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Urban Design
Landscape Architecture
Camiros' landscape architecture approach strongly encourages
a coordinated approach to improving community appearance.
The fact that we have been incorporating community design
elements into our comprehensive planning assignments for over
fifteen years attests to the firm's value and commitment to
improving community appearance.
This emphasis on a coordinated approach to community appearance
extends to the design and execution of the aesthetic improvement
projects. If the design of these projects does not have a
high degree of consistency, the value of pursuing a coordinated
and comprehensive approach to community enhancement will be
lost. The most important aspect of design consistency is linking
the design of the enhancement projects to the underlying character
of the community. The primary challenge is to capture the
essential character of a community, and translate this into
designs for signature-type community landscape features. If
designed to reflect the underlying character, these features
will be authentic-looking elements of the local landscape,
and will help to enhance and unify the community. If the existing
character is not understood and translated in the designs,
the features will appear artificial, representing additional
clutter within the landscape.
Examples of Camiros' work include:
Examples of Camiros' work in this Area of Practice will be
posted shortly
Streetscape Plans
Camiros has prepared conceptual streetscape designs for
many communities. We have also implemented a few of these
projects through the preparation of contract documents for
construction. By virtue of this range of expertise, Camiros
is able to maintain a firm grasp on the "big picture" concept
of downtown design while having the technical construction
capability to follow through on the details that bring quality
design to reality. We have also successfully worked with communities
to implement streetscape improvements in phases over the course
of several years.
Among the streetscape projects Camiros has been involved
in, we have prepared several streetscape designs for smaller
out-of-state communities. Camiros has been fortunate to be
part of a team of consultants selected by HUD to assist communities
stricken by major natural disasters. In many cases, downtown
infrastructure is badly damaged and in need of repair. This
provides an opportunity to incorporate streetscape improvements
as a part of the disaster recovery process. Camiros has prepared
conceptual streetscape designs and design development materials
used by the local community to construct the designs.
Examples of Camiros' work include:
Site Landscape Plans
A major component of Camiros' consulting services is its
land planning practice. Specialists in landscape design, development
standards, site planning, urban design, streetscape design
and historic preservation handle projects that cross over
into many of the firm's other areas of expertise. The range
of site planning and landscape design tasks is broad, including
residential developments, commercial districts, business parks,
waterfronts, landfills, and parks and open space. Some large-scale
examples include a site plan for a 1,600 acre new town development,
design recommendations for right-of-way improvements along
a four-mile-long commercial strip, an "end-use" plan for a
400-acre landfill, and site analysis for a $100 million mixed-use
commercial development. Small scale examples include redesign
of sidewalks, plantings, and storefronts within downtown and
neighborhood commercial districts, landscaping plans for suburban
office parks, site guidelines for wetland management programs,
and playground designs for day-care centers. The firm also
provides site plan assistance for communities that lack in-house
design services.
Examples of Camiros' work include:
Examples of Camiros' work in this Area of Practice will be
posted shortly
Community Character Studies
A constant element of the Camiros design approach is to
develop a program of physical enhancement for an area that
builds upon its existing inherent character. This is the only
way to create a distinctive sense of place. All too often,
design/revitalization efforts fall victim to insensitive and
uncreative design efforts that result in trendy, "rubber stamp"
images. These designs lack integrity and the visual vitality
needed to establish the proper image. Camiros' experience
has revealed that this is particularly a problem for historic
downtown areas, where improvements that are not sensitive
to the existing historic character undermine the cultural
and architectural heritage of the community.
Examples of Camiros' work include:
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