3-D Renderings are exciting....

Hey everyone...I've been playing around with 3-dimensional renderings programs and fall in love with design all over again. Design just transforms all things to be lovely. The 3-d photo below is a before and after of a residential property that I designed. I love to add color, texture and height to landscape design. In the project below, color and height was added in the front as well as near the wall. Texture and height were added on the side landscape strip by the garage. The landscape lights are an added feature to add some pop. A simple design can give your home the curb appeal it needs. Hope you like...stay tuned for more designs.

Before

After

Cities with the best parks

If you can't tell by now, I love parks. The main reason that I love parks are because they provide physical activity, which allows individuals to stay and to start becoming healthy. Parks provide economic benefits by improving property values. They provide social interaction that help maintain community cohesion. The leisure activities in parks improve moods, reduce stress and enhance a sense of wellness. More people have come to realize that they achieve the feeling of relaxation and peacefulness when in contact with nature, recreation and exposure to natural open spaces. It's proven that people go to the park to get in a better mood and to decrease the anxieties of daily life. Parks also promote recreational programs which provide organized, structured, enjoyable activities for all ages. One of the goals for public parks is therapeutic recreation. Therapeutic recreation is an outlet that individuals have to be physically active and socially engaged. Overall, parks improve physical and emotional mind sets for people. Americans love their parks, historical sites, national monuments, recreation areas and public open spaces because they bring joy and pleasure. Even if your park isn't on this list or whether it's big or small... go be active and visit a park close by you. Test the theory and see.

The Cities with the BEST parks:

 

 

 

The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

 

Minneapolis' parks ranked number one thanks to the services it offers, like its management of community sports leagues, and ease of access for residents. No matter where a person lives in the city, they are no more than six blocks away from one of the city's 197 parks.

 

 

 

New York's Central Park

 

New York's green spaces receive well over 100 million visitors a year, Central Park is the showstopper, hosting 40 million park goers annually. New York devotes nearly 20% -- more than 38,000 acres -- of its land to green use.

 

 

 

San Francisco Golden Gate Park

 

San Francisco's moderate climate and seaside location help make it an exceptional place for recreational activities. The city offers plenty of space for them, too: Nearly 18% of all land in town is park land. Golden Gate Park, which stretches for three miles

 

 

 

Sacramento California State Capitol Park Rose Garden

 

Sacramento's parks made this year's "best city parks" list thanks to the area's strong culture of volunteerism,the city's parks have one of the highest utilization rates in the country.

 

 

 

 

Boston Public Garden

 

Established in 1634, historic Boston Common is the oldest park in the U.S. But it's just one bead in an "Emerald Necklace" of parks, that hopscotches south through the city neighborhoods to Franklin Park.

 

 

My favorite Atlanta Park

Hey everyone! I hope that you guys are enjoying the sunshine as much as I have these days. The best thing about living in Downtown Atlanta is the ability to walk to various things. Such as, restaurants, work, and of course the wonderful parks. One of the closest parks is Centennial Park and it's one of my favorite parks in Atlanta.
 
Here are a few facts about Centennial Olympic Park. Centennial Olympic Park was created in 1996 and is 21 acres. The park was built as part of the infrastructure improvements for the Centennial 1996 summer Olympics. The park has hosted several events, such as popular music concerts and Independence day fireworks display. The park is surrounded by many major Atlanta landmarks, the Georgia World Congress Center, CNN Center, Georgia Dome, World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium. One of the key features and my favorite are the interactive fountain rings.The fountain rings are computer controlled lights and jets of water that are synchronized with music. the fountain splash pads are designed for children and some adults to play in on a hot summer day.
 

 

Centennial Olympic Park is absolutely beautiful with the open greenspace to play or to just sit and relax. There are smaller space to sit and just enjoy a nice ice cream with children or a significant other. As a landscape Architect, it makes me proud and excited to know that our designs have a positive affect on people. Being outside and being active can change your mood for the whole day. I sat down and watched children and adults play in the fountain rings and thought how the small things can put a smile on people's faces. If you haven't been to Centennial Olympic Park then this should be on your to do list when you come to Atlanta or if you already live here. You won't be disappointed. Don't take my word for it... just watch.

 

 

Kids enjoying fountain rings

 

 

Centennial Park entrance

 

Centennial Park Art

 Centennial Park Christmas lights

Fountain ring lights at night

Centennial Park Art

 Centennial Park Art

 



Overview of the park

Independence day celebration