Dean “Mack” McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
Dean “Mack” McKenzie I have been in the green industry for over 20 years. My experience is not limited to formal education and Architectural disciplines. I obtained a degree from Utah State University in Horticulture. I have had many years of hands-on experience working in and on construction sites for nearly 15 years. I understand both sides of the construction process, which ensures that my designs are not only aesthetically pleasing, but that they will function properly. I have also been able to couple this experience with a license in Idaho and Utah, where both remain in good standing. I have a wide breath of experience in several markets and regions of the USA. I started in the high desert areas in and surrounding Park City, UT as well as the Wasatch front in Salt Lake Valley. The Pacific Northwest area of Seattle exposed me to new construction methods and new plant materials. Las Vegas afforded me an entirely new experience from the Pacific Northwest. My personal life and travels have also allowed me to see other areas of the country from coast to coast as well as Scandinavia. Past experience and educational background have focused my career around sound design, a desire to use the best technology, proper construction techniques, and environmental awareness. I has distilled my professional philosophy to three values: Aesthetics, Responsibility, and Technology. I have created a slogan for my self with these principals as an acronym; and as the background for all my projects. . . “My work has to be a work of A.R.T.”
Artistic:
The primary focus of any project is to be aesthetically pleasing. Creative teams and collaboration with like minded people makes our work stand out.
Responsibility: “Green”, “LEED”, “BREEAM”, and “Eco-Friendly” are not just buzz
words. These are principals that make my plans sustainable and express my responsibility to the environment, my communities, and my clients.
Technology: Skills with the latest CAD, graphics, and real life experience ensure that projects run smoothly and are installed correctly. Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
Portfolio
Dean “Mack” McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
Navigating the legal waters of commercial property is something that I help clients do. I establish entitlements and create presentations used by the municipalities and help secure permits for work. I also verify for an authority or owner that the project falls under the correct guidelines and review standards. Starting a job is easy, finishing is the difficult part. Punchlists, regulation compliance, contract alterations, and contract negotiations with myself can make finishing the job easy too.
Bygger’n Straume: Site: The site is a retail building supply store. The owner needed
an entitlement application drawing. Design development and construction documents were to follow after municipal approval.
Size: Approx. 10,000 m2 Client: E. A. Smith Location: Bergen, Hordaland, Norway Role: Project Landscape Architect
Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
Entitlements
Dean “Mack” McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
I have an understanding of commercial markets, owners, and projects. I know that my work and designs have to be cost effective. Owners need to have one point of contact and know this person will be the solution they have been looking for. In keeping with my values I make projects pleasant to visit and do business with, as well as make it an enjoyable place to work. I have done numerous projects from single office buildings, to Large Planed Unit Developments (P.U.D.s) of up to 400 ha.
Driftbase Marienborg: Site: The site is a train engine and car repair depot. The owner need a new facility and required additional parking along with turn abouts for large trucks. Employees also needed parking, walking, and bike access.
Size: Approx. 12,000 m2 Client: Jernbaneverket Location: Trondheim, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway Role: Lead Landscape Architect
Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
Commercial
Dean “Mack” McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
I Love to plan large scale projects. I put ideas to paper; helping decide what elements will work best on a site, as well as on individual blocks and lots. I analyze and choose elements that will work on a site. For example where the schools and roads should be to best use the site; giving owners options. Planning is more than writing CCNR’s (Conditions, Covenants, and Restrictions), design guidelines, or even books of specifications. It is the first step in program development and involves, expressing ideas graphically, being cost effective, and thinking ahead.
Riverside Ranches: Site: The site is a new planned community with expectations of
1200 homes, a school, parks, commercial areas, community center and a power substation. The site also needed to account for river recreation, water treatment plant, and native flora and fauna.
Size: Approx. 202.34 ha Client: Woodside homes Location: Mesquite, NV, USA Role: Landscape Architect
Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
Planning
Dean “Mack� McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
Program management differs from project or construction management because it covers the design intent of the entire site or the complete scope of work, as opposed to individual projects or entities on the site. This is what makes a project successful, looking at the big picture. I have worked on many projects where I was required to work with the entire project in mind, while managing individual building projects at the same time. This type of management can be on a small scale with several trades on a site at once. However, it more generally falls in the scale of Planed Unit Development (P.U.D.s) and large subdivisions. I have had the opportunity to work on several projects of this magnitude.
West Village: Site: A large P.U.D. I was involved in program development, including overall theme and property delineation, as well as writing the specifications, and design guidelines. I was also responsible to check the progress and compliance of the individual property owners with regards to the program developed. Size: Approx. 404.8 ha Client: West Village Group Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA Role: Landscape Architect Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
Program Management
Dean “Mack� McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
Small scale program management manifests itself best in residential subdivision design and management. I have done over 100 such projects ranging in size and scope from 8.09 ha with 100+ homes to over 200 ha and thousands of homes.
The Orchards: Site: The Orchards was a project on a 8.09 ha site in Las Vegas.
The scope of work included a complete program generation and management. I was asked to create options for logos, sign-age, gates, pilasters, key boxes, and other amenities for the site. This builder was also amicable to doing some different things with the site that would give back to the community and history of the site. It was an old orchard and saving close to 300 fruit trees accomplished that end. These were all slated to go into all the new homes in the front yard, the park had many of the trees and a large buffer to the adjacent high school was filled with these trees and to be used by the school to teach horticulture methods.
Size: Approx. 8.09 ha Client: Spinnaker Homes Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA Role: Lead Landscape Architect
Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
Small scale/program management
Dean “Mack” McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
I have an eye for detail and grasp of scale that sets residential projects apart from others. Listening to the client and understanding what they want, not what I want has allowed collaboration between Architect and client. A healthy relationship of trust has created fantastic landscapes. I have completed hundreds of residential projects ranging from a few hundred dollars to over $300-thousand.
The Lipnicks: Site: A small backyard where the owners wanted a spa, a waterfall, a BBQ island, patio covers, walls, and a courtyard in the front. He was very pleased with the results:
“. . . Honestly speaking . . . His design and his expertise were incredible. He Surpassed any of our expectations and quite honestly I really did not believe how good my yard turned out - until the job was completed. . . when he finished the job . . . . . I just stood there and looked and stared at this incredible design and really was in a state of disbelief, because I really got more than I ever expected. . . .”
Size: Approx. 2002 m2 Client: Gary Lipnick Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA Role: Project Landscape Architect Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
Residential
Dean “Mack” McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
I have designed hundreds of “high-end” residential projects. These projects are typified by outdoor kitchens, BBQ islands, swimming pools, and hard-scape features. These projects range from $75-thousand dollars to over $300-thousand.
Size: Approx. 2.2-6.0 Client: Private Residences Location: NV, UT, ID, USA Role: Project Landscape Architect
Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
high-end Residential
Dean “Mack” McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
I have had the opportunity to work on several schools ranging from preschool to high school. These projects are the perfect scale to use all aspects of the design process from sketch, schematic design, entitlements, design development, construction documents, and construction management. Many of these school designs are developed through the use of design competitions. I have been able to be involved in winning a few in recent years.
Hønefoss VGS: Site: The site is a new planned community high school, to replace
an old existing disjointed school. The process also entailed a feasibility study regarding placement of the school on a different orientation than the planed program, to protect a forest grove on the site. The competition was won in 2012 and design documents and construction are slated for completion 2015.
Size: Approx. 2.5 ha Client: Buskerud Fylkeskommune Location: Hønefoss, Ringrike, Norway Role: Project Landscape Architect
Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
Schools
Dean “Mack” McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
Because the majority of my landscape experience has been from the construction side, I control and direct this aspect of projects best. My career has centered around hands on experience and knowledge. I design and manage with the end in mind, choosing techniques, products, methods, and principals that work. I know the principals that work because they are not just theory and ideas; they are proven tried and true methods. Another reason that this area of service has been so successful is that I can bridge the gaps that can sometimes come between contractor and designer. As a professional with extensive service on both sides of the fence, I have been very successful at managing construction projects.
“Renovate My Family”: (A short lived television series similar to the popular Extreme Make over. This program offered psychological help and gave personal makeovers to the family, in addition to home renovations.)
Site:
This was a unique project, one of the family issues was the loss of a child to illness. She was interred in the side yard of the home in a memory garden/private cemetery. The time frame for the remodel of the house and yard was to be completed in 6 days. There were up to 20 trades on the site at one time and never less than 10, all materials needed to be procured, donated delivered, and installed with a heightened time frame and very little staging. All this was accomplished on a 24 hr clock with camera crews and equipment to work around. The project was a success and great test of our construction management.
Size: Approx. 2.02 ha Client: Rocket Science Labs (Fox TV) Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA Role: Project Landscape Architect/Project Manager Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
Construction management
Dean “Mack” McKenzie, RLA Landscape architecture
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Schematic Design and Design Development projects include entitlement exhibits which help clients start the permitting and financial procurement process. Branding projects allow clients to begin marketing to investors and clients after gaining a unique identity. Creative elements such as sign age, gates, call boxes, and pedestrian amenities help tie the project together, from custom designed tree grates to the front vehicle gate. Rendering and other visual presentations help clients and end users to visually understand the process at various stages of design development. I have been involved in all stages of design and construction and with many different clients. This portfolio is just a sampling of the type or work and clients I have been able to be involved in and work for. Along with several hundred home owners, we have been privileged to work with the following great companies and groups.
Okstadbrinken 8 7075 Tiller, Norge dmackmckenzie@gmail.com +47 40 46 50 04
Summery/clients