Landscape Architect Articles

2016 Firms of the South: Holcombe Norton Partners, Inc.10-04-16 | Feature

Holcombe Norton Partners, Inc.
Birmingham, Alabama

The Grove, Auburn University, Montgomery, Alabama

The Grove was named for its stand of mature hardwoods. However, this 2.5-acre, steeply sloping site had become largely bare, eroded earth with many of its trees in decline due to soil compaction and siltation. The ground plane was revegetated and irrigated. Diseased trees were replaced with new shade trees. Pedestrian circulation problems were addressed by connecting the student housing area and the academic core with ADA-compliant walks and gathering areas. At night, the well-lit hardscape and landscape provides a safe pedestrian thoroughfare.

Tiger Carroll Ginn Concourse, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama

The Tiger Carroll Ginn Concourse is the last of the pedestrian design projects approved by the Auburn University Board of Trustees in 2002. These projects were envisioned to remove vehicles from the campus core. This concourse completed the connectivity of all previous pedestrian projects to the northern edge of campus. Completed in 2012, the 22 x 12-foot water wall feature has become the centerpiece of the concourse and an iconic piece of the College of Engineering's subcampus.

Homewood City Center Homewood, Alabama

Completed in the summer of 2006, Soho is a mixed-use development in the center of downtown Homewood. It consists of a 600-car underground parking lot, street level plaza and streetscape with shops, restaurants and a new City Hall with a four-story condominium building flanking either side. The plaza streetscape areas are nearly two acres, with outdoor dining, landscaping and site furnishings. The plaza also doubles as emergency vehicle access to the three buildings.

Overlook Crest, Vestavia Hills, Alabama

This cluster home infill development overlooking Shades Valley features 14 homes priced up to $1.2 million. HNP provided the site plan for the development, as well as designs for the entrance and common areas. Because of the configuration of the property, HNP worked closely with the architect to develop a layout where each home is sited on a lot specifically tailored to accommodate its unique dimensions. As each home neared completion, the firm also provided individual planting designs.

Holcombe Norton Partners, Inc., started in 1979 and has evolved into a full service landscape architecture firm. The staff includes six registered landscape architects; members of the ASLA, as well as LEED accredited professionals. With over 153 years of combined professional experience, HNP has grown steadily in the size, number and diversity of projects undertaken. The work ranges from site design for single-family residences to the design of outdoor sports facilities, to large-scale master planning for corporate and college campuses. HNP has planned mixed-use and multiuse developments from two to 3,500 acres. More recently, HNP completed a number of projects for school boards, colleges and universities for master planning, sports related projects and individual buildings. Master planning services have included pedestrian focused designs for five college campuses.

As seen in LASN magazine, October 2016.