Suzanne Arca, ASLA, CLCA, APLD, of Suzanne Arca Design, (www.suzannearcadesign.com), an Albany, Calif. based landscape design/build company, has been named International Landscape Designer of the Year by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD). The esteemed panel of judges called Arca’s Lafayette, Calif. residential meadow garden entry “a stunning masterpiece with strong curves winding through areas of masterful planting design.”
With just under one acre, Arca and her team were challenged with designing a child-friendly space with adventure areas, boulders to climb and open spaces for ball games. She also wanted to give the young parents “grown-up” outdoor rooms for eating, entertaining and a casual aesthetic that wed the natural Lafayette backdrop of oak woodland and scrub with sustainable plantings that require low water use and maintenance. The transformation included removing a sea of asphalt in the front of the property and many small lawns and hedges. These were replaced with Mariposa slate, golden gravel, natives and other Mediterranean climate compatible plants.
“Receiving the International Designer of the Year Award for 2011 from the APLD is truly an honor. To win for a project I enjoyed so much and that I continue to be involved with makes it even sweeter. Creating spaces of beauty is its own reward; this award is a great compliment, and an added inspiration to keep doing what I love to do,” said Arca, who first began in the landscape design/build business over 30 years ago. Arca will receive her award at the 2011 APLD International Design Conference in Cleveland on June 16.
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“APLD congratulates Suzanne Arca on her winning entry. The entire design, construction, and maintenance team at Suzanne Arca Design have indeed shown a superb example of what they call ‘transformational design’,” said William Healy, APLD, chairman of the APLD Awards Committee. “This year’s panel of judges all agreed that the project deftly transformed a typical suburban yard into a sophisticated and sustainable design.”
The award was bestowed by APLD, the leading trade group for landscape design professionals worldwide. The judging panel was comprised of well-known experts in the field, and the award is one of the group’s highest honors. “It is a wonderful feeling to know that members of my profession have judged my work as worthy of such acclaim.” said Arca.
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About Suzanne Arca Design
Suzanne Arca Design, Inc. is a full service landscape design/build company with over thirty years of experience designing, building and maintaining world-class gardens. Arca is a certified member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and a California licensed landscape contractor. She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley in Landscape Architecture and a certified horticulturalist. Gardens created by Suzanne Arca Design are designed to be usable living spaces which fit the lifestyle and needs of the user. To learn more, please visit www.suzannearcadessign.com.
About The Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD)
The Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) is an international organization representing over 1,300 members. APLD was founded in 1989. For more information about APLD visit www.apld.org.