Yesterday was the first day of spring and marks the launch of Year Of The Garden 2022! The Canadian Garden Council proclaimed 2022 as Canada’s Year of the Garden in honour of the Centennial of the ornamental horticulture sector, marked by the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. To celebrate, we have put together a collage of some of our favourite gardens we’ve designed over the years. Haig Seferian is an official Garden Ambassador for “Year of the Garden 2022” as he strongly believes in the benefits of gardens in maintaining the health of Canadians, our cities and the environment. To find out more about how you can get involved visit www.yearofthegarden.ca
The Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre project was recently featured in the March issue of Award magazine. This project involved the transformation of the Ancaster Memorial School built in 1947 and located on Wilson St, Hamilton, into a four-level facility with a 450-seat theatre auditorium, a 150-seat multi-purpose studio, visual arts classrooms, and music and dance studios.
SDG’s scope of work included creating a modern sense of entry and a public piazza at the front of the building while also enhancing the cultural identity of the site and preserving a provincially significant wetland and other ecological features. Several of the indigenous site boulders were re-used in the new design as well as the preservation of the front piazza. Grading was conducted to conserve an existing wetland on the east side of the property and a planting plan was created to protect the ecological amenities on the site.
Construction of Illumina Condominiums has reached the 16th floor and is fast approaching the 22nd floor amenity terrace!
The 22nd floor amenity space will feature an outdoor kitchen, dining spaces, and lounge seating spaces, all offering panoramic views of Lake Ontario to the southeast. Illumina is the sister development of Brock I, located right in the heart of downtown Burlington. With Architecture by Graziani + Corazza Architects, SDG’s Landscape Architectural design for this mixed-use building also includes an enhanced public realm of streetscaping, plantings, and seating.
Two of our projects won a 2022 Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association Award of Excellence. ‘The Gardens’ at Pillar and Post in Niagara-on-the-lake won two awards, one in the Water Feature category and one in the Commercial Construction, Multi-residential category. Jackson Pond did the pond design and waterfall, and Oakridge Landscape Contractors were the Landscape Contractors for the project. Lastly, our residential property in Simcoe won in the Landscape Lighting and Installation category. We provided landscape architectural services for the front and backyard, Balsam Creek Landscaping were responsible for the landscape lighting and installation and Bansil Landscape Inc. were the landscape contractors.
Haig Seferian is currently teaching a course at Humber College North Campus this year on Landscape Design & Practices as part of the Landscape Technician Program. The course focuses on sustainable landscape design and helps students develop an understanding of how to encourage ecological functionality within the modern urban environment.
However, this is not Haig’s first time teaching at Humber College. In fact, after he graduated Guelph University in 1987, he met Tony DiGiovanni, current Executive Director at Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association, who was in charge of the landscape program at Humber College at the time. Tony gave Haig his first opportunity to teach a class which led to Haig teaching at Humber for the next 12 years. Haig took a break from teaching to focus on his own company, SDG, until recently accepting this new opportunity to teach the 2022 senior class.
On January 25, the 2022 Landscape Designers Virtual Conference will be held via a Zoom webinar. As the founder and president of the CLD , Haig will be hosting the event that will commence at 8:15 AM until 3:15 PM. To find out more information about the seminar and register visit the link below! The first 100 registrations will receive a Tim Hortons gift card courtesy of In-Lite Outdoor Lighting!
The McQuesten Lofts project by Indwell, in East Hamilton, was announced the co-winner of the Best Overall category for all PHIUS (Passive House US) projects in North America and also won in the Affordable category and an honourable mention in the Multifamily category. Congratulations to the entire project team on this great win!
Indwell is a non-profit charity organization that creates affordable housing communities to support people seeking health, wellness and belonging. This development provides homes for deeply marginalized people, many of whom have suffered homelessness, and addiction or those coming out of institutions, hospitals, and shelters. The project was developed in unison with local Indigenous organizations to address issues of Indigenous homelessness as 28% of the city of Hamilton’s homeless population is made up of Indigenous and aboriginal peoples.
SDG were the Landscape Architects of this four-storey, 50-unit affordable housing development. Our team designed the landscape with twelve traditional Indigenous plantings in the four directions of the Indigenous medicine wheel (hoop) around a central symbolic fire gathering named the healing garden. The native plants; Cedar, Tobacco, Sweet Grass and Sage are known in Indigenous culture to have natural healing benefits that can cure illnesses and relieve negative energy from the mind, body, and soul while also providing beautiful aesthetics as well.
Construction of the Elgin Promenade (Phase 4) in downtown Burlington is nearing completion. The shade structure, tree plantings, see-saw bench, and asphalt works have all been installed. Decorative concrete, various site furnishings, and site lighting are all in progress. The community is anxiously awaiting the opening of this power.
Contractor: Stonecast Contracting
Landscape Architecture Project Manager: Brad Smith (Seferian Design Group)
This year, for SDG’s Holiday Party, the team took a trip to the historic Niagara Parks Power Station to watch a breathtaking interactive light show. We learned about the history of this 115 year old engineering spectacle and admired the unique architectural features. We then travelled over to the Pillar and Post and toured the Gardens that SDG designed. It was such a magical and fun way to ring out the new year! A special thanks to Haig Seferian for organizing everything and making it all possible.
Last Sunday night in Nashville, TN, at the ASLA Council of Fellows Investiture Ceremony, Ron Koudys became a Fellow of the ASLA. One of only two Canadians this year. Haig Seferian was honored to present Ron at the event with Paul Brydges by his side. Haig became an FASLA in 2011. Election to the ASLA Council of Fellows is one of the highest honors the ASLA bestows on members and is based on their works, leadership/management, knowledge, or service.
