The firm was founded by Jake J. Morello, registered Landscape Architect. He received his professional degree in landscape architecture from Louisiana State University, College of Environmental Design, Baton Rouge.
Morello's experience in the private sector of landscape architecture and land planning included work for respected firms in Fort Lauderdale and Atlanta before moving to Knoxville to join the TVA. Morello & Associates was established in 1998, providing comprehensive, highly professional landscape architecture, land planning, site engineering, and design/build services in Tennessee and other areas of the Southeast Region.

Dobson Residence, Knoxville, TN

 
Above: Originally built in 2002 on a 10.58-acre parcel that can be categorized as having mostly moderate to steep slopes, this large contemporary style home's construction site was graded to have a relatively flat backyard. It sits high on Pine Ridge and was sited to have the living, dining, kitchen, porch, and backyard areas facing south. This orientation offers incredible panoramic mountain vistas, scenic views to the French Broad River, and optimum wind/solar usage.

Park Vista Hotel, Gatlinburg, TN
Left: The Mountain View Terrace consists of a stone fireplace and retaining walls, concrete pavers, and Adirondack Chairs that provide comfortable seating for guests viewing the beautiful, surrounding mountains.

Douglas Lake Retreat, Dandridge, TN
Above: Our design criteria mandated that the home embody a sense of warmth and coziness emanating from color and composition found in nature. Heavy timbers and rough-sawn siding and beams were milled locally and used as the primary construction components. The original roof was modified to create multiple gables which accommodated the construction of new porches and decks. Two cupolas were added to the new metal roof, with copper weathervanes placed atop the cupolas for added architectural character. A color pallet of brown, tan, and dark green was used to embellish and enhance the cabin's rustic natural look.

Disney Residence, Knoxville, TN
Right: The homeowner's appreciation for the adjoining woods made her realize that someday this natural area may be developed. Then, her new neighbors would be humans and no longer rabbits, squirrels, and other small creatures. She knew that she couldn't stop progress, but she could take action to make improvements to her property.
The homeowner contacted our firm, and asked that we help with her concerns. She wanted privacy, but also ample space to entertain friends and family. We provided design criteria to identify the goals necessary to achieve project success. Next, we prepared a master plan for her yard that depicted the arrangement of proposed site features. Our design included functional, but lovely outdoor living spaces, meandering pathways, and lush vegetation consisting of ornamental trees and large evergreen screen plantings to buffer any unsightly views from future development.