1 of 9
2 of 9
3 of 9
4 of 9
P5180214.JPG
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
5 of 9
6 of 9
7 of 9
8 of 9
9 of 9
by Chrysa Smith
Carter van Dyke Associates (CVDA) Landscape Architects/ Planners with offices in Doylestown and Naples, New York find creative ways to beautify the environment and enhance the quality of life of communities they serve. Their projects range from hanging flower baskets in Doylestown to rooftop gardens in Philadelphia to a Veterans Cemetery and planned communities.
Founder Carter van Dyke and President Peter Fernandez are more than business partners. They are kindred spirits who’ve been brought together for a common goal, and that is to take each project, small or large, and bring a sustainable plan for everything from “the threshold out” as van Dyke says.
Together Carter, Peter and their team might be known as a great architectural landscape company, but that, quite frankly, would leave out a great deal. Because as Carter says, both he and Peter have learned to speak the different languages of those with whom they partner, whether engineers, city planners or soil specialists. Or perhaps those who know things about rainwater runoff, when the planters in Doylestown will be hung, what will work best for an 1100 acre development with 250 housing units in Northern Mississippi and how many plots will be needed at the National Cemetery in Long Island.
Carter van Dyke Associates began on Valentine’s Day 1984. Having left a position with the Bucks County Planning Commission, Carter van Dyke was interested in public spaces. Following in the school of Ian McHarg, a renowned Landscape Architect who advocates natural design, Carter, with a degree from the School of Fine Arts at the University of Pennsylvania and multiple designations as a Registered Landscape Architect in several states, took his love of natural design to work in the public sector. “I didn’t have a vision in the private sector,” he says. At least until he partnered with Peter Fernandez.
Also holding a degree from the same prestigious university, Peter Fernandez came to landscape architecture from a slightly different angle. He had extensive experience related to horticulture, maintenance management, residential and subdivision design and worked with cemeteries, highways, railroads and bikeway and landscape restoration. As an ecological planner, Peter says he has been dedicated to the restoration and rehabilitation of native landscapes in cost-effective designs. He also has over 40 years of experience in site engineering, inspection and horticulture.
Take for example the Bucks Beautiful Project. Originally started by the Robert & Joyce Byers, local philanthropists and creators of the Byers’ Choice famous caroler figures. Delighted with their trips abroad, the Byers noticed a multitude of meandering gardens and pathways. Bringing that back home to Bucks County was a goal and Carter van Dyke played an instrumental role, writing the original by-laws and programs needed as well as sitting on the Board of Directors. Peter was a past president, when they planted over 1.3 million flowering bulbs throughout the county. The duo created the vision for Doylestown Bike and Hike: 28 miles of bike trails that wind through the Doylestown region, including through the campus of Doylestown Hospital. As Chair of the Kitchen and Garden Tour, the firm will also have a home on the tour, scheduled for June 14th.
Before leaving the Bucks County Planning Commission, Carter developed the first joint municipal zoning ordinance in PA, that was comprised of Newtown Borough and Township, Wrightstown Township and Upper Makefield Township. Lots of open space planning, including the first planned design at the Lantern Hill Community in Doylestown, in close proximity to shopping and dining.
“Up until 2010, most of our work came from personal referrals. Then our reputation spread and before long, we were receiving calls for projects that range from modest to grand in scale,” Carter says. One large project was a healing garden for St. Mary’s Hospital in Langhorne. For this project, Carter says it’s all about the feel. There’s a restful vibe, with a variety of textural plants, color and looped paths, providing something beautiful to look at in an otherwise clinical environment. He explains, “Research shows that if patients and staff see a green space, hospital stays are reduced, medication is reduced, stress levels are reduced and staff retention goes up.” In fact, when the firm redesigned the hospital entrance, it was done around the silhouette of a garden. And what could be better for health than being so close to nature?
“It’s all about healthy environments,” Carter says, “The whole goal is to improve people’s lives.” That they surely do. In Glenside the firm worked to redesign the downtown area near the classic Keswick Theater. Once a forgotten area with little traffic and residents moving out, the company was brought in to help. A new traffic pattern was created, with the addition of a roundabout. It was beautified with landscaping and now it’s a thriving area where people return and property values rise.
Since 2006 Carter van Dyke Associates has redone walls, buildings and landscapes at the Bryn Athyn College, adding rain gardens, fountains, furniture, signage, making it more beautiful and sustainable.
Sustainability presents itself in landscape architecture, according to Carter, on several levels. Ecologically, it is low maintenance, with no chemical treatment. Plantings may be deer resistant to reduce maintenance and replacement costs. No-mow grass seed reduces the carbon footprint, by not needing to mow as often, which in turn, is beneficial to the birds and bees. “It’s a holistic approach that achieves multiple goals,” Carter says.
Sustainability also operates on an economic level. The hanging plant baskets project in Doylestown’s downtown helped to anchor the town center as a foundation, which also helps development. In cluster housing projects, attention is given to road length and placement of green spaces, which can have an effect upon resident taxes. In Live, Work and Play communities, proximity to transit is also a consideration.
Consumption is a concern. Carter van Dyke Associates uses closely sourced materials that are recyclable, organic and non-toxic—kind to both people and their pets. At Bryn Mawr College, for example, chemicals that treated lawns used by the students were eliminated, using an organic approach. Likewise at the Long Island National Cemetery, groundwater was being polluted by the chemical used to treat the lawns. So Peter Fernandez spearheaded the ‘Green Gorilla’ program to clean it up.
Of a team of seven employees, two currently teach landscape architecture at Temple University, where some of the finest in the business have studied. And they all love returning to gardens that transformed lives. For Peter, seeing the completion of the Long Island national Cemetery has been very fulfilling—giving back to family and veterans in an environment that is calming and comforting. Then there’s project Sandbox, a school greening project. They’ve introduced nature into an area for kids who wouldn’t necessarily be exposed to it. Carter says, “There is a problem called nature deprivation disorder. There is a link between nature and mental health. Regreening schools helps with depression and mental health.”
Peter says, “We’re like the conductor of an orchestra—putting together professionals that help solve problems.” After about 36 years, the orchestra is still playing, as Carter van Dyke Associates anticipates more projects over the next 36 years and beyond.
For more information about Carter van Dyke Associates, their residential and commercial project scope and history, visit cvda.com. Carter van Dyke Associates, 40 Garden Alley, Doylestown, PA; 215-345-5053.
Chrysa Smith is a garden lover and contributor to Bucks County Magazine.