by Brad Smith, PLA, ASLA, AICP

Words first, then numbers, and then lines – that’s the prescription my friend Craig Witz recommends for master planning – and I believe that the same mantra can be applied when it comes to considering ways to energize outdoor areas for people.  Craig is the principal of Witz Company, one of the nation’s leading financial feasibility modeling and analysis firms for the senior living industry. 

Unfortunately, the development of outdoor areas is often overlooked during the site planning process.  That’s why, when designing Disneyland, Walt Disney always insisted that the landscape architect (not the architect or the civil engineer) should be the one who is responsible for the design and coordination of everything outside of the building’s walls.  That rule still stands today for all Disney parks and resorts.  To do otherwise, you could end up with:

• The backflow preventer being placed just outside of the main entrance of the building (because it was the most efficient location), or

• No space available for the root balls of trees that are needed in specific locations (because of conflicts with underground utilities), or

• You could have buildings placed on the property with little or no consideration given to exterior spatial relationships, and several missed opportunities for effective outdoor area development, or

• You might not fully leverage indoor/outdoor spatial relationships.

In any case, you could end up with a site plan that falls short of its potential to maximize the impact of the outdoors.  There is a wide body of evidence that hard-wired into creation is the God-given tendency for humans to connect with nature and other living things – it’s called the biophilic hypothesis – and much has been written about the many therapeutic benefits of nature.  Biophilic design is becoming a big consideration today!

Back to Craig’s mantra.  I want to use a project of ours, The Resident Park at Cypress Cove, to illustrate what he is advocating.  First, a bit of background:  Cypress Cove is a Life Plan Community that was almost built-out.  There was one sliver of leftover space that was nestled between a wetland and a stormwater pond – an area that was not large enough to accommodate another residential building.  The idea was to use this space for the residents to enjoy.  Here’s how Craig’s process played itself out:

1. Words:  What is it you are trying to accomplish?  Write it out.  Describe your purpose, guiding beliefs, and goal for the space.

At Cypress Cove, we began by spending time with a variety of special interest groups.  There were the folks from the dog park contingent, the remote-controlled yachting enthusiasts, the stewards of the native garden, and the raised bed gardeners.  Each had a stake in the way in which the park was to be developed.  So we listened to them, heard their concerns, and took all of that into consideration during the planning and design process.  The end result was a document called the Design Program.

2. Numbers:  How much can we afford?  What dollar amount makes sense, considering our overall financial position?

Once the design program had been written, the leadership team crunched the numbers.  They understood the importance of delivering site amenities that added value to the lives of their residents.  But rather than designing the project, then discovering that it would cost more than they could afford, the team analyzed their debt service, entrance fees, occupancy rates, and cash reserves.  They came up with a targeted budget amount that fit within the overall financial picture.  That way, we could give them the most bang for their buck, rather than breaking the bank.

3. Lines:  How do all of the elements of the Design Program fit onto the site?  How do all of the individual components relate to one another?  What makes the most sense?

For each of the four park components, design solutions were devised that solved specific problems while delivering the residents’ desired outcomes:

Remote-Controlled Yachting Regatta Venue:  We pushed back when we were told that the building had to be set back 25’ from the pond.  This was an event where residents gathered to watch a race on the water, and the structure should be situated to actually overhang the water.  We developed the plan, and established the design criteria that the architect followed – a lower deck for the pilots, and a main deck set higher to allow spectators to look over the shoulders of the pilots so that they could see the race.  Today, this is a venue that is used not only for the RC Yacht races, but also for a number of social gatherings, including cocktail hour at sunset.

T-Bone Park:  We learned about best practices, and incorporated them into the final design:

• Always make the perimeter fence angles be obtuse, so that dogs don’t pack-up and trap weaker pups.

• Provide a shaded pavilion for dog owners to enjoy one another’s company while the canines run free.

• Provide a drinking fountain for both people and dogs to hydrate.

• Use a tough turfgrass.

• Ensure that the fence has tighter pickets at the bottom, to preclude diggers from escaping.

Raised Bed Gardening Area:  Construction of the new physical therapy center was scheduled to demolish the existing raised beds on campus, so this was the “new and improved venue” for residents with green thumbs.  We used lumber that would not introduce toxic chemicals into the soil, and provided a wide top so that gardeners could sit at a comfortable height while tending their plants.  The planting boxes were spaced appropriately for pedestrian access (including scooters and wheel chairs), and a solid pervious surface was used.  Hose reels were located throughout the garden area so that water was readily available and hose lengths were kept to a minimum.  These were easy to reel in, taking into account the fact that we were designing for an older population.  A high-quality planting soil mixture was specified, and a gardening pavilion was located overlooking the lake and convenient to the raised beds.  Again, we established the design criteria, and the architect designed the structure.

The Native Garden:  Since the volunteers already had created a stellar native botanical garden, complete with strolling paths, labels for individual species, and garden art – we didn’t need to improve on their outstanding efforts other than to connect their pathway with the new access road and parking area.  And, we added a few benches.

So, you see, we followed Craig’s mantra of Words to describe what will be accomplished, then Numbers to ensure an appropriate budget, and then (and only then) Lines are drawn on the paper.

Takeaway Truth:  Targeted outdoor area development is led by the landscape architects, begins with inclusionary planning, fits within the budget, and delivers usable places for people to enjoy.

Top 3 Ways We Can Help

We can work to address the problems posed in the blog posting above by:

1. Creating a memorable experience and positive first impressions for those visiting your property.  Also, increasing resident referrals by meeting their felt needs through targeted planning and design.

2. Exploring avenues for outdoor dining, food truck events, and even on-site food production.  Reclaiming areas formerly devoted to vehicles, transforming them into vital “people places”.

3. Re-purposing forgotten or underutilized outdoor spaces, bringing vitality and opportunities for safe interactions in open-air environments.

Planning in the Midst of the Pandemic

Rediscovering the Role of the Outdoors

 This is part of an ongoing series focusing on The Outdoor Antidote: re-energizing outdoor spaces to solve these common COVID-related problems:

1.     Loss of revenue, and the need for new entry fees.

2.     How to pivot operationally, discovering new ways of safely meeting needs?

3.     How to overcome the sense of isolation and loneliness resulting from new protocols?

 Premise:  While targeted toward the perspective of the Aging Services Industry, which has been hard-hit and has had to face a variety of challenges, many of the ideas and solutions we offer for them can also be applied on a broader basis for the multi-family residential sector, and even at your private residence.

Move Ahead

Ready to consider implementing some new ideas for outdoor area development? Download many of our helpful resources found at the Resources tab at the top of the page.

Reach out to schedule an initial Zoom Consultation.  We’re eager to learn more about you and your needs. 

P.L.A.C.E.

Planning. Lifestyle. Aesthetics. Community. Environment.