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.
Our Appleby College living shoreline restoration project was featured in both the CSLA-AAPC Landscape Paysages magazine and the ASLA Landscape Architecture Magazine! The project, led by our Senior Landscape Architect, Brad Smith, involved the stabilization of the college’s 400m shoreline, protecting the surrounding riparian and intertidal environment, improving the quality via filtration of upland run-off, creating a habitat for aquatic and terrestrial species (such as the endangered American eel), and aiding a vital ecosystem to support and promote biodiversity. SDG worked alongside engineering team Ecosystem Recovery Inc. to create a “living shoreline”. We are so proud of our entire design team and thankful to the CSLA and ASLA for the feature articles!
“People and water are magically and magnetically connected for many wonderful reasons. The newly engineered shoreline employs both natural and semi natural shoreline strategies to protect the property and ecological landscapes from further erosion while also enhancing the existing terrestrial and aquatic habitat” – Brad Smith
Our team was honoured to receive a 2021 Architecture MasterPrize Small Firm of the Year Award in the Multi-Disciplinary Landscape and Urban Design category! This award recognizes the full portfolio of firms while ensuring company resources and specialization are taken into consideration. Firms were evaluated based on Design Excellence, Innovation and Contribution, and Expertise. We are honoured that our firm has been recognized for this achievement and are proud to be part of a team that emphasizes strong leadership, team work, culture, and excellence.
Our concept design for the Casablanca Waterfront Park in Grimsby has gone public and is awaiting community consultation and feedback. The concept design feedback survey will close on November 8.
The Casablanca Waterfront Park is the town’s premiere waterfront space and spans the waterfront area from Hunter Road to the Water Treatment Plant. The proposed design for the park was developed around the vision to transform and promote the park as a unique waterfront destination in Grimsby and the surrounding region by strengthening placemaking qualities, emphasizing connectivity, and improving accessibility along the waterfront. The park will be completed in several phases to maintain community access to the waterfront pathway as much as possible throughout the process. Phase 1 will serve as a gateway into the west end of the park which will include the realignment of the trail in the center area to improve pedestrian safety, new tree plantings strategically spaced to ensure no sightlines to the waterfront are blocked from adjacent residential properties, an enhanced park entry plaza, improved beach environment along the main trail and a natural playground feature. Phase 2 located in the center of Phase 1 and 3 will include woodlot clean-up and ecological restoration to make way for picnicking spaces, recreational access to the water, an improved slope grading and amenities to ensure water access for all users of all abilities. Phase 3 will serve as a gateway into the park’s east end, containing a new washroom pavilion, play spaces, seating, improved slope grading and access to water and beach areas.
Earlier this month, Niagara-on-the-Lake Town Council unanimously approved our conceptual design for the Heritage District gateway signage. The proposed feature will be located at the intersection of Queen Street and Mississagua Street as you enter the Town. Building upon the Town’s rich history, architecture, and wonderful aesthetics, the proposed feature will reflect the values of the Town. Increasing the visibility of this Gateway to the Historic Old Town, the identity of the feature can be reinforced as a landmark that meets the needs and wants of community members, supports downtown growth, and inspires the public. This new iconic feature will have the ability to evoke interest throughout four seasons using different plant and architectural materials in harmony with its context. SDG’s vision for the gateway was based on the following four design principles:
Create a Striking First Impression that results in a lasting positive impression beneficial to the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake;
Create a Symbolic Representation of the visual beauty of Niagara-on-the-Lake that complements and enhances the Town’s image;
Establish a Gateway to the Heritage District; and
Landscaping Excellence that reflects innovation, horticultural integrity, and creativity.
The gateway design concept is centered around a memorable horizontal element that varies in height and constructed from natural dry stone walls to characterize the rich cultural history and architecture of Fort Mississauga. The stone composition is intended to be dry stacked and indigenous to the area. Plantings will signify horticultural excellence echoing the current town plantings. Implementation is anticipated for early 2022.
Today we stand with Indigenous communities and mourn the tragic loss of all the children buried at the sites of residential schools. At SDG we acknowledge this moment of national mourning and pledge not to celebrate Canada Day but instead to observe it, to educate ourselves and each other and to demand action. We promise to be better and do better and practice solidarity with Indigenous people of the land. We have also donated to the Indian Residential School Society to show our support and we encourage others to do so as well by visiting the site here https://www.irsss.ca/donate
The project featured in this video is The Cayuga Grand Vista Trail bridge which spans the Grand River, a 280km heritage river and home to many Indigenous nations such as the Haudenosaunee (Ho-de-no-sau-nee-ga), Anishinabewaki, Attiwonderonk (Neutral), Mississaugas of the Credit First Nations and Mississauga
Throughout our entire design process and implementation, we respected the indigenous culture of the area and landscape by ensuring no impacts to the river, water body, watershed, or significant existing vegetation. Our team’s main design rationale was adaptive reuse of the bridge structure by reusing existing railway ties, structural supports, and steel and using sustainable recycled composite decking for new surface materials.
Canadian Landscape Architect and pioneer in the industry, Cornelia Oberlander died this past weekend at the age of 99 in Vancouver. Haig Seferian had the pleasure of interviewing Cornelia in Vancouver when he hosted the show Garden Architecture on HGTV. He also shared a table with Cornelia, Martha Schwartz and Janet Rosenberg when they became FASLA members in 2011.
“I had the honor of interviewing Cornelia many years ago on the site of one of her numerous residential projects in Vancouver for an episode of ‘Garden Architecture’. The same week I was doubly honored to interview Arthur Erickson at his home for another episode of the show,” Haig recounts. “Cornelia and I talked of her time at Harvard studying under the likes of Walter Gropius and her collaboration with architects such as Arthur Erickson, Louis Khan and Moshe Safdie. Among many of her wonderful residential projects, she had also designed Robson Square and the Museum of Anthropology. I remember her as being very firm in her beliefs. A person who knew exactly how she wanted things to look once she had a feel for the topography and an understanding of the programming for a site. She will be missed. A note to aspiring young Landscape Architects, study the works of Cornelia.”
Cornelia was one of the first women to graduate Harvard University with a landscape architecture degree. She was granted the Freedom of the City Award just days before her passing.
Seferian Design Group – Landscape Architects, won three Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence at the Ceremony that was broadcast live on February 4, 2021.
One award was for a residential project in Stoney Creek, ON, called Personal 5 Star Resort which won in the Residential Construction – over $1,000,000 category. The second award was for Paradigm Condominiums Phase 1 in Burlington, ON, in the Commercial Construction – multi-residential & industrial – over $250,000 category. The third award was for the Waterloo Park West Water Play splash pad in the category Special Interest Construction.
The Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence annual juried competition recognizes the breathtaking design and master craftmanship in landscape construction, maintenance, design, lighting and irrigation projects created by members.
Personal 5 Star Resort is a historical estate from the 19th century that required a complete re-design. The main house was the original E.D Smith Estate (The Fruit Jam Family). The site is nestled against the Niagara Escarpment and therefore fell under the scrutiny and management of the Municipality, Conservation Authority and the Niagara Escarpment Commission. A large pool house/cabana was designed around the swimming pool while maintaining a strong connection to the main house and the neighboring forest. The final product was a result of a two years of studies, reports and designs followed by two years of construction.
Paradigm Condominiums Phase 1, located in the heart of Midtown Burlington, consists of 3 high rise condominiums, designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects. The condominium’s are located on the north side of Fairview street adjacent to the recently renovated Burlington Go Station. The rooftop amenity spaces include a large outdoor fitness track, as well as dining and seating areas. Paradigm Condos is in the final stages of being LEED certified, and with a high level of design evident, is setting a new standard for development in Burlington.
The existing Lions Lagoon splash facility in Waterloo Park closed in 2019 with plans to convert the area into a future destination. A new water play area was built on the west side of the Park, on underutilized lands that exist between the skate park and the baseball diamonds. SDG worked collaboratively with the City of Waterloo to design a water play area that seamlessly integrated iteself within the existing skate park, baseball diamonds children’s natural play areas, harvest table gathering spaces and other amenities located in the park. The fully-accessible water play design provides play experiences for all ages, incorporating in ground spray featured and interactive water components.
