Olmsted Linear Parks

July 01, 2023 by Noah Shaye

TTLA has worked as the primary consultant on the sequence of parks since 1999. Each of the five parks has required various upgrades and improvements, all with a keen sense of historical preservation. Olmsted and his sons had a clear vision for the parks, which is still felt in the parks today. Verdant Oaks and canopy trees form a series of lawn-filled clearings connecting down Ponce De Leone Blvd for over a mile terminating in Deepdene, a wooded 25-acre nature preserve. It's a magic series of parks.

The Goodrum House

Goodrum House

December 03, 2018 by Noah Shaye in Historic Preservation, Landscape Architecture

TTLA was hired to restore The Goodrum House’s landscape to the original 1930s plan of the house and gardens. We created permit plans, construction documents, and management plans to assist in the construction administration over the landscape and hardscape elements. The project restored each of the historic gardens with as much accuracy as possible.

The project had many challenges and revelations. I assisted in archaeological digs in multiple locations on the job site. It was my job to help with the photographic analysis of the landscape, work on the creation of the permit set and help to develop a series of implementation plans. We worked in coordination with the project manager and the landscape architect throughout the process of restoring the estate’s landscape. We analyzed the various layers of soil strata in multiple areas on site to locate root decay patterns and historical foundations.

We evaluated a treasure trove of historic photographs, plans, notes and testimonies. These are just a few of the photographs and plans that helped guide us in our preservation process. Note the aerial photograph of the Boxwood Monogram Garden taken using a hot air balloon in the 1940s.

The Restoration Process

We analyzed layers of soil strata in multiple areas on site. It was my responsibility to dig several test trenches revealing the foundation of a possible stair. We performed extensive research at the Atlanta History Center researching the original architect, Philip Shutze’s, and his original drawings, notes, and correspondence. This process helped inform our documentation and guided our decision making throughout the restoration of the landscape.

We did extensive research into the project at the Atlanta History Center researching the original architect, Philip Shutze’s original drawings, notes, and correspondence. This intensive process was utilized to guide us throughout the restoration of the landscape. I assisted in archaeological digs in multiple locations on the job site. I helped in the photographic analysis of the construction process, worked on the permit set and helped develop a series of implementation plans. We worked in coordination with the project manager and the landscape architect on the historic preservation process. The scale of this preservation project was massive, and much of the planting is still being phased in.

The gardens will forever be a work in progress. The Monogram Garden is a very fragile garden environment while the Serpentine Garden and Theater Gardens have continued to thrive and fill in over the past 5 plus years.

Aerial photograph taken in 2018 after the completion of the new driveway.

Estate 1

May 08, 2018 by Noah Shaye in Landscape Architecture

We worked for over a year to produce schematic designs, construction documents, planting plans, grading plans and models. We were hired as the second landscape architects and had to adapt an existing design to accommodate the objectives of the client. We inherited a scar on the earth from the prior landscape architect. When we first visited the site the previous home had been leveled, and the vegetative layer torn away. It was clear that we had an enormous challenge ahead. The construction site was a blank slate on a 33% slope in a 1960s single-family neighborhood.

Our approach was to inundate the landscape with native plantings that will prosper and quickly envelope the concrete retaining walls. We selectively removed invasive plants while keeping plants like Elderberry (a native plant that feeds 100 native birds).

The client had a desire to mask the retaining walls that flatten the land to hold the footprint of the home. We designed a water feature and outdoor fireplace that help integrate the walls, the landscape, and the new house.

Timeline of Construction

Landscape: Rear Yard

Rhodes Hall

March 08, 2017 by Noah Shaye in Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation hired TTLA to redesign the landscape of their headquarters, Rhodes Hall. The design was informed by the site’s histories and by the proposed programming of the client. Our design aimed to create a more seamless pedestrian and automotive experience. We redesigned a series of corridors to better host events and introduced a series of native plantings along the edges of the site. We produced a site analysis package, several schematic design iterations, a combined schematic design with sections, a model with rendered perspectives, and the permit/construction document set. My responsibility was to assist the project manager in coordination with a landscape architect in the creation of a historical analysis package and the production of schematic and design development drawings. We worked with our team to redesign the pedestrian and automotive experience around the site with a specific focus on enhancing, and the ability to host events.

Photos Provided by TTLA, Georgia Trust

Estate 2

September 08, 2015 by Noah Shaye in Landscape Architecture

This estate is located in the Lake Claire neighborhood of Atlanta and provided us with a unique challenge. Upon overlaying the 2015 plat with the 1928 U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey of the City of Atlanta, we found that the site encapsulates that land what was once Lake Claire.

The client was the 2nd family to live in the current house on the property. The landscape surrounding the home is a dense old growth forest. The site was full of surprises including the discovery of remnants like the moss-covered stone walls and old mechanical pumps. The scope of the project was to develop a master plan and land management plan for the client’s four-acre property. The project included an analysis of the historical and existing conditions of the site. We implemented an environmentally friendly invasive plant removal tactics by utilizing a flock of sheep’s never-ending appetites for foliage. The majority of the design work associated with the project was the design of a trail network, butterfly gardens, an area for a kids clubhouse, and several creek crossings. It was my role to work as a project manager in coordination with a landscape architect to create a the site plans and details for the landscape.

Overview of the Property with La Vega, DR in the distance. Photograph was taken while visiting the property in August, 2015.

Eco-Farm & Estate

August 08, 2015 by Noah Shaye in Permaculture, Tourism, Dominican Republic, Landscape Architecture

TTLA was hired to complete master plan designs and implementation plans for a 22-acre plot of land outside of La Vega, Dominican Republic. The client was interested in implementing permaculture planting systems into the site design. They intended to heal the earth while harvesting the yields to be sold and donated to the surrounding community. They also expressed a desire for us to site additional buildings for farm activities, community-centered activities, eco-tourism, and private residence. I worked as the project manager, collaborating on the design of the master plan with a team of landscape architects and designers. My research on permaculture in the Caribbean was pivotal in the design of the site. I produced a series of fully edited aerial videos and a graphics package for the client.

Our plan keeps all grassland for its sponge-like properties while removing and composting invasive plant materials that negatively impact the ecosystem. We designed several permaculture planting phases to implement over time. Fruit and Nut Tree Orchards, aquaponics operations, small scale livestock, and row crops can be phased in according to the plans we provided.