Ponce de Leon Courtyard

St. Augustine, Florida

It was an honor to be selected for the renovation of the Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. HFA’s design for the Courtyard embraces the tropical, exotic, and colorful character of the original 19th century Courtyard.

In addition to the strategically selected and placed landscape, lighting was introduced to reflect the “fairy lights (candles)” that once traced the outline of the Courtyard landscape in the early hotel days.

The Ponce de Leon Hotel is a National Historic Landmark being cared for by Flagler College. Flagler College converted the main hotel into administrative offices and a residence hall in 1968.

The Crisp-Ellert Art Museum

St. Augustine, Florida

The Crisp-Ellert Art Museum’s Sculpture Garden includes custom arched trellises applied to the Gallery wall, a Bougainvillea covered pergola, and a variety of plants with textures and colors that create the private setting for the Garden. Hand stamped plant impressions create character for the concrete floor of the outdoor Garden Room.

The Art Museum’s Sevilla Garden features a beautiful lawn framed by a garden. A hand finished coquina wall was crafted in an oval shape creating a lawn for activities. The lawn is framed by plants selected to create year round interest with a variety of colors and textures.

As art exhibits change, so do the textures and colors of the landscape.

Cordova Courtyard
at Pollard Hall

Historic Downtown St. Augustine, Florida

An opportunity to feature the Menorcan history in St. Augustine presented itself when the City’s archaeologist team discovered an historic well in the future building foundation line. The well, along with other artifacts, were discovered before the new academic building construction began. Rather than demolish the well, dated to the mid-late 1800’s, the College supported the concept of relocating it to one of the courtyards.

HFA designed the Cordova Courtyard that included a custom tile pattern encircling the below ground well enclosure. The well enclosure is vented for air circulation and it is lit below the walkable glass surface. Visitors to the building can walk over and view original artifacts on their way to class and while waiting for friends.

Cuna Courtyard
at Pollard Hall

Historic Downtown St. Augustine, Florida

HFA’s design for the Cuna Courtyard included a large, hand selected Oak tree lowered in place by crane in the historic district. The largest introduced tree in the historic area, it provides shade and interest between the Spanish Colonial detailed buildings.

The courtyard also features a seating area under a custom, period appropriate, pergola. The courtyard invites visitors with a unique radial paver brick paving pattern that creates interest while directing water to the underground Rain Tank drainage system.

Kenan Hall Plaza

St. Augustine, Florida

Kenan Hall Plaza is now “the place” for the Flagler College community to gather. Construction materials compliment the terra cotta and coquina concrete of the adjacent Ponce de Leon Hotel, a National Historic Landmark and focal point of Flagler College.

The Plaza’s signature columns house electrical connections to facilitate computers and outdoor events as well as lighting for evening gatherings. The Plaza’s permeable paver floor eliminates previous drainage and ponding problems. The Kenan Hall Plaza design was recognized with the 2011 Brick in Architecture Award and was featured by several Storm Water Drainage publications as an attractive and innovative drainage solution.

Florida East Coast
Railway Buildings

St. Augustine, Florida

In 2008, the historic headquarters of the Florida East Coast Railway became residence halls for Flagler College. HFA approached the renovation with creative solutions for the three, four story office building site resulting in a secure and inviting place for students to fully engage with the Campus experience.

Functional courtyards were designed as gathering places between the buildings, a new bike pavilion provides ample bike parking, and the entire parking lot was secured with walls and fencing complementing the features of the historic buildings.

The Town of Celebration

Celebration, Florida

HFA’s Principal, Sharon Fowler, was a Development Consultant to Disney Development Company and The Celebration Company for over 12 years.

She played a lead role in land planning studies that were the foundation for the Celebration Master Plan including, but not limited to, the Parks & Trails Business Plan that was used to establish the foundation for the Park system at Celebration, the Celebration Commercial Guidelines; Commercial, Retail, Residential, Parks, and Celebration Golf Course Site Planning Studies, Peer Reviews, Architectural Review Board Member, and miscellaneous on-going development consulting.

Heathrow Country Estates Exercise Facility

Sorrento, Florida

Space was limited, so a creative solution was needed for the addition of an Exercise Building and a recreational Pool adjacent to the Clubhouse site of this private community north of Orlando. HFA designed both the Exercise Facility and the original Clubhouse sites.

The Exercise Facility design included a unique water wall, a resort style pool, and a pergola covered seating area

Sevilla Street

St. Augustine, Florida

Working with Flagler College and the City of St. Augustine, HFA designed and implemented a more pedestrian friendly one-way Sevilla Street - a public street bisecting the Campus. The original conditions included a two way street with on-street parking.

The design included wider walks, salvaged brick cross walks, new large Oak trees, accent landscape, street lighting, and signage.

Hanke Hall

St. Augustine, Florida

HFA designed the site and the courtyard for the new Flagler College Admissions & Financial Aid Building. The design includes a dramatic 27’ long mosaic ultimately created by an Art Class at the College. A custom water feature is integrated into the mosaic adding an appropriate feature for the Spanish Colonial period building.

The courtyard design includes an innovative water recovery tank/drainage system. Rainwater is stored on-site under the courtyard in Rain Tanks with a water recovery tank used for irrigation.

Red Tail Golf

Sorrento, Florida

Designing over 50 Acres of out of play landscape was a challenge. Each area was designed with native plants and grasses eliminating the need for irrigation. Field sketches incorporating daily construction progress were paired with plans to create the best design while monitoring the budget.

Large retention areas were turned into wildlife habitats by the use of native trees and shrubs in varying heights and textures. Littoral plantings were used along the ponds and waterways to meet Agency requirements and to also create an attractive atmosphere for the neighborhood and the golf course. The end result is impressive and memorable.

Ringhaver Student Center

St. Augustine, Florida

The Ringhaver Student Center features a popular seating terrace overlooking Sevilla Street. HFA designed the seating and landscape areas for both the Sevilla Street terrace and the more quiet study space behind the Student Center. The Study Terrace was created in a space once designated only as a storm water retention area. HFA reworked the retention design to create a bonus terraced seating area with umbrella tables.

The area is used for study sessions and sometimes for larger classes that gather along the lighted terrace stairs for outdoor classroom discussions

Flagler Athletics Complex

St. Johns County, Florida

Flagler Athletics now enjoys an organized and integrated parking facility, a new Locker Room with state-of-the art lighting, inviting landscape architecture, a one of a kind custom Scoreboard, and a new Baseball Plaza providing comfort and shade.

Cost effective sustainable practices were used in the parking area involving a partially pervious surface of grass and recycled concrete to minimize off-site run off. HFA designed the breezeway art and banners, perimeter fencing, seating areas, banners, signage, and a ticket podium. It’s the “details” that create a professional and inviting game day experience.

Heathrow Country Estates Covered Bridge

Lake County, Florida

Set in the rolling hills of Lake County, Florida, Heathrow Country Estates is a welcoming, rural, and exclusive place to live. HFA designed a unique covered bridge as the main entrance to the neighborhood. The bridge passes over a water feature, also designed by HFA.

The common areas were designed to emulate the entry with casual landscape, flowering native & drought tolerant plants, lighting, and signage. HFA worked with the Owner and provided construction administration for the roads, entrance, covered bridge, gatehouse, clubhouse, and park including overseeing the implementation of the design.

Bridge Concept by HFA
Bridge Architecture by The Evans Group