Proctor Harvey was the landscape architect for the National D-Day Memorial honoring the soldiers who stormed the Normandy beaches on June 4, 1944. Harvey worked on the project for 13 years and was inspired by meeting many D-Day survivors and hearing their stories. The design developed around the beach environment and uses plants symbolic of valor and sacrifice. The nine-acre monument features a 44.5-foot tall granite arch with the word “Overlord” across the top. “Operation Overlord” was the Allies’ code name for the Normandy landing. Victory Plaza is a one-acre, semi-circular space with five points of inlaid granite for the code names of the Normandy beaches: Omaha, Utah, Gold, Sword, and Juno. Water flows over a 16-foot story wall into reflecting pools. A bridge crosses the water flow at the base of a wall designed to represent the German bunkers atop the Normandy cliffs.

HDLA developed a program called SAGE (Streetscape Appearance Green Enhancement), helping write the Virginia DOT regulations that made this program available to communities throughout the state. Because the program is privately funded through donations, the project scale is only limited by fundraising (see LASN feature article, Aug. 2006, Vol. 22 #8). Special design considerations and challenges for the landscape architect included: designing for a 4-6 second viewing window (drivers going by at 65 mph); determining effective plant massing and repetition of trees; ascertaining resilient species for highway plantings; shaping earthwork for visual impact of the gardens; and on-site direction for grading and berms to create aesthetic gardens.

HDLA specializes in streetscape design, with clients including the town of Farmville and the cities of Lynchburg, Victoria, Gretna, Altavista, Rocky Mount and Galax. For the town of Altavista, HDLA relied on their railroad history to derive design inspiration. Working with Wiley|Wilson, a former rail line was marked in the sidewalk with the story of the railroad engraved in bricks forming the rails. Staunton River was a design inspiration for the nearby public park. Serpentine benches, colored flowing concrete bands in the plaza paving and signage directing visitors to the river.
Farmville has been a client for over eight years. HLDA designed three history/tribute/wayfinding kiosks located throughout the town. HDLA assisted Farmville in several successful grant applications for transportation enhancement funding. Farmville’s Phase I Streetscape is complete, with Phase II under final review. Phase II features several plaza spaces adjacent to the new High Bridge Trail State Park. A restroom facility will reflect architectural features of a railroad freight station formerly located in the plaza. HDLA designed all landscape architectural elements for the new Town Hall, a residential/commercial development, signage throughout town, a town logo and various facades and trails.