Environs Landscape Architecture

Landscape design in San Diego, CA

ENVIRONS Landscape Architecture, Inc. provides professional landscape architecture and urban design services to public and private clients. Established in 1989 by principal and owner, Martin Schmidt, Environs has worked on a wide variety or project types and scales, including the planning and design of civic and public works projects, parks, and recreational facilities, schools and institutions, industrial parks, mixed-use commercial and corporate sites, estate residential, and select planned communities.

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Latest news

Environs believes it is never too late to change how we use our water and education is the first step… spread the word!

The Cycle of Insanity: The Real Story of Water is a short, animated film made by a collaboration of creative and dedicated volunteers at the Surfrider Foundation. Several local Surfrider Foundation chapters combined their talents and funds to create the film — and then actor Zuleikha Robinson of Lost, generously agreed to narrate it.

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Removing one lawn at a time…
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San Diego, CA (Kensington)

In Kensington, a ’small town’ neighborhood of San Diego with an abundance of lawn, the major renovation of a 1940s-era single family residence was complemented with a new Mediterranean garden and irrigation system.

The lawn and overgrown plant material was removed which set the stage for the surrounding community.  A new sustainable, ‘green, gray-green, blue-lavender’ garden with bold accents was installed which assures a successful landscape with minimal maintenance for years to come.

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Environs is in Bangkok, Thailand!
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Bangkok, Thailand

To wrap up 2009, Environs was contacted and awarded the opportunity to create a landscape design for an existing single family residence in Thailand.

This residence is located within a family compound where the site + amenities will be used by all the members of the family.  The concept design was completed and presented to the client at the start of 2010.

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Makena Medical Center
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Escondido, CA

Environs has completed the landscape conceptual phase and construction documents for the Makena Medical Office Building, located in the Escondido Research Technology Center.

The Building is in close proximity to the new Palomar Pomerado Health medical campus.  Groundbreaking is slated for late this year with the opening projected in the fourth quarter of 2010.

The 44,393 S.F. building is being designed to achieve LEED ‘Gold’ status and the landscapes has been designed to meet the requirements of the ERTC Design Standards as well as being extremely drought tolerant and low maintenance.

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Scripps Gateway Corporate Center
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San Diego, CA

Scripps Gateway Corporate Center was originally an office building with wood shingle siding, excessive use of turf/ and overgrown / un-kept trees and shrubs.

This was a site was in need in need of attention and upgrading, and work on a major renovation began in 2008. The client’s desire was to create a ‘green’, clean, simple, zen environment for its employees and visitors.  The initial efforts were to address the interior and exterior of the building which was stripped of its old wood shingles and replaced with a stucco application and painted with bold colors to accentuate the architectural details.

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Sunset Cliffs Residence receives “2009 ASLA Design Award”
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San Diego, CA (Sunset Cliffs)

A modern Santa Barbara house located along the bluffs of the Pacific Ocean in Sunset Cliffs, California the design of this residence shows an awareness of the regions true coastal habitat and minimal water availability.

By incorporating Mediterranean planting it minimizes the requirement for irrigation and assures a successful landscape which will require minimal maintenance for years to come.

The design can withstand the extreme salt laden winds and exposures that define coastal zone 1 conditions.  Introducing colors and textures mimicking the adjacent bluffs, the spirit of the landscape continues onto the property as well as bringing regionally exotic material to activate the landscape with subtle motion, color, and textures that were previously absent.

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Environs creates wa+ersm to address all property management companies, business park developers and owners, and private clients to address all site water use, irrigation and landscape issues

wa+ersm is a collaboration of experts in water conservation and advanced design of sustainable / water saving landscape and irrigation solutions. Environs formed the Water Analysis + Evaluation Resource and is working together with other experts in the field to help property owners and property managers in our region reduce water use in response to the Stage 2 Drought Alert. Visit our new website at www.watersite.us to learn more about how we are helping our clients save water by as much as 50%.

Environs creates drought-tolerant demonstration garden in Little Italy / San Diego

At our office location in Little Italy, Environs is in the process of creating a series of garden vignettes of different plant materials to demonstrate what can be done with drought tolerant gardens and how beautiful they can look.

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