Design Approach
Shippey Landscape Architecture understands that a deep understanding of the way people interact with the land is necessary for a design to be successful. A holistically conceived landscape that is designed to be in harmony with the land provides many benefits: human connection with natural and built environments, increased property values, an enhanced quality of life, improved overall physical and mental health, ecological restoration, increased awareness of the environmental impacts of human development, a consciousness of the profound beauty of nature, a deeper appreciation for the arts, awareness of the historic significance of places, and a look into the inherent systems that interact with one another in nature are just a few examples of things that are to be gained from good landscape design.
When designing a landscape, it is imperative to consider the relationship that is being formed between people and the land. This relationship needs to be nourished through thoughtful design decisions that adhere to the following principles: the needs and desires of the client, environmental stewardship, artistic beauty, and collaboration with other design and engineering professionals. To leave out one part of this process will result in a landscape that does not meet its full potential.
Shippey Landscape Architecture approaches design through a Christian worldview when working on any given project. This means that there is more to sustainability than just focusing on the physical aspects—there is also the need to understand that God has entrusted humans to be caretakers of the land who must actively seek to help the earth flourish.
The first job given by God to humans—a gardener—is significant and is symbolic of our living in unity and fellowship with the Lord. God takes it upon Himself to be creative through His interactions with the earth and with all living beings in it, and we are called to join Him in these creative efforts. To be a landscape architect is to partner with God through creative works that are in the best interests of the whole of God’s creation.
Furthermore, when properly executed, design should work towards achieving harmony not only with the physical environment, but also with the social environment. Social sustainability is integral to the long-term success and desirability of a place. Shippey Landscape Architecture also believes that historic landscape design techniques and features serve as a good reference point for how to achieve social sustainability in a design. Places such as Central Park in New York City, Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the gardens of Italian Renaissance villas, and Park Güell in Barcelona, Spain—to name a few—all have timeless designed features that work to form vivid memories and deep emotional bonds with the people who visit them. Shippey Landscape Architecture embraces the sense of civic engagement, social well-being, and the simple appreciation of beauty that is inherent in places like the ones mentioned above.
To learn more, please reach out to Shippey Landscape Architecture today by the phone number or email address provided at the bottom of this page, or schedule a site visit by clicking on the link titled, “contact” in the menu.