Landscape Design: The Untapped Marketing Tool International Builders Show Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida Friday, January 13, 2006 Presenter: Andrew Witkin, ASLA, President, Witkin Design Group I. BEYOND SOD & SHRUBBERY----The Landscape Architect s Role as Merchandiser of the Exterior Environment A. Design Tools the Landscape Architect Brings to the Table:. The Aesthetic Elements: Entry statements, streetscapes, hardscapes, landscaping, exterior lighting. The Functional Elements: Recreation (pool) decks and other active amenities, passive amenities, pedestrian and vehicle circulation plans, exterior merchandising for model homes and sales centers, plus irrigation systems that keep vegetation healthy and sidewalks dry. The Camouflage Elements: Landscaped privacy berms; fountains and other elements to mask traffic noise; creative uses for dead spaces; camouflages for security fences, building joints in elevated recreation decks, and ugly neighbors B. Additional Contributions to the Marketing Process:. Preparation of Marketing Elements Renderings to provide accurate representations for brochures, animations and other marketing tools. Liaison with local regulators II. TIMING IS EVERYTHING. A. Effective implementation of today s sophisticated exterior environments require early interaction of Landscape Architect with:. Developer and Marketing Team. Architect and Interior Merchandiser
. Operational Team budget, scheduling, approvals. Civil Engineer. Electrical Engineer. Mechanical Engineer. Structural Engineer B. EARLY TEAM COORDINATION PREVENTS COSTLY MISTAKES AND LOST OPPORTUNITIES III. DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS: The Psychographics & Demographics of Landscape Architecture A. Integrating Landscape Architecture into the Overall Marketing Strategy B. Preferences in Exterior Elements Change by Age, Income and Lifestyle. Exterior Colors. Lighting. Recreational Amenities. Impression at Entry. Overall Style IV. THE AESTHETIC ELEMENTS: Avoiding the Pitfalls A. EXTERIOR LIGHTING. One of the most underutilized yet potentially powerful of all the landscape architect s marketing tools. The difference between night & day. Highly-focused, special effects lighting. Changes in wattage and beam spread. Generation Y: 25-35, fun, funky, high tech. Generation X: (Echo Boomers) 35-50, light it up. Baby Boomers, 50-65: more subtle lighting, preferring privacy and understatement. Most common exterior lighting pitfalls-- Fixtures and street lights too small or in conflict with overall design theme, burnt-out bulbs, entry statement lighting too dim or too overpowering for passersby to easily read community s name.
B. THE ENTRY SEQUENCE. Creates critical first impression, reinforces builder s attention to detail and target market preferences each time the prospective buyer visits.. Link all elements to demographics & psychographics and architectural design.. Choose materials for entry signage that can be read easily in both daytime and at night and from a good distance in either direction.. Avoid competing styles & finishes.. Use specialty pavers at entry point elegant look and sound.. Fountains Make them big enough and easy to maintain.. Streetscapes Distinguishing elements include frames around street signs, unified design for signs, mailboxes, street lights and easily-maintained landscapes. V. THE FUNCTIONAL & CAMOUFLAGE ELEMENTS A. IRRIGATION. Early LA/Civil Engineer interaction is crucial to avoid such problems as wet sidewalks (a liability issue), constantly flooding streets, standing water at amenity sites and perishing plant life. B. CLUBHOUSE LANDSCAPING & EXTERIOR ELEMENTS. Respect and showcase the architectural design. Avoid placing walkways too close to clubhouse (min. 10 recommended). Use landscape design elements to physically link clubhouse to amenities and model/sales center (hardscape materials, landscape themes) and visually link clubhouse to overall community design. C. POOLS & RECREATION DECKS. Goal: Create a resort feel, not rec center feel.. Gear to demographics & psychographics: --For community with both young families and singles, consider special-use areas, such as. privacy niches with swim-up seats. fountain near the shallow end to mask noise. beach entrance for kids --Baby Boomers/Active Adults/Sophisticated Infill Developments. adult oasis, classic elements, upscale materials. Be creative even on tight sites and tight budgets. Soften standard rectangular pool by rounding the corners, adding water jets. Pool security fencing must be min. 5 feet from deck s edge; fill with landscaping materials. Other camouflage elements include trellises, tiered plantings. Camouflage dead areas in the site plan with passive amenities such as meditation gardens.
D. MODEL CENTERS & SALES CENTERS. Beef up landscaping for model homes. Demonstrate how the homesite can look long-term, not on moving day. Showcase site s full potential.. Fully merchandise backyard with optional landscape design elements such as berms, plantings, fencing, recreational amenities (decks, pools, spas, cabanas, enclosures, fire pits, cooking & bar setups, etc.), privacy niches, gardens, fountains. For starter and 1 st move-up homes, gear exterior merchandising to targeted buyers probable income in 5 years.. Support the flow from sales center to models with hardscapes and landscaping geared to enhance perceived value and curb appeal of homes. 1 st move- VI. & THE VERTICAL MARKET. Drainage issues. Loading issues. Waterproofing issues. Masking noise. Creating an at grade feel 10 stories up. Camouflaging grade disparities at expansion joints. Providing privacy for adjacent units VII. DID WE MENTION THAT TIMING IS EVERYTHING? Thank you for attending Landscape Design: The Untapped Marketing Tool. Phone: 305 650 8669 Fax: 305 650 905