LEARNING FROM FORT LEWIS

LEARNING FROM FORT LEWIS

By Jennifer Welputt
Osborn Pacific Group

What jumps to your mind when asked to picture a Pacific Northwest military landscape installation?

Some have images of grass surrounding a commemorative tank or aircraft on a concrete slab, others see mature trees surrounding old buildings, and others do not picture anything at all.

Is there landscaping on military bases? The answer is most definitely "YES!"

During the last decade, Pacific Northwest military bases have been improving their environments, by upgrading existing buildings or constructing new buildings -- but also by creating streetscapes, memorial installations, and outdoor recreation areas.

In each of these projects, landscape architecture and construction has played a major role. The use of landscape plantings, signage, specially designed paving patterns to articulate circulation, and pedestrian amenities has not only helped solve the (hard) functional objectives of the base, but has also added (soft) benefits such as creating cohesive live/work communities, providing year-round interest, and improving the quality of life for the troops.

The new North Fort Lewis Campus is a prime example of integrating landscape design and creating a fresh awareness of how site development can influence morale and create a
Company operations and supply guidons.
soldier-friendly environment. As part of the design team, Osborn Pacific Group Inc. completed site planning, landscape and irrigation construction documents, site furnishings, and ornamental paving design for the new complex of 24 company buildings, 4 battalion headquarters, 2 brigade headquarters, two 300-person barracks, and four 200-person barracks with associated parking, training, recreation, and dining facilities.

Maintenance issues: They can be overwhelming

The Department of the Army is not shy about what it wants: low-maintenance, low-growing, pest-free, disease-resistant, pollution-resistant, drought tolerant, native plants with a Pacific Northwest look. All plant material must be used efficiently. Required landscape set-backs for utility lines, building foundations, parking areas and walkways must also be observed.

For designers, these stipulations seem to be a bit overwhelming but, at Fort Lewis, the rules were made for a reason. Fort Lewis has a full-time grounds maintenance staff of about 10 people who are responsible for approximately 87,000 acres of land. This equates to approximately 8,700 acres per person.

It is essential that the landscape architect prepare a site plan and planting scheme that can be installed and left to mature into an appealing landscape with absolute minimum care. The prerequisites for the landscape architect is a solid knowledge of the project area and its site conditions, extensive research into the potential maintenance risks of plant materials, and long-term visualization of the landscape master plan.

Although the rules do seem overwhelming, they provide an advantageous tool to both the designer and to the grounds maintenance staff. The rules challenge the designer to create an attractive landscape which conforms to the Army's maintenance requirements. In turn, the grounds maintenance staff can efficiently maintain site features and preserve the integrity of the design.

Hierarchy: A Definition of Space & Use

Just as there is a ranking system for soldiers, there is also a ranking system for spatial uses in landscape design for military installations. As the importance of the building use increases, the visual aesthetics and value of the landscape also grows. A landscaping plan can be tailored to emphasize hierarchy in building uses and to visually define outdoor spaces. For example, a company operations and supply building may be landscaped with a simple linear hedgerow of evergreen shrubs along the building's foundation; while a battalion landscape may consist of seasonal accent trees, shrubs, and ground cover at building's foundation and walkways. A brigade, however, may be landscaped with an ornamental planting scheme that would include accent trees, flowering shrubs, and evergreen ground covers, emphasizing the building grounds and connecting walkways.

In addition to the plant palette, pedestrian amenities such as benches, bike racks, and signage as well as paving schemes for walkways, building entries, and parking areas are also utilized to reinforce each building's hierarchy. The overall landscape design is visually effective to define spaces and uses and to communicate the Army's hierarchical arrangement.

Jennifer Welputt is landscape designer with Osborn Pacfic Group.

Return to Landscape Architecture & Construction top page