Canter Group Planning & Design Blog

  This local landscape strip in the parking area exhibits several flaws.  The area is too narrow for the selected tree species (Live Oak) The topsoil within the planting area has been eroded away either by foot traffic or rainfall, or both There is no mulch around the tree to aid in moisture retention. It is possible that the soil is so compacted that the roots must surface to get the oxygen needed to survive. A path is not provided between areas separated by the landscape strip, making traversing an area like this, with exposed roots, hazardous to pedestrians.  A mitigating feature is that the planting strip is, placed at a 90 degree agnle with reference to the store entry so that pedestrians are not forced to cross the strip in order to reach the front entry. Some Suggested Design Considerations Ensure the species of tree is well suited at maturity for the space provided.  Know the characteristics of the development of the root system. At ...

Don't forget that once a passenger leaves a vehicle, the passenger has become a pedestrian.  This photograph is of a parking lot at a local restaurant.  The gutter of this style inlet is heavily sloped, and it's location can lead to serious injury to a pedestrian leaving a vehicle.

Utility Screen after about 1.5 years

While finishing a recent project, we received a request from Tallahassee Growth Management to consider screening the required fire apparatus and backflow preventers from drivers on the adjacent roadway.  The challenge was to find a way to make these less noticeable and still maintain the required 7-foot clearance around the equipment. BEFORE   We decided to camouflage the backflow preventer by approximating the background color of the landscaping behind the units, and block the view to traffic with landscaping.       We photographed the surrounding installed landscaping, then use Adobe Illustrator to match the average color with Pantone color chips.  The result was presented to the Owner for approval.      Covers for the irrigation and potable water backflow preventers were added.  As in many construction projects, the instructions were "creatively" interpreted by the ones doing the ...

 This famous Bread Company is located on a major roadway in St. Petersburg, Florida.  It’s close to mid-day.  Can you tell if it’s open for business? This structure meets most of the parameters for situation according to Form Based Codes:  It addresses the street with the front of the building pushed as close as possible to roadway, still allowing for a sidewalk in front; Parking is located at the rear and is accessed by an alley on the corner and by a small drive/roadway along the rear.  The building façade includes windows along the front, so there is no bare wall. But it looks lifeless.   At the driveway / alley looking across the front. At the driveway /alley, looking the other way. It looks forced and pretentious. Notice the backflow preventers out front. At the front… At the front…apparently no signs allowed. Not even way-finding.  Below is a view across the street, with more of the same...  Sunken Gardens...

In Response to City Shaped Design , which offers furniture in the shape of urban scenes, I offer a building in the shape of furniture….

Noticed this post-construction addition at a newly-constructed shopping center.  The new wood fence blocks the view of oncoming traffic by persons in the cross-walk and provides an excellent ambush point.  A 3-foot to 4-foot high fence would have been sufficient, and still provided visibility.

First 3 Photos : These formless and sometimes blighted sites, located on North Monroe Street, not far from the Capitol Complex, have remained unchanged for several decades.     Photo 4: It’s unclear whether or not this unkempt post and chain barricade (foreground) located at the front of the State Capitol serves any purpose. The public sidewalks lie on the other side of the barricades (mid-ground in photo).

Seen some great ideas? Contact us. If we agree, we'll post them here and credit you with the find! It's always good to have a rainbow at the entrance to the City. Lakeside Bat "roost" for mosquito control Water feature installed in landscape area at drive- thru restaurant A deck constructed around this office building side door stoop converts wasted area into a sunny break area. Gazebo style covered bus stop at apartment entrance Stormwater facility wall constructed of stone instead of concrete or concrete block Restaurant patio overlooks landscaped stormwater facility. Floodplain volume accounted for beneath the building. Note columns softened by climbing vines.

(Click on photos to enlarge) Sadly, this cross walk apparently met local codes for providing pedestrian access from the frontage. Directional arrows point both ways: White to the left; yellow to the right, around to the drive-through window and by-pass aisle. Landscaping boulder installed near H/C curb cut ramp Bicycle chained to H/C sign (no bike parking available) Note the raised concrete behind the H/C aisle on the left. Live Oaks planted in small planters in this shopping center parking lot This Live Oak planted about 10 feet from a building edge. This newly constructed shopping center parking lot has planter sized islands in the center of the asphalt parking bays. Why plant this? Sidewalk interruptus