Community Gardening in Uniontown's East End

Origin 4 Design is proud to assist the East End Concerned Citizens with improvements to the East End Community Garden located at the corner of Austin Street and Collins Avenue.

The design is being finalized and will include raised-bed vegetable plots, herb garden, a natural play area, tool storage, a berry patch, ornamental garden and flowering trees.

Improvements will begin to be implemented on site this summer and fall.

The East End of Uniontown is a recognized Blueprint Community, enabling the East End Concerned Citizens to create meaningful revitalization projects within their neighborhood.

Sacred Space Design: Bellefield Presbyterian

O4D is creating a garden design for Oakland's historic Bellefield Presbyterian Church. 

The design, still in conceptual development, is focused on accentuating the historic structure with complimentary heirloom plant selections while remaining mindful of site considerations, maintenance and environmental sustainability. 

Garden Design Concept Sketch.

Garden Design Concept Sketch.

Planting Plan.

Planting Plan.

Vacant Lot Art in Downtown Uniontown

Laura, a member of the Fayette Young Professionals, is working with the group to create a tile mosaic along West Main Street in downtown Uniontown near 'Five Corners'.  The mural wall faces the former downtown VWF parking lot and is an effort to bring art and community together in a blighted, yet highly visible space. 

Conceived by Touchstone Center for Crafts artist, Adam Kenney, the mural is an interpretation of the underlying Coal Lick Run Stream that runs under the George C. Marshall Memorial Park and alongside the VWF building.

Location map of the FYP Main St. Mosaic

Location map of the FYP Main St. Mosaic

The project team, supported by Fay Penn Economic Development Council, received grants and project support from the Sprout Fund, the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, The Laurel Highlands and the Home Depot. 

Led by Kristen Brooks & Devan Grote of FYP, the group began placing tile on 37 cement boards.  The assembly process will engage not only FYP Members, but various community groups.

FYP Members place tile on 1 of 37 cement boards

FYP Members place tile on 1 of 37 cement boards

Brainstorming on tile layout and the best use of materials.

Brainstorming on tile layout and the best use of materials.

To learn more about the project, to volunteer or to become a member of FYP, click here.

Greening the Nation's Capitals: Indianapolis, Indiana

Origin 4 Design is pleased to announce the recent project award of Indianapolis, Indiana within the Greening America's Capitals program. This is O4D's second award with the Federal program.

The program is a part of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help state capitals develop an innovative and implementable vision of distinctive, environmentally friendly neighborhoods. 

Approximate project location.

Approximate project location.

Origin 4 Design, along with Elements Engineering and Urban Innovations, will examine opportunities to redesign the east plaza of Market Square along with the City-County Building Plaza to include public gathering spaces and green infrastructure while considering design options for the space along the north edge of the future transit center across Washington Street.  The project team will also incorporate safe, attractive and highly visible crosswalks and 'complete street' design opportunities throughout the project site.

The process includes a three-day public charrette that will be held in early spring. To learn more about the Greening America's Capitals Project, click here.

Brownsville's Snowden Square Revitalization

Origin 4 Design is providing design assistance to McMillen Engineering and the Brownsville Area High School Students in Action to re-imagine Snowden Square.  Snowden Square is located in the heart of downtown Brownsville and represents the community's commitment to revitalization effort. 

The latest concept rendering building on student input.

The latest concept rendering building on student input.

Origin 4 Design created the latest concept rendering pictured above after conducting an after school design charrette.  The exercise featured community volunteer and grant writer Gina Jones who guided the students on identifying potential site users and desired programming. Gina then gave the students an understanding of how community grant writing utilizes these elements to create successful public spaces. 
Rebecca leads the students through a spatial design exercise based on programming desires.

Rebecca leads the students through a spatial design exercise based on programming desires.

Rebecca and Laura then worked with the students to relate site users and programming to spatial elements within a site.  Rebecca continued by explaining further the importance of designing public spaces for a broad community.

The original student concept.

The original student concept.

To follow the progress of this project, follow the Brownsville Area High School Students in Action 'Operation Falcon Revitalization'. The students are also accepting financial support through the Community Foundation of Fayette County.

A New Healing Garden for the Reformed Presbyterian Home

Origin 4 Design recently completed a redesign effort with the Reformed Presbyterian Home in Pittsburgh for their interior courtyard. The home is a faith-based organization providing independent living, personal care, therapy and skilled nursing for older adults.

The desired concept was simple, a place of respite, healing, and community for residents, family and staff. The challenge was to create accessibility, interaction and viewing opportunities for different levels of physical ability.  

The interior courtyard before redesign.

The interior courtyard before redesign.

The courtyard garden became an upper level deck and a lower level patio.  The upper level will be fitted with accessible containers for seasonal planting and therapeutic opportunities while the lower level is filled with heirloom perennials, bulbs and an intermediate level  rose garden, while a tiered fountain provides the soothing sound of water.  The patio area is home to memorial pavers recognizing current and past residents and care providers.

The upper level deck.

The upper level deck.

Installation of the garden.

Installation of the garden.

Residents enjoying the new garden space shortly after installation.

Residents enjoying the new garden space shortly after installation.

Origin 4 Design also worked with Reformed Presbyterian Home to organize a volunteer event for staff, residents and family to plant over 200 spring bulbs throughout the courtyard. The event was extremely successful and allowed everyone an opportunity to interact with the landscape almost immediately after installation.  Reformed Presbyterian Home plans on continuing resident and staff programs in the garden with seasonal annual plantings.

Vacant Lots: Turning the Corner with Creativity

Rebecca Mizikar, along with O4D, was featured for her work in the Penn Avenue Corridor in Pittsburgh in the Post Gazette.  Working with the Eco-Designers guild, Rebecca led a team of designers and artists to re-imagine a vacant lot into a vibrant and creative bus stop that not only improves visibility for users and pedestrians, but continues to act as a catalyst for neighborhood synergies.  To view the article here.

Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/...

Sacred Space Design in Pittsburgh

Origin 4 Design is engaged with a private client to create a interior courtyard sanctuary.  The project is located within the walls of a 100-year old monastery just outside of Pittsburgh.  Although we cannot share more details of the project with you, we'd like to share some of the schematic sketches and material samples.

Perspective view of the private courtyard.

Perspective view of the private courtyard.

Courtyard planview.

Courtyard planview.

Sample materials.

Sample materials.

Lebanon VA Hospital: A Healing Welcome

Origin 4 Design, along with Nolan Consulting, is creating a welcoming, healing environment at the Lebanon Veterans Administration Hospital in Lebanon, PA. 

The project utilizes the latest research based design applications to create safe, healing environments for veterans of all ages and abilities.  The healing benefits of well designed healthcare spaces extend beyond patients to their families, visitors and healthcare providers.

Perspective of Hospital Entrance

Perspective of Hospital Entrance

The project design provides known benefits to campus visitors and residents by eliminating stressful situations often found in hidden corners and unexpected transitions by providing an open visual range, clear transitions, familiar planting selections and scaled shade.   The master plan also provides for choice walking routes that incorporate varying hardscape materials, providing clear spatial boundaries while creating opportunities for different therapeutic and fitness-level challenges.

Early conceptual rendering of the great lawn.

Early conceptual rendering of the great lawn.

The seating areas are respectful to potential stress-inducing triggers veterans might experience. Tight, isolating enclosures and overly exposed, vulnerable spaces are avoided while private space with choice seating allows for open sight lines with a sense of intimacy and privacy.

The benefits of well designed outdoor healthcare environments not only increase patient and visitor satisfaction ratings for the facility, but are documented to promoted improved healing times, less dependency on medication and reductions in medical costs. O4D and Nolan Consulting are proud to be at the forefront of healthcare design for veterans, their families, and providers. 

Groundbreaking for Uniontown Rotary Walk Expansion

Since 2009, Origin 4 Design has been part of a local community group assisting in the planning of the ACHIEVE YMCA Rotary Walk expansion in downtown Uniontown.  One of the few greenway corridors within the city limits, the trail extends the existing Rotary Walk along a former railway corridor towards the East End Community, enhancing pedestrian safety and healthy options for a variety of citizens.  The effort will link to the Sheepskin trail, a vital link to the Great Allegheny Passage. 

The groundbreaking ceremony was held on Friday, 21 September and is featured in today's Herald-Standard.  To view the article click here.

Wold Landscape Architecture Recognizes Our Lady of Victory Garden

Origin 4 Design received recognition from Wold Landscape Architecture.  Wold Landscape Architecture is a webzine  providing  landscape architects with news and information about the profession by the profession. We endeavour to promote landscape architecture and increase the public awareness of the profession. World Landscape Architecture seeks to work with landscape architects, allied professionals and the landscape industry to improve the profession across the world. (From Wold Landscape Architecture).

Thank you, WLA for the recognition!  To view the post click here.....

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Feature Article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette →

Laura Patterson-Santore, along with O4D, is featured in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette Home & Garden Section for the restoration of the Our Lady of Victory Prayer Garden.  The garden is located at Mt. St. Macrina in Uniontown.   The feature article along with the video was done by Doug Oster.

Private Residence: From concept to construction

Origin 4 Design has been working with a private residential client during the past year to compliment their new home construction with an environmentally sensitive and naturalized landscape.  We designed many custom features for the property and continue to assist refining design and construction.

One of the unique features conceived by O4d is a single-pour set of concrete steps that provides infiltration and planting areas within the stair treds.  Below is the concept sketch and study model.

O4d has continued to work closely with the residential client and the construction contractor.  We were on-site during layout, framing and pouring to assist in any necessary adjustments. 

As the project continues to move forward, we will update the post.

Slack Plaza is an Award Winner!

Origin 4 Design is pleased to announce the receipt of the Pennsylvania-Delaware ASLA Professional Merit Award in Planning & Analysis for Greening Slack Plaza.

The award will be presented at the upcoming PA–DE ASLA Annual Meeting at the Lancaster County Convention Center and Marriott at Penn Square in Lancaster, PA. The annual meeting will take place on April 14, 2012. Please visit www.padeasla.org for more information about the meeting.


O4D & EPA to Present at ASLA Annual Meeting in Phoenix!

Origin 4 Design is pleased to announce that Rebecca Mizikar and Clark Wilson of the EPA will be speaking at the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Annual Meeting in Phoenix in September.  Rebecca will be highlighting O4D's work on Slack Plaza in Charleston, West Virginia as part of the EPA's Greening the Nation's Capital's Program.  In additon to the quality of the overall design, Slack Plaza is highlighted in the program due to its considerations for implementation and partnership strategies.

The presentation is scheduled for Monday, October 1st at 3:30pm and is entitled Greening America's Capitals: Landscape Architects Take Charge!  For more information or to register for the Conference and Expo, please click here.

Please check back as Origin 4 Design prepares for Phoenix!

Laura Patterson-Santore Appionted to RTC Board

Origin 4 Design would like to congratulate Laura Patterson-Santore on being appointed as the Fayette County Representative to the Regional Trail Corporation Board of Directors.

The Regional Trail Corporation is a non-profit partnership whose mission is to acquire, develop, and manage appropriate trail corridors in southwestern Pennsylvania and to create and promote opportunities for recreation, tourism, economic development and historic and environment conservation.  The trail network is part of the Great Allegheny Passage and extends over 43 miles throughout southwestern Pennsylvania connecting urban and rural communities, historic areas, and natural areas by utilizing rail corridors and share-the-road initiatives.

To learn more about the RTC, please click here.

To learn more about the Great Allegheny Passage, please click here.

A New Streetscape for Abby's Gold & Gems.

Origin 4 Design recently completed a new streetscape concept for Abby's Gold & Gems in Uniontown, PA. Abby's is located along Morgantown Road, near the heart of Downtown Uniontown.  The location is a mix of business, and residential, with many of the businessnes located in victorian-era homes. 

The goal of the transformation is to utilize some of the mature plantings while introducing others for a more complete plantscaping.  We also aimed to make Abby's more friendly to the neighborhood, including pedestrians and vehicular traffic.

The above rendering illustrates Abby's storefront as envisioned by O4D. The photograph below is the existing streetscape.

Origin 4 Design looks forward to spring, so that we can further assist Abby's streetscape transformation.

Eco-Designers Guild UPDATE: From Design to Build

We posted earlier about my (Rebecca's) work with the Penn Avenue Green + Screen project.  Here's an update...

The Spaks Lot group has made lots of progress on the site and benches are in production.  Yea!  We plan to keep chugging through the winter and install the benches in the spring.

The bench is very closely resembling the early renderings that Matt Zambelli did.  Now that we're in fabrication, there have been many details that are requiring lots of time and play.  It's safe to say that we kinda underestimated the complexity of creating this design with re-used and off-the-shelf materials.  Good news is that we're still enjoying it and learning as we go.  
Due to the carpentry and metal-working tools required, we moved some of the finer production to my parent's basement, where my dad has been amassing his tool and equipment collection for the last 40+ years (I think he built the house around some of this stuff).  Dad has also saved-the-day by bringing his know-how to several of the details.  
Last week, a five foot section of the bench made its debut on Penn Ave. for our volunteer appreciation night at Most Wanted Fine Art (and remains on display at MW through December).  "Wow, it's actually kinda comfortable", was good to hear.  Stay tuned!