Michael Stelfox | Landscape Architect

landscapes

remarking on history, culture -weaving human-nature

MINDSET

One of the most exciting aspects of design, for me, is retelling others’ stories in the landscape. The second is weaving human and natural spaces together with greater harmony.

P: 410 . 991 . 0411

CONTENT

ROLE: DESIGN LEAD & PROJECT MANAGER Commercial 225 West Wacker Built Concept through Construction Administration

World War II Memorial Under Construction Design Development through Construction Administration

ROLE : PROJECT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Commercial Gallery 64 Under Construction Concept through Construction Documentation

ROLE : : RESEARCH Fellowship Emerald and Sapphire City Published Resiliency Strategy

ROLE : DESIGNER & JUNIOR PROJECT MANAGER Residential McLean Residence Built - Published Design Development through Construction Administration

Residential North Point Residence Built - Awarded Concept through Construction Administration

WACKER DRIVE

IMMERSION VISUALLY PHYSICALLY

AN OUTSIDE-INSIDE SCHEME

While the outdoor terrace is inspired by Roberto Burle Marx, the indoor vitrines embellish similar geometries pondered by Piet Mondrian. Both the winding paths of the terrace and the subdivided rectangles of the vitrines focus the visitor on the plantings by physically or visually immersing them in these displays.

RESPONSIBILITIES

- Led team from Concept Design through Construction Observation;

- Presented alternative concepts to the client and design architect;

- Coordinated Design Development, Construction Documents, and Bulletin sets with the lead architect and consultant teams;

- Finalized planting design and installation with Principal.

The planting plan above was informed by a ten-year study of greenroof trials designed by OvS for the Chicago Botanical Gardens. Analysis of this research allowed us to communicate the range of success our plantings would achieve according to the soil depths this structure could accommodate. Undulating topography expanded the soil depth and the garden’s success.

Looking through a window at a drift of Rudbeckia fulgida ‘American Gold Rush’ poking up between the Molina caerulea ‘Poul Petersen’ in recent weeks at this green roof on West Wacker Dr. Circuitous wooden paths through the garden open up pockets for gathering on sun-soaked days such as this.

- MJS for OvS’ Instagram

WWII MEMORIAL

FDR’S PRAYER FOR THE NATION

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness to their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. The enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph. They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest— till the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

These are men lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

- Fredrick Delano Roosevelt June 6, 1944

“These are men lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest.”

A TWENTY-YEAR PLAN

The World War II Memorial was designed at the turn of the century, with the majority of construction completed in 2004. The contemplative area that memorializes Fredrick Delano Roosevelt’s prayer to the nation on the morning of D-Day in 1944 is set to the northwest of the main plaza as a space for reflection. It sits on a small knoll with views back to the grand memorial.

Originally hosting a small plaque in the plantings, with seating carved out by a stacked stone wall, the intent had always been to unify the space with the main memorial. OvS was called upon to renovate this garden given the ability to recall the firm’s record drawings twenty years prior. Our team recalled the architectural details and symbolism of the original design to provide an humble garden memorializing this day in history.

REALIZED WITH TODAY’S PERSPECTIVE

FDR’s prayer to the nation on the morning of June 6, 1944 emphasized the United States’ intent to invade Normandy as liberators, with U.S. soldiers’ having been “drawn from the ways of peace”. It is this message that he mentions numerous times, and that we reflected in the central wreath of five bronze stars, accented by an olive branch on either side. The plaque itself is cast of the same bronze, set at the height and angle appropriate for one to read in a wheelchair, while visible to those standing behind.

GRANITE BASE, TYP. BRONZE PRAYER PLAQUE, TYP.

GRANITE BASE, TYP. BRONZE PRAYER PLAQUE, TYP.

IN DETAIL

This circle took the detail from the benches within the ramparts of the main plaza (shown in the above image), and added bronze armrests between the wall and cantilevered seat.

Originally, the ramparts embellished the base below and structure above the seat, while adding greater structure to reinforce this cantilever. At the contemplative garden, the simple walls utilize a steel plate anchored into the concrete base and reinforced with the bronze armrests (shown in the axonometric detail to the right).

Three arcs of seating open to space along the wall so visitors in wheelchairs and walking, may sit together, while the armrests are designed for those who may need assistance sitting down and rising from the seat.

RESPONSIBILITIES

- Led design team through Commission of Fine Arts approval;

- Led team of consultants as the Prime Consultant through design, permitting, and construction reviews;

- Project Manager through Construction Observation.

GALLERY 64

GALLERY 64

A RECORDED HISTORY

The semi-public courtyard between the historic Randall School and the mid-rise apartments of Gallery 64 is allows for concerts hosted by the Rubell Museum which occupies the renovated school. There is a history of music on this site, known to some in the community as the junior high school that Marvin Gaye attended.

Recalling this history, the team wished to acknowledge his legacy symbolically within the design. We married the rectangular paneling of Gallery 64’s facade with the notes from Gaye’s sheet music of “What’s Going On”.v Both the treble and bass are abstracted onto the gates entering the courtyard.

Paths in the central courtyard slope down into the performance space , while planter walls rise along these paths until folding into an amphitheater. This inverse relationship of sinking paths and rising walls enable a

greater acoustic experience for the audience. In turn, the central courtyard is enveloped in a bosque of trees and understory plantings that separate the space from the museum and residences.

RESPONSIBILITIES

- Project Landscape Architect from Concept Design through Construction Documents;

- Presented concepts to developer and design team;

- Coordinated construction documents and bulletin sets with architecture team.

“What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye

BOW CREEK

VIRGINIA BEACH 2100

As the sea rises, waterways will connect in the lowlands of Virginia Beach. It is here that people will be able to travel through the city on water, either in small boats, canoes, kayaks, or paddle boards, while others enjoy walking or biking through the lush park system that runs along the banks of these sapphire trails.

Enthusiasts launch a kayak from the pocket beaches along the banks to journey upon the waters until they reach one of the many shopping destinations along this route. Later they dock the kayak and walk over to choose between grabbing a juicy burger, or sitting with a glass of wine at a local restaurant to watch the sunset.

Behind them, the kayak taps on the pilings, while the tides subside for the day.

The most vulnerable community in Virginia Beach resides along Bow Creek, shown above.

BOW CREEK 2015

PEMBROKE 2100

MOUNT TRASHMORE PARK 2050

MOUNT TRASHMORE PARK 2100

PEMBROKE 2050

2. VIRGINIA BEACH ESTIMATED RISE OF 1.5 FT IN 20-50 YEARS

1. NEW ORLEANS

3. MIAMI

U.S. CITIES MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO SEA LEVEL RISE

CURRENT 10 YEAR STORM

The most vulnerable community in Virginia Beach lives along Bow Creek, shown above.

CURRENT 20 YEAR STORM

Moderate storms today render roads impassable, damage property, and elevate insurance while locking citizens in place.

CURRENT 100 YEAR STORM

Such extensive flooding might be alleviated through careful incision in the land connecting Mount Trashmore’s canal to the London Bridge Creek Greenway.

Research from the Virginia Insitute of Marine Sciences shows that sedimentation processes of marshlands allow for soil to be collected through the vegetation of this ecosystem. After collected, the root structure provides a armature to protect against erosion. Therefore, today we may design and urban creek which will accommodate marshland plantings and retain floodwaters.

The below script allowed a finer delineation of drainage patterns withing this area with an overall 0.01percent decline between the Chesapeake and Back Bay. Underground piping fills during many high tides or moderate rain storms, leading to flooding. This analysis was compared with historical maps which revealed the location of a perennial stream and provided the path for the proposed urban creek bed.

CHERISH

Click Image for link to Excerpt from the book.

MCLEAN RESIDENCE

A STATEMENT GARDEN

This estate in McLean, Virginia draws influence from Italian and French gardens, which the lady of the house grew fond of on her travels. She wished to bring this home to her own garden and host a wedding for her daughter in the White Garden (shown above) as soon as it was safe for her family to travel again for the event. In this way, the clients decided to focus on their home garden and turn it into one of the landscapes they cherished most.

A MEMORY TO CHERISH

The Woodland Garden (above) carries through the perimeter of the property until leading to the White Garden (left). This showcase perennial garden was the feature backdrop of the family’s wedding ceremony in 2021. After the bride and groom said their vows, they journeyed to the White Garden’s antique Provincial fountain for photos with the wedding party.

This garden needed to reflect the elegance of the affair. It was achieved through numerous trials in first structuring the land, then fostering the garden plantings so each were dressed their best come the big day.

MCLEAN RESIDENCE

NORTH POINT

The client and architecture team for this residence were a recently married couple who wished to add a twist of their design style from their New York City offices and blend it with the beauty of Maryland’s eastern shore.

Sweeping drifts of meadow grass plantings on the perimeter of the property weave in and out to open up to the front and rear lawns while the perennial garden surrounding the house delineates the autocourt and interior lawn.

EXTENDED INTO THE LANDSCAPE

A line perpendicular to the views of the house lie down a path as if it carries directly through the house and into the landscape. This gesture cuts through a mount of plantings in the central ellipse of the autocourt.

Retaining the mound on either side of this path, corten steel panels continue the material language of the architecture into the landscape.

ARTICULATED ROOMS

While the mound of the ellipse is retained by corten panels, a garden room directly adjacent to the entrance of the house is articulated by these such panels floating in the perennial plantings bordering the architecture.