Urban planning services of Ekistics Design Studio are rooted in the environmental sciences, tempered by pragmatism and expressed artfully by site planning and design. This interconnectedness is essential to our firm philosophy and approach. As designers with backgrounds in Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Engineering, we offer a design oriented approach to urban planning.
Design and Planning differ only in scale. Design is integral to our planning services while good planning makes for better design. We design detailed site plans requiring knowledge of land use physical requirements for buildings, parking and open space. We apply our knowledge of materials, methods of construction and site grading to people spaces and landscapes. The result is an attention to detail at all scales of development that allows us to explore innovative alternatives.
Environmental services offered by Ekistics Design Studio are specifically defined by those related to natural resources and their interaction with the built environment. Ecological analysis and design capabilities are applied in the context of master planning and shaped in concert with open space and landscape goals. Our expertise in this area enhances the range of problem solving opportunities in land development to embrace both developable and protected land resources into a unified whole.
Sustainability is now the latest fad and it seems as if every design professional is selling themselves as “green” “sustainable” and “eco-friendly”. We have consistently promoted “low tech” and low impact technologies for over 26 years. In response to the lack of environmental sensibilities in planning and design, Ekistics Design Studio was founded in 1984 “to creatively apply ecological principals in forging environmentally conscious design solutions to real world problems.” We planned the first “low impact” residential development in the Tampa Bay area and pioneered the use of bio-swales and the concept of stormwater ecology in commercial development. We have endeavored to add our unique perspective while leveraging low tech approaches that are economically, politically and socially beneficial.
We differentiate ourselves from most planners and designers in that we are trained and capable of a wide range of multidisciplinary tasks that involve construction details, site engineering and land development. We pride ourselves in taking concept to reality through collaboration with other professionals and disciplines and are experienced in taking on developer related and construction coordination tasks.
Our capable staff includes AICP Certified Planners, Registered Landscape Architects, Certified Environmental Professionals, ISA Certified Arborists and LEED Accredited Professionals.
