Levi + Wong Design Associates (LWDA) have embraces an approach to landscape architecture that is grounded in holistic observation. LWDA creates healing gardens, courtyards, and campuses that bring landscape and building together. The firm's mission? Design with purpose, solve spatial problems with imagination, and implement solutions that are both beautiful and sustainable. LWDA works in harmony with existing natural conditions so that building and landscape work together.
The firm is able to unite building and landscape to serve as extensions of one another, creating smooth transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces.
For example, the adult day living courtyard at Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital was inspired from an idea to use the outdoors as an extension of the hospital’s physical therapy program. A former overgrown and little-used side entrance yard was transformed into a new garden that integrates everyday outdoor activities into a patient’s rehabilitation The garden now serves multiple functions including therapy, meditative, and family gathering, and the space successfully mixes patients, families and caregivers in an equitable outdoor environment. A variety of New England pavement types, sidewalks curbs, garden gates and latches, and ramps become activities patients can use to rehab and relearn everyday outdoor living: mailboxes, benches, curbs, curb ramps, outdoor handrails, plant potting, basketball, and miniature golf. Offering comfortable venues of outdoor seating and rehabilitation activities, the garden has become the centerpiece of the hospital.
USGBC MA Chapter Sponsor, Levi + Wong Design Associates set an example for how to incorporate sustainable design into all aspects of design practice. Over half of the professional staff is LEED accredited, and as a whole, the firm believes sustainability is not an “added value” to otherwise conventional projects, but rather a thought process embedded in every step of project design.
From site design to envelope analysis to daylighting studies to material selection, Levi + Wong Design projects embrace a holistic approach to systems and materials. The firm offers clients a proactive, research-based, budget-conscious approach aimed at delivering cost-effective, maintenance-friendly, healthy buildings.
The firm considers short term performance metrics such as daylight harvesting, total energy consumption and water use, as well as the long term impacts of potential future expansion and infrastructure replacement. To Levi + Wong Design, sustainability is really just another term for good, common sense design, employing materials and systems that minimize waste, maximize performance and deliver the best value over the life of the project.
An example of this holistic approach is exemplified by The D’Youville Center for Advanced Therapy in Lowell, MA. The 25,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility is designed for a single site experience that supports the needs of patients across the continuum of care.
To promote healing and wellness, natural light permeates through windows strategically located in corridors, patient rooms and therapy spaces drawing light into interior spaces. The large windows views in the rehabilitation gym create a connection with the local neighborhood and exterior courtyards allow patients access to outdoors relaxation and community re-entry training experiences. A clean modern look was created using simple forms, detailing, and proportion, and was complimented with natural materials such as wood and stone to create spaces that are warm and comfortable.
After three years in the making, the Oasis at Dodge Park is ready to welcome those facing dementia or Alzheimer’s to a state-of-the art, $12 million facility that its co-owners believe is a home away from home for people with memory ailments.
Following a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, local official and legislators including State Sen. Harriette L. Chandler, D-Worcester, Mayor Joseph Petty and City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr., toured the 50-bed rest home at 102 Randolph Road – the site of the former Odd Fellows Home building.
Co-owners Ben Herlinger and Micha Shalev said they shared the vision of creating a facility that would provide people with memory ailments a safe place to live with dignity in a warm, relaxing environment.
They called on architect Ruth Neeman, of Levi & Wong Design Associates of Concord, which specializes in designing such facilities to design a space that is friendly and supportive for elders. Ms. Neeman said every detail counts when dealing with the elderly population including such design decisions as color contrast that can make the difference between seeing where they are going and what they are doing, for the visually impaired.
“Every decision makes a difference between residents thriving and struggling,” Ms. Neeman said at the ceremony. “The goal was to make a building feel like home, residential and comforting.”
The 34,000-square-foot facility has two grand sitting areas that include a grand piano and electric fireplace, as well as two dining areas, a library, spa, hair salon and two outdoor courtyards with heated cement floors so the snow melts, that make it feel more like a luxury hotel than a medical facility. There are only a handful residents living there currently, but at full capacity, Mr. Herlinger said, the facility will have 62 full-time employees.
Mayor Petty said that although the city went back and forth for a few months with Mr. Herlinger and Mr. Shalev, it was “well worth it.” He added that the city would support them with any future expansion.
Levi + Wong Design is a passionate group of professionals who believe the power of design can improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.
Quality Design, Service, Innovation, Teamwork, and Sound Business are the foundation of our success. We are a client-centric firm led by working principals dedicated to design excellence.
As a full-service design firm comprised of architects, interior designers, landscape architects and planners, we each bring specialized skills and knowledge to the firm’s collaborative design style. Our modest size–just over 30 employees- belies the depth and breadth of the service we offer in planning, design, and project management.
Our experienced working principals, collaborative style, proactive approach and interactive Client / Architect Virtual Design Process allows us to creatively and innovatively design projects that respond to client needs. Foremost to our clients we are Visionaries, Advisors, Designers, and Managers.
At the Chapter, we are continuously impressed with the advances of the engineers, architects and construction firms behind the green buildings that are created each year. One firm in particular who is always advancing their standard for quality of life and design is Levi + Wong Design Associates.
Levi + Wong Design is a passionate group of Visionaries, Advisors, Designers, and Managers who believe the power of design can improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work. Quality Design, Service, Innovation, Teamwork, and Sound Business are the foundation of their success. They are a client-centric firm led by working principals dedicated to design excellence.
Thank you to Evan Halstead and Inga Leonova, Chapter Members and regular participants in our activities. We look forward to following your progress as LWDA continues to innovate and excel!
Their markets are are centric to well-being and include Healthcare, Rehabilitation, Senior Care, Senior Living, and Landscape Architecture focused. Here are just a few of their projects that they have been working on:
