Beckley Club Estates
“We turn on our street and see this tree canopy and the creek to one side. Even though we’re in an urban setting, it just feels like we’re in this secluded natural environment. I work mostly in the residential realm of architecture. I find that people are happier when they can have this connection to nature. They may not realize it; it may be something very subtle, but if you can provide a view, provide some type of little covered area for people to walk out and actually be in and experience nature — it just makes the ‘being’ much more satisfying.”

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Alicia Quintans, Robyn Menter Design Associates
Residential, restaurants, interior design

Portion of Coombs Creek
that looks toward Downtown
“My wife walks the dogs in the afternoons, and she commented one day about how cool it was to walk down our new Coombs Creek Trail and look at the reflection of the sunset on the buildings Downtown. When the sun is setting those oranges and golds and purples and all those colors that are in the west sky reflect off of the buildings — if you get it right at dusk and you see the lights start coming on in the buildings Downtown, it’s a very cool sight. You don’t think of buildings necessarily as being a natural element — they’re man-made; they’re built. But when they start reflecting what’s going on in the sky and the clouds, it just gives it another dimension. It transforms buildings from just bricks and glass and mortar and steel into something ­— I’m not really sure how to explain that. The juxtaposition of the built and the natural is pretty cool.”

Rick Lawson, HKS vice-president
Hospitality design

Rose Garden
at Lake Cliff Park
“What I really like about it is, the garden is symmetrical, but the two pavilions on either side are asymmetrical. It’s a wonderful place to be. What was originally called Cliff Towers, now referred to as Lake Cliff Tower, is certainly a Beaux Arts, Neo-Classical, high-rise pastiche of formal Italian villa architecture. So I find the formal, classical Beaux Arts entry into the park through that garden as a nice complement to the Lake Cliff Tower.”

Richard Davis, Richard Drummond Davis Architect owner
Single-family residential

House on Cedar Hill
in East Kessler >>
“I think it is sitting in the perfect setting for the neighborhood. It has a lot of hills, and it’s nestled into the site. To me it’s reminiscent of Fallingwater — the way it’s positioned on the site. It’s primarily studio-type design. It was built in the late ’50s by David Braden who was a partner with George Dahl. It was Braden’s residence.”

Joseph Wilkins, Design Alchemy LLC principal
Commercial architecture