Loomis Associates by: Rusty Saunders, ASLA Loomis Associates' projects have a look, a feel, a characteristic, that distinguishes them from the work of other talented Landscape Architects. Perhaps it is the palette of plant materials, or the details of the design, or the coordination of all the elements. Maybe it is the firm's ability to include water features in nearly all of their projects. The firm was an integral team member on many successful development projects in the St. Louis region, such as Maryville Centre, The Woodlands, Wildhorse, The Cove at Westgate and many others. Recently, construction was completed on the headquarters for Unity Health Systems, a local health care network, and Crazy Fish, a popular local restaurant. On the drawing boards or under construction are Boulders Springs, an apartment complex, Jewish Center for the Aged, a continuum of care facility, and Gravois Bluffs, a large retail center. All of these projects utilize water in the landscape. Crazy Fish restaurant converted an outdated, restaurant building into a new facility for their Generation X customers. Outdoor dining was a crucial component, but the only available location was at the bottom of a severe slope. Turning the perceived liability into an asset, Loomis Associates designed a water feature that capitalized on the existing steep slope. Large boulders were utilized to create tumbling water, waterfalls and still pools. The fountain is very active and creates sounds that mask nearby traffic noises. A unique feature is an "echo" chamber that amplifies the sound of the waterfall. The plantings and lighting were developed to enhance the overall experience of evening dining by the waterfall. Unity Health Systems headquarters was originally planned as a traditional suburban office park. As the home of one of St. Louis' largest hospital and health care providers, Unity was interested in providing unique outdoor environments for their employees and visitors as well as creating a "signature" image of the facility from the adjacent interstate highway. Loomis Associates designed a series of natural stone terraces with a dining plaza on the upper terrace and the storm water retention pond at the base. Connecting the two elements is a tumbling waterfall. While the upper pool and fountain are not physically connected to the waterfall, the proximity and the detailing of the two elements give the illusion that the source of the water is the dining terrace fountain. Actually, the storm water is pumped to a point just below the dining terrace fountain. Fountains were located in the lake to aerate and to provide visual interest from the interstate highway. The rock terraces were filled with plantings such as Professor Kippenburg aster, dwarf hameln grass, candytuft, black-eyed susan, daylily and faasenes catmint. On the east side of the building a large pedestrian plaza was located on the central axis of the building and the main entry drive. Three colors of tinted concrete create the banding effect to distinguish the drive lanes, and parking spaces. The Cove at Westgate, comprised of 276 units, occupies twenty-two acres. Nearly five acres of wooded area on the southern part of the site were preserved into permanent open space and as a buffer to an adjacent single family development. The central landscape space was developed as two lakes connected by an artificial stream. The lakes function as onsite storm water detention and as a visual focus for the fitness trail that surrounds the lake and connects to an off-site trail system. Heavy tree planting was introduced between the parking and the buildings at the stream and near the clubhouse to minimize the scale of the buildings. Plantings include river birch, sycamore and alder as well as fountain grass. Maryville Centre occupies 104 acres of wooded, rolling hills on a prime transportation corridor in St. Louis County. To preserve a spectacular environment, while providing headquarters for Fortune 500 companies, required dedication, skill, and more than a decade of planning. Roadways gently curve around a rare grove of pines; three tiered lakes and actual storm water detention basins are a haven for wildlife. A weir dam is also a footbridge. This corporate campus is enhanced by such meticulous design that the site seems to have existed naturally. Maryville Centre consistently leases well ahead of St. Louis' commercial market. Two years ago, Loomis Associates lost its founding principal, Jerry J. Loomis FASLA to pancreatic cancer. Loomis was an extraordinarily gifted Landscape Architect, land planner, designer and communicator. While the loss of the founding principal of a firm could be potentially devastating to a small firm, Loomis Associates has continued to prosper in Jerry's absence. The credit goes to Jerry who had the foresight to plan for the eventual transition of the firm. With an eye toward eventual retirement rather than illness or death, Loomis made Rusty Saunders, ASLA and Douglas DeLong, ASLA, Principals and equal partners in the firm. When it was clear that his illness would prevent him from returning to work for any significant period of time, Loomis directed his partners to implement the transition strategy. Saunders and DeLong have acquired Jerry's interest in the firm from his family. Bob Rosenthal, ASLA and Ed Dermody, ASLA are project managers and key team members. Kim Schwartz is the Computer Graphics specialist, while Pam Emmenderfer takes care of administrative functions. Loomis Associates, a fixture in the St. Louis Landscape Architectural community for 25 years, continues to include water features in their design commissions. The rambling brooks and waterfalls of the Boulder Springs apartment complex are nearly constructed, with the complex due to open shortly. Recently, the firm designed a significant entrance water feature for the Jewish Center for the Aged, a continuum of care facility. Anchoring the porte' cochere of the upscale facilities' community building, the fountain will give the JCA the look and feel of a luxury hotel. Another significant water feature to be constructed in 2000 is the "signature" water fall for the Gravois Bluffs retail center. Designed as a series of waterfalls, the total vertical drop of the water will be nearly 90 feet. Boulders excavated from the site will be relocated to the waterfall location to become the major design element. Left: City of St. Louis Medians with Planters and overstory tree planting. To preserve the spectacular environment of the 104-acre Maryville Center, while providing headquarters for Fortune 500 companies, Loomis Associates included such details as a custom precast fountain (right) in the Auto Court. The Crazy Fish water feature (left) used large boulders to create tumbling waterfalls and still pools. The fountain is very active and creates sounds that mask nearby traffic noises. Unity Health Systems wanted to provide a unique outdoor environment (right) for their employees and visitors as well as creating a "signature" image of the facility from the adjacent interstate highway.