Exterior Worlds
Landscape Architectural Services
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Landscape Architectural Services

The heart and soul of landscape architectural services is schematic design of the general landscaping plan. We develop this plan through a series of consultations with the client. During these meetings, we discuss the intentions that the client has in mind for the project. Over the years we have discovered that most people have a definite sense of what they want, but they have little ability to articulate the specifics of their desires in terms of design, form, and structure. It is our professional obligation to help clarify these specifics by asking the right questions, then using the answers we glean through the consultation process to develop a graphical frame of reference for the entire plan of action.

The second phase of landscape architectural services involves the drafting and publication of construction documents. Many aspects of both commercial and residential landscaping require the building of different types of structures on the property. To ensure excellence, we locate and subcontract the finest professionals in specific disciplines. To bring all parties to the table, and to keep everyone on the same page, to have all contracts and insurance forms completely filled out and itemized in the form of checklists prior to the initiation of any actual labor. This saves time and money on material costs and labor, prevents confusion, and manages the entire process as one consistent current of teams working together as teams.

Landscape architectural services are predicated on detailed layout plans prior to the inception of actual building. This helps each subcontractor entity remain fully aware of what we ultimately intend to do on the property from an aesthetic perspective. This awareness allows them to better concentrate their energies when they see how their specific expertise fits into the big picture. This is particularly true when it comes to special measures such as tree preservation that must sometimes be taken into account when building around wooded areas or trees with extensive root systems. It is also particularly necessary for custom pool design. When pool contractors are made conscious of the many elements we ultimately intend to add to the landscape, they will be better able to build the pool proportionally in respect to home architecture, custom gardens, courtyard design, and general back yard landscaping.

Hardscape plans help both our team and the teams we bring in to separate the inorganic elements of landscape architectural services from the organic aspects of design. Plans for structures such as paved driveways, brick walkways, custom fountains, patios, seating areas, fences, and walls have to be carefully drafted to avoid exceeding aesthetically balanced dimensions, and to ensure as well that they respect the living greenery of the property and support the architectural themes of the house.

Elevation drawings come next. While it is true that Houston is built in one of the flattest regions of the nation, there are still significant variations in elevation throughout the many different parts of our city. Many neighborhoods lie near floodplains that were once part of the massive bayou system prior to the construction of our storm sewers. Even though these storm drains work very well to siphon off water once the rain stops falling, during heavy, prolonged rains water will rise very quickly in streets and driveway areas. When this occurs within a yard, it puts vegetation and structures at risk of water damage if too much rainwater collects on the property. Knowing where the high ground and low ground is, so to speak, helps us then develop strategies for the mechanical aspects of landscape architectural services: grading plans and irrigation plans

Grading is the science of altering land elevation for the purposes of improved water runoff. Its goal is to conceal drain systems as much as possible so they do not diminish the aesthetics of the landscape. Building custom and concealed drains is a relatively simple matter for our team of experts. However, when it comes to getting the water to these drains, it may require some subtle, albeit highly significant alterations, of the slope of the soil and the hardscape forms. We might have to add fill dirt to the yard in order to get the water to flow more quickly toward a storm sewer or nearby bayou. Or, we may need to build a small stream that will add both a decorative element to the yard and an emergency drainage channel. For paved areas and custom patios, we will have to slope the concrete or stone very precisely so that it will effectively drain water at a rapid, even rate, yet remain unnoticed by people walking over the pavement during dry, sunny days.

The final step in planning landscape architectural services is the planning of irrigation networks for water gardens, trees, hedgerows, and flower beds during the summer and early fall months. Irrigation systems are required for many of the species we plant that are not indigenous to our area and that cannot survive in an area like ours where rains are more seasonal than they are consistent. Again, the art of concealment is the key to preserving the greenery. Our irrigation systems are generally hidden beneath plants so that water is delivered to the roots beneath the leaves. This makes for a better visual presentation, and it is more beneficial to plants than hoses and sprinklers because it prevents fungus from growing on the leaves.

In conclusion, we can say that the key operative term in landscape architectural services is architecture. In much the same manner than an architect develops the schematics of a building project step by step, so our team develops each phase of professional landscape design as a series of documents and drawings that maintain the focus of the project from start to finish so that all elements of the landscape blend together at the end of the day to create an experience that is truly unique and personal to the sensibilities and intentions of the individual client

Land Artist

A land artist is an individual who believes that the earth itself should guide landscaping design. The earth artist reshapes the landscape into works of art that express the personal viewpoints of the homeowner. Integrating works of natural earth art into a landscaping plan results in a greater sense of connection between different zones of interest. The eye moves from one work of art to the next, prompting visitors to
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Land Art Artist

When we talk about land art artists in residential landscaping, we are talking about professionals who sculpt the land itself into art forms. In some respects, certain forms of landscape architecture could be described as land art. Zones of interest are developed along the lines of recognizable motifs. These areas of interest are then interconnected with various forms of earthworks that mirror those motifs. This linkage creates additional interest by
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Landart

Landart is the sculpting of the landscape into art. This art can be concrete or abstract in nature. Concrete forms can resemble human faces, animal life, or manmade structures. Abstract forms use geometry to generate interest, emotion, sentiment, and dramatic effect. The integration of land/earth art will significantly enhance the curb appeal of any property with images that capture the imagination, and that move the eye from one point
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Land and Earth Artist

The forms that a land and earth artist creates in a yard are inspired by the landscape design itself. This is why we recommend that Houston homeowners who are interested in this very unique, warm, and highly expressive form of outdoor art invest in the services of Exterior Worlds By developing artwork within the framework of a Houston landscaping plan, a superior unity will emerge between the home, the surrounding
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How Land Artists Enhance Contemporary and Modern Landscaping

Exterior Worlds land artists create some of the most unique modern and contemporary landscaping designs in the city. They feature a variety of accent that goes beyond the typical minimalist garden, custom hardscape, and abstract sculpture display. Our themes are developed around the architecture of the home using earthworks to link its motifs to surrounding zones of interest. While this works with all styles of Houston landscaping design, it works
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Landscape Consultants

Landscape consultants design and oversee the construction of every element of outdoor living. This includes hardscape design, outdoor architecture, garden design, and a host of other botanical and architectural services that create an exterior world comparable to that of an indoor custom home. Due to the fact that often diverse and very complex elements must harmoniously work together to create a unified outdoor design, landscaping professionals work from a carefully
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Landscape Design Plans

Landscape Design Plans by Exterior Worlds Tie Multiple Layers of Hardscape, Softscape and Outdoor Architecture into the Aesthetic of Your Home. Landscape design plans are developed to compliment the architecture of your home. It is as if the innate aesthetic of your house is captured in theme, then extended into the outdoor space of your yard. Styles that are common throughout the Houston landscape are French, Colonial America, English, Italian,
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Architectural Landscape Design

Technically, the term architectural landscape design refers to any hardscape in your yard. However, we prefer to differentiate between structures that add true vertical impact to your property, and structures such as patios and driveways that function as aesthetic and functional surfaces. Architectural landscape design is essential to the curb appeal of your home and the quality of your outdoor life. In order to make an outdoor environment appear truly
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Residential Architecture

French Homes French residential architecture is best supported by an ordered arrangement of shrubs and bushes that convey order and symmetry. The most famous French landscaping design is the parterre garden. Its four-directional cross shape creates pathways of gravel through standing walls of green. From the pedestrian point of view it surrounds the individual with the grounded essence of life. From an elevated vantage point of a balcony or second
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Landscape Master Plan

A landscape master plan is a drawing that specifies all hardscape and softscape elements that are to be installed on the property. It is used to designate the location of each individual element, and it is drawn to scale to ensure proportionality between elements. Extreme care is taken in drawing each element to scale in order to give clients an accurate, visual frame of reference on which to base their
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