Latest News. . .
Florida Chapter Awarded $5,000 Licensure Grant
FL DEP Notice of Development of Rulemaking for the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County
Florida Engineering Society President warns of the erosion of engineering profession by “appropriate registered professionals”
Judge's decision deals a blow to Hometown Democracy
A new report from the Sustainable Sites Initiative, featuring over 200 recommendations for designing and building sustainable landscapes, has been released
President Elect Worthington explains difference between the Florida ASLA and Florida Board of Landscape Architecture
LEED Exam Study Materials are now available through FLASLA sales partner program with Professional Publications, Inc. (PPI)
Update on the University of Florida's Charles R. Perry Construction Yard Green Roof
Entertainment and Planning Leader Morris Architects Promotes Todd McCurdy to Principal
--The Firm’s Long-Time Director of Planning and Landscape Architecture Expands International Presence--
ORLANDO – Morris Architects (www.morrisarchitects.com), a 70-year design firm with offices in Orlando, Houston, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro, recently appointed Todd McCurdy, ASLA, to the position of principal. Todd McCurdy has served as the director of Landscape Architecture and Planning for the last ten years and will continue to lead in this capacity to grow the firm’s presence on an international scale.
“I’m pleased to announce Todd’s promotion to principal,” said Jim Pope, principal and studio director, Morris Architects. “He has been, and continues to be, pivotal to the growth of the firm’s entertainment, planning and landscape architecture work nationally and abroad. We look forward to his continued leadership in this capacity.”
Recent award-winning projects include Parque Amazonia, an 18,000-acre master planned eco-tourism resort, and the downtown revitalization 2026 Niteroi Centro Master Plan in Brazil. In China, Todd led award-winning master planning efforts for JaiDing New Town, a 940-acre mixed-use new town near Shanghai, and the redevelopment of Beihai Silver Beach Resort, a 26-kilometer long beach area along the South China Sea. His planning work has benefited significant development efforts in Korea, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and many locations throughout the United States. Todd and his team are also responsible for award-winning landscape architecture design for clients such as Universal Studios, and planning entertainment venues such as Hard Rock Park, a 135-acre destination rock ‘n roll theme park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Since joining Morris Architects in 1997, Todd McCurdy has overseen the establishment and success of the firm’s landscape architecture and planning work. He combines his nearly 25 years of experience with place-making, knowledge of tourism, and sustainable design to advise government entities and developers in the planning, development and redevelopment of new destinations and major urban centers.
In addition to Todd McCurdy, Morris Architects recently promoted Doug Childers, AIA to principal to lead the firm’s urban, mixed-use, and transit-oriented development projects.
ABOUT MORRIS
Established in 1938, Morris Architects is a 200-person architectural practice with offices in Houston, Orlando, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro. The firm provides architecture, interior design, landscape architecture and planning services to a diverse international client base. Morris’ project list spans most major building types.
In Memory of Marvin Lanier Sanders
WILLISTON — Marvin Lanier Sanders, former chairman of the Fort Lauderdale Planning and Zoning Board and a prominent land planner, died suddenly in January. Marvin, 62, suffered a heart attack and died while awaiting surgery at Broward General Medical Center.
A native of Williston, South Carolina, Marvin was a son of the late Sidney Lanier and Thelma Bazzel Sanders. Marvin moved to Florida in the late 1970s and formed Sanders Planning Group, P.A. in 1982. The firm was responsible for numerous development master plans in Broward and Palm Beach counties. He was also a strong advocate of community preservation, often in the forefront of efforts to protect his old Fort Lauderdale Colee Hammock neighborhood from high-density development. “He thoroughly enjoyed standing up for what was right,” said his brother Stephen O. Sanders. “He was very much interested in things being done fairly and right. His knowledge of land planning, codes and zoning was probably unparalleled in this part of the state.”
Marvin earned a Bachelor’s degree in Ornamental Horticulture from Clemson University and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia. He became a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects in 1981. He was a supporter of Clemson’s athletic programs, and an avid fan who attended all home football games. “When mama was still alive he’d fly to Charleston and pick her up and go to the games, and my son and I used to join him in those nice seats in the lower deck,” said his brother Steve.
Marvin joined the faculty at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the late 1970's where he taught design classes. Sanders maintained his friendship with several of the professors over many years. Buck Abbey who was a young assistant professor when Marvin joined the faculty remembers Sanders as an "intelligent, dedicated design teacher who by example demonstrated to his students’ professionalism and attention to design detail." Sanders influenced many LSU graduates who have spread out around the world and would remember "Marvin's wit and quick smiles," said Abbey. Prior to teaching at LSU Marvin worked for EDAW in Hawaii where he spent several years after graduating from Clemson University and the University of Georgia. In addition to his brother, Marvin is survived by sister-in-law, Beth Sanders, a nephew, Adam, and a niece, Rachel.
2008 FDOT District 4
Highway Landscape Management Seminar
April 16, 2008
Wednesday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm
FDOT D4 Headquarters Auditorium
3400 W. Commercial Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, Fl
8 CECs are available from Florida Board of Landscape Architects: FDOT is the approved provider.
FDOT & Broward Section of FLASLA are pleased to offer a one day seminar on safe design for landscaped roadsides in compliance with the Florida DOT Plan Preparation Manual, the Florida Design Standards, and the 2002 AASHTO Roadside Design Guide. This course has been updated to reflect the best design practices throughout Florida and the country. This course is critical for new and experienced Landscape Architects, Engineers, and Designers.
This is the fourth year for this popular course and you must reserve a spot early; the number of registrations for LA’s is limited to 75. Lunch, drinks and snacks will be provided. Cost is $55.00 for ASLA members and associates and Profession Engineers and $90.00 for other professionals. The notebook for the course is $20.00 but must be reserved at time of registration and will be available after registration closes on April 3, 2008. Fees will be collected at the door. Contact: Mike Oliver at moliver@keithandschnars.com for particulars and registration.
Search & Book Travel while helping the ASLA Fund
The Florida Chapter ASLA is encouraging members to book travel through “GoodShop” so a percentage will be credited to the ASLA Fund. Travelocity and Orbitz are both GoodShop participants. You can access GoodShop through the GoodSearch website or go directly to the GoodShop page. Once on the GoodShop website, make sure the ASLA Fund appears in the “Who do you GoodSearch for?” box. Select Travelocity or Orbitz, then purchase ticket as usual.
The ASLA Library and Education Advocacy Fund seeks to expand the body of knowledge of the landscape architecture profession, to promote the value of landscape architecture, and to increase public understanding of environmental and land use issues and principles. The ASLA Fund supports ASLA research, library, archives, awards, and professional education programs. The ASLA Fund is a 501(c)3 organization and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
The Florida Wildflower Foundation Report
By David Fasser, FLASLA
The Florida Wildflower Foundation (FWF) held their annual meeting at the University of Florida in Gainesville on September 20 and 21, 2007. The significant areas of interest are that the board responded to the flexibility of the 7/1/07 legislation by increasing representation on the foundation to 15 members. The foundation amended the By-Laws to reflect that there is no Advisory Council. The foundation is currently recruiting an Executive Director and interviews took place on December 5, 2007. There was also discussion on the effects of the Sunshine Law on the foundation business.
The Foundation voted to award grants totaling $314,532 to approximately 24 projects for Education, Planting and Research. The discussion also identified that the grants program needs better direction, the benefits of the grants categories need to be defined, the FWF needs measurable goals, there is a demand for greater public education, the three Interstate Gateways to Florida can be used to create wildflower displays unlike any the traveler has seen elsewhere, and more.
With assistance and guidance from a Director at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the UF Business College, the foundation determined that: The Mission of the Florida Wildflower Foundation is to enrich lives with Florida native wildflowers. The Vision of the Florida Wildflower Foundation is to increase the availability, demand, and visibility of Florida native wildflowers by supporting research, education, and planting.
The profession of Landscape Architecture and FLASLA are well represented throughout the Foundation's deliberations and activities because of my participation. I look forward to continuing in this role.
Saving Time, Trees and Stamps with DBPR
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation is working hard to save time, trees and stamps. As part of this campaign, we encourage you to renew your license online. Renewing your license online has never been easier. For most licensees, renewal simply involves submitting your continuing education information and submitting your fee, and in most cases, your continuing education provider will submit the information for you. Completing your renewals online saves you time; it also saves us both paper and the cost of a stamp. Renewing online really makes a difference, especially when you consider that DBPR processes nearly 11.9 million documents annually.
You may have also noticed that you no longer receive your professional newsletter from the department in the mail. We still produce these newsletters for publication on the DBPR website, and we encourage you to take a look. You can access the department’s newsletters by going to www.myflorida.com/dbpr >view other department publications > your profession. The newsletters are an important resource to our licensees, but by eliminating printing and mailing of the newsletters we are saving millions of trees, thousands of stamps and hours of precious time that we now will be using to better serve you.
Together we can save a lot of time, trees and stamps!
UF Charles R. Perry Construction Yard Green Roof
11/5/07
For thousands of years people have built in response to the climate while utilizing native materials. Green roof examples extend as far back as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and sod homes of Scandinavia.
In the 20th century, Europe and Japan used green roofs as resource conservation tools, reducing energy and stormwater runoff, as well as extending roof life through temperature mitigation. Green roofs have become so successful in Europe that many German downtowns require new construction to incorporate green roof technology. In the latter part of the 20th century, U. S. cities such as Chicago and Portland have been led the way in green roof construction.
In early 2006 and as a part of the University of Florida’s national leadership in sustainability, the M. E. Rinker, Jr. School of Building Construction’s proposed a green roof for the new Charles R. Perry Construction Yard. The design expertise was provided by University faculty Glenn Acomb, ASLA (Department of Landscape Architecture), Mark Clark (Soil & Water Science Department), and PhD. student Sylvia Lang (Soil & Water Science Department)
May 21, 2007 (after 2 months of growth) |
May 6, 2007 |
With grants for the green roof provided by the Florida Department of Transportation, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. and the Florida Chapter ASLA, the Charles R. Perry Construction Yard Green Roof was completed in spring 2007, as a 2,600 square foot, “extensive” green roof, with a media depth of 5”. American Hydrotech, Inc. provided the system of products including the waterproofing, root barrier, drainage, and media.
The green roof is designed to reduce the roof’s stormwater runoff by as much as 90%. The majority of its runoff will be harvested – stored in two 1,550 gallon cisterns and used for the drip irrigation system for the roof plantings. When rainfall is scarce during the dry months of the year and the stored water is depleted, irrigation water is provided from the University’s reclaimed water supply. As such, this design is a model of water conservation efficiency, utilizing no potable water.
The green roof will reduce the heat island effect and extend the life of a roof through significantly lowered temperature flux of 50º F.
In addition, planted roofs provide the aesthetic appeal of a landscape and the resultant wildlife diversity. Carefully selected to withstand the harsh conditions of a roof and its shallow media depth, 9 plants native to Florida and 1 plant adapted to the climate of North Central Florida were selected from two ecosystems with characteristics similar to the roof exposure and microclimate: the Coastal Dune and the Sand Hill. Plants such as Blanketflower, Dune Sunflower, Coreopsis, Blazing Star, and Gopher Apple are representatives of the plant selections.
As a learning tool, the green roof is being monitored to quantify the differences in runoff quantity and quality between a conventional and a green roof, as well as evaluating the success and maintenance of the species of plant material selected. The findings will be integrated into the classroom in the form of a proposed course in site sustainability and green roofs in the spring of 2008, offered through the Department of Landscape Architecture.
For further information, contact Glenn Acomb at the Department of Landscape Architecture (acomb@ufl.edu) or at 392-6098 x 315.
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