Site Resources Inc Visit

 Company Logo (source)

Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to have an informal interview with Site Resources Inc. located in Phoenix  Maryland. Site resources is a multi-discipline practice of landscape architects and civil engineers working in collaboration. The firm prides itself in its interdisciplinary approach to land development which ensures responsibly engineered solutions, sensitive to the design objectives identified and established during a project's planning stage. I was greeted by senior associate Fritz Behlen who had arranged to show me around for the afternoon.

After I arrived Fritz showed me examples of Site Resources past work, Fritz and I took a short visit to Manor View Farm. Located in Monkton, Maryland the farm is one of the premier nurseries in the mid-atlantic. I had been to Manor View before during my Ruppert Landscape internship to exchange some plant material, but had not had a chance to explore the nursery until yesterday. Fritz had a lot of great insights on plant selection and planting design considerations.

Manor View Farm (source)

When we got back to the office I had a chance to review my portfolio with Fritz. It was my first experience reviewing my portfolio with professional landscape architect and I felt it went well. My project [re]fueling erie boulevard got my review moving. Fritz was interested in my research on gas station product lines and how I was making a powerful argument with my design. 

© Zach Barker 2011

Before we could finish my review a colleague of Fritz came with a design problem that needed review. The site was Stoneleigh Elementary School in Towson, Maryland. The school is currently planning a new expansion on the oldest public school building in Baltimore County. I was fascinated to see how Fritz and his partner approached stormwater management regulations. Maryland has recently updated the requirements for stormwater management practices and the Stoneleigh site was a great example of how they affect landscape architects. We spent hours sketching out different ways to approach stormwater for the site. What was interesting to me was that sustainable practices such as permeable cement, rain gardens, and bio-swales were no longer considered innovative but requirements by the state. Watching them weigh the pros and cons of each management scenario was a really great learning experience. I have heard in the past that stormwater management is essential skill for me to learn, but I didn't realize how connected it is to the design of a site until I saw them working. 

Stoneleigh Elementary School (source) 

After coming up with a solid stormwater management approach, Fritz gave me a tour of the office. The office works on projects in teams and currently has three teams making up the core of the company. Each team occupied a different area of the office but it was interesting to see how they purposely tried to remove physical barriers between the groups. It made me think about my studio space at school and how it cold be improved. 

I want to thank Mr. Fritz Behlen and the Site Resources Inc. team for taking time out of their busy days to allow me to see their operation and learn about the company. I met a lot of great people today and hope to stay in touch with such a great firm.