Context and Connection in the Landscape
LeBlanc Jones is a Boston based Landscape Architecture firm. We find the connections to the site that hold meaning for our clients and express them through design:
For a river front Hudson Valley estate, we revitalized the 290-acre site embracing the property’s 19th-century history while injecting contemporary uses and ecological principles.
At a former Sears building in the heart of Boston’s Fenway neighborhood, we created a dynamic multi-seasonal park replacing a former parking lot with a landscape that reconnects to Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace.
On 100-acres of abandoned fields in Upstate New York, we created a multi-generational retreat incorporating organic gardens and orchards emphasizing the qualities of the regional agricultural landscape.
In Boston’s Back Bay, we created a multi-level park and built opportunities for the public that spans over the Massachusetts Turnpike, providing the opportunity to connect with nature where none previously existed.
For the public spaces of a new waterfront community in Florida, we established a unique identity through the bold use of native plants, which also reconnect the site with its regional landscape.
Project Experience
The firm’s project experience includes the design of residential landscapes at all scales. This spans from small urban gardens to mixed-use developments to new urban communities. We have had the luxury of working on multiple significant and historic estates where we created designs that respect the history and ecology of a site while injecting contemporary uses and ecological practices.
In addition to our residential work, we often work within historic urban settings on mixed-use developments. Frequently within these settings, we have the opportunity to create and expand green space to add new programs and amenities. These designs require both preservation and invention to provide connections to their historical context.
Sustainable Design Practices
The landscapes designed by LeBlanc Jones are rooted in sustainable design practices. We put great emphasis on respecting the sites that we work on, and one way that this is articulated is through protecting existing resources to the maximum extent feasible. Our design process begins with a thorough analysis of site conditions and studies to optimize levels of site disturbance and preservation of existing vegetation. It is expressed in the use of native plant materials and sensitivity to topography, hydrology, and stormwater management.
Our firm has extensive experience on LEED projects, including multiple mixed-use developments that have received LEED Gold and Silver certifications. Specific LEED practices we utilize are choosing appropriate types and extents of hardscape materials, using native or adaptive plant species, effectively minimizing the amount of irrigation required, and including strategies for stormwater harvesting, and groundwater recharge systems.
Collaboration Within The Studio
LJLA has created an office environment that thrives on collaboration to strengthen our unified principles. The relationships and experiences we foster, both in and out of the office, are central to influencing the high-quality work that LJLA produces. Our collaborative studio culture naturally extends to our clients and colleagues. From the first site visit to the final phase of construction, we maintain an inclusive dialogue with clients, architects, engineers, and contractors. These relationships have fueled our steady growth and continue to inspire us as we look to the future.
Collaboration Beyond the Studio
Our collaborative culture in the studio extends naturally to our relationships with our clients and colleagues. These relationships have formed the heart of our business since its founding in 1997, and they extend beyond the usual professional courtesy. We think of it this way: There is a wonderful moment in the creation of a landscape when the designer and client find themselves speaking a shared language. We have collaborated in creating not just a space, but a narrative, a history—an expression of shared values and passions.