In 2002, After spending more than eight years with design firms in Colorado and Minnesota, principal Luke Sydow, PLA, returned to the northland to form SAS+Associates in Duluth. Luke's goal was to achieve a "better environment by design." The staff at SAS+Associates embodies this belief through their landscape architecture and site design work. The firm offers expertise in all phases of site design and landscape architecture, from conceptual plans and design details to careful monitoring construction. The firm takes on large and small projects in public and private clients. The projects are not "paper designs," but based on knowledge of how the spaces will be used in real life by real people.

Canal Park Brewing Company, Duluth, Minnesota
The Canal Park Brewing Company is a jewel for Duluth's Canal Park District. SAS+Associates along with Miller Creek Lawn and Landscape designed and installed the exterior space. An extension of the building reaches out to the shores of Lake Superior. The two-level plaza creates separate spaces, one with an outdoor eating area and another with a fire ring and seating area for relaxing. The upper seating area was designed using a fire ring as a focal point. The perimeter of the fire ring area is bordered by a native bluestone seat wall and plantings that create a comfortable pedestrian zone.

 

Ohara Peace Bell Japanese Garden at Enger Tower, Duluth, Minnesota
The Ohara Peace Bell Japanese Garden is a complementing environment for the existing bell and tower located in Enger Park, on the Duluth hillside overlooking Lake Superior. Through the creation of an easy to comprehend master plan with accompanying details and specific examples of Japanese garden design, a volunteer workforce was able to implement the design. Thanks to extensive on-site work with the volunteers and 'design on the fly' as the project progressed, the landscape architect realized the vision and principles of a reflective and contemplative space as set forth by the client.

Larsmont Cottages, Two Harbors, Minnesota
SAS+Associates was asked to create a unique residential community along the north shore of Lake Superior. Majestic views of the lake, the addition of residential home sites, community areas, environmental elements and nature had to come together in designing Larsmont Cottages. SAS+Associates located buildings to preserve existing vegetation, and designed the landscape and hardscape materials to provide the unique settings for the buildings. In addition, SAS+Associates created a pedestrian spine using central walkways and patios to connect the buildings, creating an active pedestrian environment.

North House Folk School. Grand Marais, Minnesota
North House Folk School hired SAS+Associates to finalize a site master plan and implement those plans into construction documents. SAS worked with the design team, conducted site analysis and gathered user input to define the school's goals, site programming, stormwater and maintenance requirements. SAS synthesized input to create design development plans. Working with contractors, SAS refined the project scope, qualified construction methods, and defined associated budgets for various construction phases that were refined into the construction plans for phase one.

Hermantown City Hall, Hermantown, Minnesota
The intent of the site design for the new City Hall expansion in Hermantown, Minn., was to create a quality pedestrian environment for visitors, increase the green space on the site, and mitigate the visual and ecological impact of the expanded parking lot on the site. By juxtaposing the straight form of the sidewalk with the overlapping of the curvilinear form of the vegetation, and the large stones providing visual accents, a dynamic, visually interesting pedestrian space is created. Other site design elements include parking lot layout and grading, access road alignment, rain garden design and site landscaping plan.

Bayfield Residence, Bayfield, Wisconsin
SAS+Associates worked with TEA2 Architects and the homeowner to define the homeowner's goals and expectations. Located on Chaquamegon Bay of Lake Superior, along a creek and public trail, the goals were to create design parameters for screening, slope stabilizing and to create private spaces for the homeowner. Landscape elements provide accent to the architecture, provide interest for seasons, balance color, and define site materials. SAS+Associates created a year-round landscape to provide interest to and from the home with the use and appropriate placement of retaining walls and planting materials. SAS+Associates identified stone, retaining wall and paving materials that meets and enhances the architecture and blends into the surrounding landscape.