Mature trees are among a project's most valuable assets, bringing a feeling of established life to a new development. Protecting trees from drought, though, can often be overlooked and the Summer of 2009 has been a scorcher in Central Texas. With 68 days of temperatures over 100 degrees, Austin endured its hottest summer on record. Fall blew in this week with rain but Central Texas lake levels are still well below normal and the drought appears to be settling in. With water regulations growing stricter, RVi Principal and ISA-Certified Arborist Mark Smith shares how you can better protect your project's trees against drought. Read more
Longhorn Village, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) located in Austin's Steiner Ranch has opened this month with the installation of a thousand graphics and signs designed by RVi. A complex system of exterior and interior wayfinding signs guides staff, residents and visitors to managed healthcare facilities, outlying villas and lifestyle amenities areas. The hierarchy and application of materials, finishes, and colors were coordinated to the interior design by Studio Six5. Restaurants, club rooms and spa facilities incorporated identity graphics of metals, polished woods, and embedded laminates to enhance the rich warm textures of the interior palette.
This month, Landscape Architect and Project Manager Chris Lalich headed back to the classroom for his third year as Adjunct Landscape Architecture Professor at the University of Texas Austin. Chris' class concentrates on the art of grading design and is a staple in UT's Landscape Architecture students' study diet. "Teaching has been great for both me and my students. After three years, not only can I grade my way out of the Grand Canyon; but, as I get more confident, so does my teaching, and students learn that much easier."
