VectorWorks User Slater Associates Receives 2006 MD ASLA Merit Award
Columbia, Maryland (January 30, 2007)-Nemetschek North America is pleased to announce VectorWorks Landmark user Slater Associates has won a 2006 MD ASLA Merit Award from the Maryland and Potomac Chapters of the ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) for its design of the Montgomery College Amphitheater.
Slater Associates' design incorporates a sculpture garden and amphitheater with seating for 100 people for special events. The design also includes lawn areas for smaller gatherings or overflow seating, a small paved area with seating off the main walkway, and a large patio suitable for outdoor dining that could be used as a stage. The new space facilitates pedestrian flow to and from the adjacent entrance to the classroom building and provides ADA access where none existed before.
"Between the upper entrances to the site and the lower entrance to the classroom building, there was a 12-foot difference in grade," says landscape architect and project manager Steve Zahner, of Slater Associates. "The design challenge was to ensure that the space was ADA accessible on at least one pathway. VectorWorks was an essential tool in helping our clients visualize the constraints of the site and subsequently understand which of our design solutions fit the site best.
With VectorWorks, we were able to quickly produce a series of drawings that effectively showed how the various building materials were tied together through the design. When it came to the construction drawings for the amphitheater seating area, VectorWorks made it easy for us to compare different options for seats and railings by dropping in digital files we obtained directly from the manufacturers. We were able to present the client with a true-to-life representation of the final product."
The scope of the project included the demolition of the former amphitheater, updated amphitheater seating, retaining walls, lighting, site furniture, and plant materials. All designs and construction were provided by Slater Associates using VectorWorks Landmark. Mayven Enterprises, Inc., completed the installation.
Recently ranked one of the top ten largest professional landscape architecture firms by the Baltimore Business Journal (December, 2006), Slater Associates, Inc., of Columbia, MD, has been providing professional landscape architectural services for more than 30 years.
Working with a diverse client base on a variety of project types enables the firm to bring a unique perspective to every design. For more information, visit www.slaterassociates.com
Nemetschek North America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of European software giant Nemetschek AG. A global leader in design technologies, Nemetschek N.A. has been developing CAD software for the AEC, entertainment, landscape design, and manufacturing fields since 1985.
VectorWorks, its flagship product, is one of the world's best-selling cross-platform CAD applications. An all-in-one solution that's easier to learn and use and more cost-effective than most other CAD programs, VectorWorks is ideal for firms that don't have unlimited IT budgets. For more information, visit www.nemetschek.net
Michelle Ervin
Marketing Manager
Nemetschek North America
7150 Riverwood Drive
Columbia, MD 21046 USA
410-290-5114, ext. 719
mervin@nemetschek.net
