Beckwith Veterinary Hospital

ClientPrivate Client
LocationModesto, CA
DisciplinesLandscape Architecture
Date2012
AwardAmerican Institute of Architects Sierra Valley 2013 Design Excellence Award; American Society of Landscape Architects California Sierra Chapter 2016 Honor Award Institutional/Civic Category

This unconventional project is truly innovative and inspiring. The approximately 3.6 acre site is located in Stanislaus County just outside the City of Modesto. From the first project meeting, the client was dedicated to completing a project that was not only sensitive to the project site, but reflected his personal belief in environmental stewardship. One of the main project goals was to obtain LEED Gold certification.

This project was designed to reflect the strong agricultural history of the surrounding area. The architecture was designed to resemble an agricultural barn with an attached silo. The landscape was designed not only to accent and highlight the barn façade, but to also act as an educational garden for potential tours. This building was the first of its kind in a traditionally conservative area, and as such has great potential as an educational tool and showpiece to highlight methods of integrating green technology into projects in the local region. The landscape integrates low water use shrubs, sand beds, and river cobble commonly found in the region to create a landscape cohesive with the site’s innate characteristics. First and foremost however, the landscape concept revolved around stormwater quality and water conservation. New technologies were researched and designed in order to integrate stormwater features with landscape irrigation methods and planting soils.