VERSA-LOK DOUBLES GRAND PRIZES IN 2006 LANDSCAPE DESIGN CONTEST

 

Receiving too many good entrants from which to choose a winner is a nice problem to have when you’re running a competition. But that’s what happened with VERSA-LOK’s 2006 Landscape Design Contest this year. As a result, two grand prizes were awarded.

 

The renovation of Ward Parkway Shopping Center in Kansas City, MO, won top honors for Chad M. Porter, design team leader with Shafer, Kline & Warren, Inc. of Overland Park, KS. Porter’s extensive use of VERSA-LOK Weathered Mosaic retaining walls in the landscaping created an inviting entranceway and perimeter walls for the mall that fit in beautifully with adjacent residential areas.

 

Garry Ferrell, landscape designer with Wilson Landscape Associates of Columbus, OH, took home a first-place award with an expansive residential project that incorporated everything from a curved staircase that sweeps into an 11-foot retaining wall to a freestanding outdoor gas fireplace—all built with VERSA-LOK Mosaic.

 

“The quality of the entrants this year was outstanding,” says VERSA-LOK President Todd Strand. “We simply couldn’t decide between the top two contestants, so we decided to double the prize money and award two first-place winners and two runner-ups. It really speaks to the caliber of landscape designers and contractors out there using VERSA-LOK.”

 

Each first-place winner received $5,000; runners-up won $500 each.

 

MALL’S RENOVATION CREATED RETAINING WALL OPPORTUNITIES

Kansas City’s Ward Parkway Shopping Center underwent a major reconstruction that included transforming the indoor mall into an open-entry mall where customers can park outside the shops they want to visit. That required considerable modifications to the malls’ exterior, parking areas and trafficways. A grade change from a 6 percent slope to a 3 percent slope on the east side of the shopping center called for retaining walls to compensate for the large drop-off at the edge of the property created by the flatter slope.

 

VERSA-LOK Weathered Mosaic met the city’s requirement that the walls match the existing limestone-covered walls on the site. A 970-foot retaining wall with two monument walls was built on the mall’s east side, along with smaller monument walls in the landscape beds on the west side.

 

VERSA-LOK Weathered Mosaic was supplied by Midwest Block & Brick in Midwest’s Bethany Ledge color; a total of 17,000 square feet was used in the project. The monument walls were built using two Mosaic walls laid back-to-back to achieve the random-pattern Weathered look on both sides. Engraved stone signage identifying “Ward Parkway Center” was inset into the face of the monument walls on either side of the entrance. Black iron fencing was installed between columns that extend above the top of the wall.

 

“The VERSA-LOK system proved advantageous for many reasons,” says Porter. “First, it kept the retaining-wall costs within the budget. Second, VERSA-LOK allowed curves in the wall—which were desired by the developer—to be affordable.”

 

In addition to its cost and design advantages, says Porter, the mall’s residential neighbors found the random-pattern Mosaic wall with its vintage Weathered texture to be more aesthetically pleasing than other alternatives.

 

“The VERSA-LOK system allowed us to bring the walls into the site as part of the landscaping,” Porter concluded.

 

VERSA-LOK PUTS RESIDENCE ON A PEDESTAL

Garry Ferrell’s clients built their grand residence at the top of hill, but his landscape design featuring VERSA-LOK Weathered Mosaic pushed it over the top. Situated in the rolling terrain of Ohio’s Olentangy River Valley, the mansion is virtually wrapped in VERSA-LOK tiered walls that rise to 11 feet in places and tie a multitude of  elements together in a stunning, cohesive design.

 

The house features a spacious circular front-entry paver courtyard defined by freestanding walls and columns. A stately set of stairs bisects tiered Mosaic walls and gardens punctuated with columns that sweep across the front of the house and provide a graceful transition from the doorstep to the street.

 

But it doesn’t stop there. The backyard is a veritable hardscape paradise. A cedar deck extends off the back of the house and connects to expansive paver patios on two levels. The upper patio steps down to a broad stairway that leads to the pool and spa below. VERSA-LOK walls flank the stairs on one side. On the other side, a seat wall curves around a planter and almost magically transforms into a curved, 11-foot Mosaic wall that retains the entire upper patio complex.

 

A large, custom-shaped pool is the centerpiece of the lower paver patio area, which also features a hot tub, an outdoor kitchen, numerous raised-bed planters and a unique freestanding gas fireplace—all fashioned from VERSA-LOK. The entire complex is ringed with freestanding VERSA-LOK walls, tastefully washed with downward accent lighting.

 

“The homeowner required an inviting and impressive landscaped space for living, recreational and entertaining purposes that would blend in with its surroundings,” says Ferrell. “The VERSA-LOK product was chosen because of its ability to fulfill the varied requirements of this project. Freestanding walls, screen walls, retaining walls, planters and Mosaic columns were easily integrated through the versatility and functionality of the VERSA-LOK system.

 

“The Mosaic wall system was able to complement both the house exterior and the natural wooded surroundings, successfully blending indoor and outdoor spaces,” Ferrell concludes.

 

This is Ferrell’s second first-place VERSA-LOK Landscape Design Contest award.

 

The VERSA-LOK product was supplied by Oberfield’s, Inc. in Delaware, OH, in a Chestnut Blend color.

 

CONTEST RUNNER-UPS

Runner-up winners in VERSA-LOK’s 2006 Landscape Design Contest were:

• Jason C. Wenzel, project manager/designer for WDM Architects in Wichita, KS. Wenzel used VERSA-LOK Weathered Mosaic to create a serpentine 7- to 8-foot tall wall 112 feet in length as part of the Cargill Learning Center in Wichita’s Sedgwick County Zoo. The wall was a perfect match for the existing Kansas limestone veneer on the building to which it’s attached and features a comfortable inset bench seat the entire length. VERSA-LOK product was supplied by Capitol Concrete Products, Topeka, KS.

 

• Matthew Blood, owner, Earthtones Landscape & Nursery, Marion, NY. Blood transformed a steep, overgrown lakeshore hillside with crumbling concrete stairs into an elaborate series of tiered gardens, walls and landings traversed by a meandering stairway. The walls were built with Weathered Mosaic, while the stairs were made with VERSA-LOK Accent to more closely match the height of the Mosaic panels. VERSA-LOK product was supplied by Comac Builders Supply, Rochester, NY.

 

Details on VERSA-LOK’s 2007 Landscape Design Contest soon will be announced. Visit www.versa-lok.com for further information.

 

                                                                        ###

 

EDITOR’S NOTE: High-resolution images of the winning projects are available upon request.