dramatic seasonal changes.

The Flume Today

For visitors, the flume is the centerpiece of the garden. The space at the cascade accommodates passive and active programs such as weddings, education programs, and art installations for hundreds of people.

A Contemplative Experience

The paired composition of the still pond and flowing waterfall offers a meditative experience for visitors.

Landscape Ecology Layers

The thriving aquatic plant community in and around the pond includes arrowhead, waterlily, iris, and ferns. Native species were selected from nearby nurseries for optimal diversity and sustainability.

Landscape Destination

Visitors use the pond garden as a space for rest within the 100-acre museum grounds. The sound and cooling effect of the waterfall are now integral to the atmosphere and multi sensory experience of the site.

Landscape Detail

A splash attenuation ring, made of weathering steel, is positioned at the base of the waterfall to protect aquatic plants from turbulence. The waterfall provides a simple but effective way to aerate the pond.

Iconic Art Expression

The heritage flume has become an icon of the Heritage Museums and Gardens—an elegant integration of landscape, art, ecology, and history.

Ngoc X Doan

Landscape Architecture Photographer

ASLA Award Presentation

American Society of Landscape Architects - Highest Award Winning Submission

BEFORE

AFTER