mark foster

Add to the “gutted and castrated” list:
FEMA
NASA
HUD
Dept. of Education
anything that has to do with non-military R & D
everything which has to do with the “Arts”   
End of tax breaks for any energy source that doesn’t burn or radiate.

Just to be clear:  The reason I called out landplanner’s reference to that post was because it was NOT mine.  My hide is plenty thick when it comes to my own posts.
I remember how hard it was to get some pretty basic answers to site design issues when I first encountered the real world, and I just want to make sure no one is too intimidated to u…[Read more]

 They seem to have no problem going way beyond the somewhat boring, mundane and timid  (but still important) i.e.”How can I handle the grade change of this patio ?” and targeting something that may have profound impact, and sometimes even an immediate one.
This statement really bugs me and I need to get something off my chest.  
Why did you re…[Read more]

Thanks Ernst.
While we don’t have the heat you do, I remember studies from around here showing that gravel mulch was detrimental because it heated the soil and caused plants to come out of dormancy early, but they were concerned with shrubs and perennials–not trees.  Maybe something to your theory….
Good luck with it.
Mark

Thanks Tosh,
Have you used this product?  

Thanks bp.  I will check it out.  

As I learned it, a “step” is a tread, which would imply 2 rises from one surface to another?  This is ok.  The trouble comes when you have a single rise between two surfaces– I never do this. 
I have never heard the two step/tread rule….sounds like advice from someone who has never designed in tight spaces 🙂

Andrew,
I’m pretty hands on during the build–constantly checking in, if not working alongside them.  (I do this mostly because I enjoy it, but also because I get some of my best detailing ideas by working with the materials themselves) 
The hardest thing when designing with other professionals (non-site oriented folks) is going from concept  …[Read more]

Most non-design trained clients can’t see the things that we see immediately, which are the bad (or less good) consequences of a proposed course of action.  
I usually go into “unintended consequence” mode with the headstrong types– just politely (but firmly) letting them know where every decision they are making is going to end up.

Having gone the design/build route, I think the thing that has removed the most drudgery is developing the craftsmanship and professionalism in my installation staff so that I don’t have to do working drawings/specs.  It also allows for lots of flexibility and creativity during the build process.
Interesting you bring up emails.  I am very c…[Read more]

If you want meaningful input, you may want to frame your question better.

Are the design build firms your clients?

Amen.  Lectures are one thing–but only one.

I talked with a naturalist (in Georgia?) about the wildlife tunnels they installed under the freeways.  She said the biggest unintended consequence was the predators hang out there–kind of a modern day watering hole affect.  

Wouldn’t this be better as a collaborative intern program? 

Weed barriers prevent root penetration, but the problem which develops (over time) is on top.  Sediment (air or water borne) will settle in the gravel and produce a medium for shallow rooted plants–especially when adequate water is present.   Finer weed cloths will also tend to clog with the sediment and make the situation worse.  
The best thin…[Read more]

My BSLA program also went from the ethereal to the downright tedious.  You may get a clearer picture by looking at/talking with the folks who are in the years ahead of you. 
Your entry reminded me of the feelings I had pretty much all the way through school!  With hindsight, I realize that I didn’t know enough then to know what I needed to know…[Read more]

Maybe you forgot to convert $ to Euros.  I hate when that happens.

Don’t forget Osage Orange trees.  What a truly odd plant.  I love the early fall when the fruit falls like civil war cannonballs.

I have found lawyers to be some of the most flexible and least contentious clients–perhaps because they know what a losing proposition it is to go to court (for everyone).     
They also don’t mind an LA’s hourly rate–probably because it is about 1/3 of theirs!