TO Design LLC is a landscape architecture firm founded by Phil Barlow, ASLA, LEED AP in 1987. The firm focuses on urban parks, schools, historic landscapes and not-for-profit housing. The staff of 11 professionals includes landscape architects and civil engineers. The firm's work has been recognized with over two-dozen awards.

Montessori Magnet School Learning Courtyard, Hartford, Conn.

The Montessori Magnet School (Pre K-6) is a part of the "Learning Corridor," a $111-million urban rehabilitation project developed and managed by the Learning Corridor Corp., a nonprofit created by Trinity College and Hartford Hospital. The Learning Courtyard design is an educational resource that reflects the tenets of the Montessori program: flexible in function and character, providing learning through contact with the elements of the natural world. The design incorporates active and passive spaces, risk taking and security, hard and soft surfaces, simple and complex spaces, and natural and constructed features. Teachers adapt these spaces to specific learning exercises. The landscape architect provided all site design services.

 

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Walnut Hill Park, New Britain, Conn.

TO Design has provided plans for renovations and improvements to this Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. designed park since 1997. Featured projects include the Rose Walk, renovated WWI Memorial approach, Ledgers Way entrance, Goldfish Pond Terrace and renovated pedestrian ways.

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Breakthrough Magnet School, Hartford, Conn.

This Pre-K through 8th grade school was developed under a state mandate to integrate its schools, and attract students of all socioeconomic levels. Built on a brownfield site, the facility was constructed in 2006 and 2007. Site challenges included steep slopes, a flood plain and over 30,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil. The site was graded to divert contaminated soil for fill under the parking lots. The landscape architect did the master planning for pedestrian, vehicular and bus circulation, play areas and planting. In addition, full construction documents, including layout, grading and planting plans, were developed for the play areas and entrances.