Photo courtesy of Murase Associates A water feature at Swedish Cancer Institute designed by Murase Associates.

Murase Associates continues to be optimistic in the present economy, remembering that it was during the recession in the 1980s that we opened our Seattle office — an office that continues to thrive and grow,” said administrative assistant Lisa Hoashi. “We will continue to explore the boundaries between landscape architecture and public art, particularly site-specific and environmental artworks.”

The Seattle office of the Portland-based firm holds steady at eight staff members.

While the firm is known for water and stone features, Murase will become more involved with engineers in developing sustainable technology and design, she said. Typical projects include public open spaces, healing and contemplative gardens, healthcare facilities, school and university facilities, and transit projects, such as light rail and park-and-ride stations.

Projects:

• EPIC Systems Corp. in Madison, Wis., is a healthcare software campus located in rolling farmlands. The plan features a series of landscaped terraces as well as grassland gardens and an intricate water feature.

• Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines, Iowa, is a 200-acre upscale shopping and entertainment venue for General Growth Properties. Murase Associates designed a water feature for the 900-seat food court, a lakeside promenade, shorelines along the 3.5-acre lake, as well as the town center’s parking areas and vehicular entries.

• Amgen Corporate Campus is a four-year development project encompassing more than 1.3 million square feet of high-tech laboratories and office facilities for up to 2,500 employees.

• Beacon Hill Station is a public space for Sound Transit light rail and commuter rail.

• Swedish Cancer Institute includes outdoor landscapes on three levels of the building.

• PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in Springfield, Ore., includes pedestrian and vehicular circulation as well as entry courtyards and roof terraces that will serve as healing gardens, with views to the McKenzie River.

• South Terminal expansion project at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which includes enormous, tilted slabs of stone as well as water features and plants — part of the Percent for Arts program.