Friday Focus on Landscape Design

Each Friday Studio W will post new and relevant information regarding Landscape Design and Architecture.  We hope you will find this useful and share with family and friends.  Please feel free to reach out to us at info@thestudiow.com or 405.285.5610.

What is a Landscape Designer:
A landscape designer, sometimes called a landscape architect, creates attractive, functional outdoor spaces for homeowners, businesses, schools and other organizations.  They combine nature and culture.   Landscape Designers influence Natural Processes, Social Processes and Aesthetic Processes. 

ASLA:
"Landscape architects design the built environment of neighborhoods, towns and cities while also protecting and managing the natural environment, from its forests and fields to rivers and coasts. Members of the profession have a special commitment to improving the quality of life through the best design of places for people and other living things. In fact, the work of landscape architects surrounds us. Members of the profession are involved in the planning of such sites as office plazas, public squares and thoroughfares. The attractiveness of parks, highways, housing developments, urban plazas, zoos and campuses reflects the skill of landscape architects in planning and designing the construction of useful and pleasing projects."


Studio W is a professional landscape design firm offering creative solutions to maximize function and durability in our projects.

Headquartered in the rapidly growing Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area, Studio W is fortunate to have access to virtually limitless opportunities. With that in mind, we are driven to influence not only our professional design community, but our civic community as well.

For more information, or to contact a professional Landscape Designer, email info@thestudiow.com or call 405.285.5610

Historic Oklahoma: The Washita Battlefield National Historic Site

As a landscape design firm, we take pride in showing off historic places Oklahoma has to offer.  Each month in 2017 we will highlight a few places that are on the map. We hope you will follow us on this journey!

This month we would like to highlight 

The Washita Battlefield National Site

NPS Photo/Steven Lang

Congress established Washita Battlefield National Historic Site as a unit of the national park system on November 12, 1996. 

This site recognizes the attack by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his 7th U. S. Cavalry on the Cheyenne encampment of Peace Chief Black Kettle as a nationally significant element of the United States Government Indian policy and the struggles of the Cheyenne to maintain control of their traditional homelands.

Today, as in 1868, the Washita River flows silently through the valley. The river banks are shaded by cottonwoods and sycamore are flanked with waving fields of grass. Ancient hills of red dirt rim the horizons. This peaceful setting offers us hallowed ground to contemplate this watershed event in our shared history, a place to find understanding, meaning, and perhaps healing in the wake of tragedy.

On August 25, 2007 Washita Battlefield National Historic Site staff opened the doors to the new visitor center to the public. Currently our new headquarters feature exhibits depicting the clash of cultures that laid the foundation for the attack along the Washita River. The new visitor center also hosts a Western National Parks Association bookstore, and the park's 27-minute film, Destiny at Dawn.

Visitors take a moment to reflect at the
Washita Native Garden. NPS Photo

In the days before aspirin, drive-thru, and nylon fabric, people relied on the land for medicine, food, and clothing. They did not have a mega-mart to buy things; the land was their mega-mart. Animals and plants provided them with the necessary means for living. To most of us this sounds like an alien culture; using plants as clothing; forging tools from animal parts and trees; or chewing on bark to ease the tension of a pounding headache. But these were time worn traditions to the American Indians. This was their way of life.

In an effort to help the public understand these traditions Washita Battlefield National Historic Site partnered with the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes Language Program to develop the Washita Native Garden. This garden features 21 plant and tree species, all of which are significant to the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes for spiritual and practical uses. These uses are arranged into four separate categories: Daily Living, Home, Edible, and Medicinal. The garden itself is based on the design of the Medicine Wheel. This wheel holds spiritual and astrological significance to many American Indian tribes. It is used for healing rituals and as a source for peace and clarity.

Black Kettle Memorial Highway /
Oklahoma State Highway 47A  NPS Photo

Over the years, SH-47 has seen several notable periods of expansion. On June 19, 1939, the highway was extended form U.S. Highway 183 (US-183) south of Putnam, OK, westward to Leedey, OK. On June 20, 1940 it was extended even further west to Roll, OK, where it intersected with U.S. Highway 283 (US-283). On May 31, 1944, another expansion took the roadway eastward via US-183 to Thomas, OK.

Washita Battlefield National Historic Site is located within the U.S. Forest Service's Black Kettle National Grassland near the town of Cheyenne, Oklahoma.

To go to Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, one must drive on a roadway that has figured prominently in the development of western Oklahoma for over 75 years--Oklahoma State Highway 47 (SH-47). 

The final lengthening of this highway took place on October 1, 1945, when it intersected with US-283 in Cheyenne, Oklahoma. From Cheyenne, SH-47 today travels westward to the Oklahoma/Texas line. 

More changes were still to come for SH-47, but a notable one took place on September 7, 1965. On this date, SH-47A was commissioned to direct travelers to Washita Battlefield National Historic Site's visitor center. In 1998, it was designated the "Black Kettle Memorial Highway."

Read more about the Washita Battlefield at the National Park Service

Landscape and Lighting

Exterior lighting is the most popular outdoor living feature among homeowners, according to a recent survey by the American Society of Landscape Architects 

Strategically placed landscape lighting is used to
enhance outdoor features.

Landscape lighting that is strategically placed is used to illuminate walkways, accentuate key features  and provide a sense of depth to a project or yard at night. Besides extending the length of time you can spend outdoors in the summer, landscape lighting can also extend the time you can spend outdoors in the winter when the sun begins to set at 5:00pm.   

Whether you want to relax on your back patio, highlight landscaping around your home with up-lights, or you have a commercial project that needs lighting, remember to choose a Landscape Design company who specializes in lighting and design.

There are many applications of outdoor lighting and thats where a professional Landscape Designer can help.  You want to make sure you are strategic in where they are placed to create an inviting outdoor environment that will enhance the beauty of your landscape and provide an element of safety and security.  Focal points stand out and become more beautiful with lighting.

When you are planning your outdoor project, don't forget the lighting.  Your landscape project will will change dramatically under the lights at night.  You will want to enjoy it year around.

To schedule an appointment, or request information, contact us at info@outerlivingok.com.  Our team of professional Landscape Designers will be happy to help! 

Landscape Architect and Urban Planner

What is the difference between a Landscape Architect and an Urban Planner?

Landscape Architects:

Landscape architects design beautiful gardens, public parks, playgrounds, residential areas, and other public spaces for everyone to enjoy. It is the responsibility of the landscape architect to create functional and beautiful spaces that match with the surrounding environments. They plan the locations of flowers, shrubs, trees, walkways, and buildings within a space. Furthermore, landscape architects enhance and restore natural spaces that may have been disturbed by human contact, such as streams and wetlands. Landscape architects also develop environmentally-friendly designs and research ways to reduce their environmental impact. Additionally, landscape architects preserve and restore historic landscapes, national parks, and forests. 

In order to become a landscape architect, you will need to obtain a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture. Be sure the institution and the degree is accredited and approved by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB). Throughout your academic journey, your coursework may include landscape ecology, landscape design and construction, surveying, site design, and urban or regional planning. Furthermore, you may have coursework in the areas of plant and soil science, professional practice, general management, and history of landscape architecture. Designing landscape designs are a vital component to your educational journey. You will be assigned actual projects as a landscape architecture student and perform computer-aided design and drafting and model building.

Urban Planner:

Urban planners act as activists for individuals and communities; they are the voice of a community when deciding the best use for a community’s land and resources. Organizing community groups, overseeing projects, and carrying out community plans are a part of an urban planner’s job. In order to create new buildings or areas for land usage, urban planners utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which analyze population density. Financial spreadsheets, database software, statistical software, and presentation software play a crucial role in presenting information about a community to public officials. The job of an urban planner is incredibly rewarding, as they can be the voice and action of a community. 

If you wish to pursue a career in urban planning, you will need to obtain both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Urban Planning. A Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning will include urban neighborhood analysis, government budgets, site planning, and public and private development. Additional coursework or double majors may vary and might include topics such as environmental design, civil engineering, landscape architecture, and public administration. It is vital to complete an internship in areas such as public development and community planning. Upon graduation from a Bachelor’s degree program, you may find employment as an assistant or a junior urban planner. A Master’s degree in Urban Planning will include workshops, laboratory courses, and seminars in the field of urban planning. Also, throughout your studies, urban planners will solve and analyze urban planning issues in populated areas.

Studio W is passionate about what we do and look forward to working with many talented students in the field of landscape architecture and urban planning.  For more information, or to schedule a speaker on landscape architecture and design, contact us at:  info@thestudiow.com.

source: careerigniter

Our Team: Meet Ryan Grider, Associate/Production Manager

At Studio W, our company values, integrity and knowledge are never more apparent than when you meet our employees. Studio W feels fortunate to have such wonderful people on our team! 

Ryan Grider
Studio W,  Associate/Production Manager

The field of landscape architecture was the catch all profession that allowed me to explore my passions in life.  Growing up in rural Oklahoma around agriculture and my family’s construction business helped shape my interests in the natural and built environments.   My interest in the outdoors began by spending weekends on my family’s farm assisting my uncles with their cattle operation and at our cabin on Lake Eufaula.  This eventually led to a part time job at vineyard during high school where I discovered my love of horticulture and plants.  These elements combined with lifelong passions for serving others, the arts, and intellectual curiosity for everything imaginable led me to the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Oklahoma State University where I earned my Bachelors of Landscape Architecture with a minor in Studio Art.

While at OSU, I was heavily involved in the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Alpha Zeta, a honorary fraternity for students of agriculture, and the OSU Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) where I served as President and the Executive Director for the Finding Center Conference for sustainable design. 

My current position at Studio W is Associate/Production Manager.  My task is to manage and ensure the quality of documents both graphic and technical that the firm produces and to utilize artistic techniques to communicate the intent of our designs. I am involved in all design review and consultation meetings with the clients and assist Jason Wilke and Zach Murphy with insuring that the clients desire for their outdoor environment is fully realized at both residential and commercial scales.

Community involvement is extremely important to both the firm and myself.  Outside of Studio W, I am involved with the leadership of several boards at local, state, and national levels.  These include the Oklahoma State University Kappa Sigma Housing Corporation where I serve as Secretary, Secretary of the Stillwater Multi-Arts Center Board of Directors, Treasurer of the Oklahoma Chapter of The American Society of Landscape Architects, a member of the ASLA National Emerging Professionals Committee, a member of Young Professionals of Stillwater, OK, and a regular volunteer at Payne County Youth Services.  

Historic Oklahoma: Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum

As a landscape design firm, we take pride in showing off historic places Oklahoma has to offer.  Each month in 2017 we will highlight a few places that are on the map. We hope you will follow us on this journey!

This month we would like to highlight the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum 
Pawnee, Oklahoma

The 500-acre grounds include the original Ranch blacksmith shop, a 1903 log cabin, a large barn built in 1926, and an Indian Flower Shrine—all available for the public to tour. 
photo credit:  Oklahoma Historial Society

The Pawnee Bill Ranch was once the showplace of the world-renowned Wild West Show entertainer Gordon W. "Pawnee Bill" Lillie. Visitors can tour Pawnee Bill and his wife May's fourteen-room mansion, fully furnished with their original belongings. Their dream home, completed in 1910, is filled with Lillie family memorabilia, photographs, original art work, and much more. The Ranch property also houses a museum with exhibits related to Pawnee Bill, the Wild West Shows, and the Pawnee tribe. The 500-acre grounds include the original Ranch blacksmith shop, a 1903 log cabin, a large barn built in 1926, and an Indian Flower Shrine—all available for the public to tour.

A herd of bison, longhorn, and several draft horses call the Pawnee Bill Ranch home and can often be found grazing in the drive through exhibit pasture. The Ranch is also a day-use facility and several outdoor amenities can be reserved for private functions. The Ranch has covered picnic shelters, tipi-covered picnic tables, fishing ponds, a playground, and a meeting room. The Big Barn, shelter, meeting rooms, porches, and lawns can be rented for weddings, reunions, meetings, and more. The Pawnee Bill Ranch also proudly recreates Pawnee Bill's Original Wild West Show in June every year.  ~Oklahoma Historical Society

Source:  OK Historical Society
View photos at Travelog.com

Planning Your Outdoor Living Space - What Is The Best Time of Year?

So, you've decided to invest in a backyard living space.  You will be adding a pool, kitchen and sitting area.  But when should you start planning?

The answer isn't black and white.  A lot of factors come into play - but we can tell you one thing... don't wait until summer.  The ideal time is August through April if you want to get your space completed before the warm spring/summer months arrive.

OuterLiving / Outdoor Construction

When the weather starts to heat up in the spring, so do sales for outdoor actives.  Starting a project in spring means you will probably be able to enjoy it throughout the summer months.  You do have to take into account it is the rainy season so schedules may need to be adjusted.

Mid-early summer is usually the busiest time to start a pool or outdoor kitchen project.  Most contractors have already set their schedule and you may be pushed back to July or August before construction can begin.

If it is just an in-ground pool you are wanting, fall through early spring is the best time to start planning and to get it on the schedule.  That way, you will be able to enjoy your pool when the weather turns warm.

Studio W can help you design your space and landscaping.   For more information or to schedule an appointment to discuss your outdoor living space, contact:  info@outerlivingok.com