SERVICES
Our services run from large-scale site planning and design to detailed construction documents. We work with all kinds of clients, from homeowners and developers, to large institutions and public entities. Our design and consultation services include:
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Innovative Stormwater Design
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Ecological Design
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Site Design
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Planting Design
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Master Planning
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Education
We have extensive experience with all phases of projects, from assessing site features to implementing designs through construction. We are ready to help with as much or as little as the client requires.
STORMWATER DESIGN
InSite Design Studio has extensive experience in green infrastructure and has a full portfolio of working green infrastructure projects throughout Southeast Michigan. We are able to blend the aesthetic and functional needs of the client, desires of the community, and constraints of the site into successful green infrastructure systems. Our expertise in native plants and ecological systems sets us apart from other firms in the industry. With over twenty years of experience in green infrastructure, InSite is a leader in stormwater design and we continue to innovate and improve our approach to green infrastructure design with each project.
Ecological DESIGN
We have been doing 'green design' since before it had a name, and environmental sensitivity and planning is at the core of design process - even in highly urbanized settings.
Because of our long-term experience with ecological systems and processes, we have been able to bridge the worlds of ecological design and what we call "design with a capital D" - gorgeous form, texture, line, color. When these worlds come together, the result is beautiful and ecologically sensitive design.
SITE DESIGN
We love landscape architecture because our job is always changing. No two sites are ever the same. They each come with a complex set of conditions that we get to incorporate with the needs of the client. Site design isn't always creative - it's more like a challenging puzzle dictated by numerous factors: past uses of the site, hydrology, vegetation, soils, climate, circulation, budget, safety, accessibility, etc. You may not ever notice half of what we thought about when putting together your design, but you'll appreciate that it works and looks beautiful everyday.
PLANTING DESIGN
Did you ever notice that leaves come in different shades of green? Have you ever seen two plants in a garden that seemed to clash with one another?
We think about this sort of thing when designing landscapes. Great planting design has a lot to do with the details - and a truly successful design takes many different aesthetic and growing condition details into account. The undertones of plant foliage, their distinctive textures, how colors throughout seasons interact with colors of structures and other elements on site - we have a deep appreciation for this kind of aesthetic subtlety.
MASTER PLANNING
Too often, we see sites that have been implemented in phases without the big picture in mind, which limits opportunities for future development. As landscape architects, we study the potential of all of our sites and encourage our clients to think deeply about future use. We design master plans for large 400-acre recreation sites to small urban residential sites that are to be developed in stages as budget becomes available.
EDUCATION
At InSite Design, we share our passion for ecological design through lectures, classes, and pro-bono work. Shannan speaks widely throughout the state on stormwater management and rain garden design, and co-teaches the annual Washtenaw County Master Rain Gardener course.
Lindsay is actively involved with the Michigan Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and focuses on public awareness priorities to educate everyone about the important work of landscape architects, which is often misunderstood!