Columbia Choice Awards 2010

Each year Columbia Green and the Columbia Tree & Appearance Commission recognize businesses, schools, individuals, neighborhoods, and developers whos work has significanty enhanced the appearance and quality of life of our Columbia environment by awarding the Columbia Choice Awards.

Thoughtful architectural renovation and a complimentarily revised site plan has energized and re-defined this "recycled" 1965 brick office building at the corner of Devine & Queen Streets into a Modern architechtural focal point in travel east from Five Points. Quackenbush Architects & Planners has added strong horizontal element to the glass areas, which unify the design, and re-created elegant simple stone panels and new signage at the entrance facade. It now presents itself as a sophisticated geometric gem set upon an equally carefully human scaled landscape platform. Special emphasis on the landscaping further enhances the effort that revialized an outdated structure. Overall the design intent with the planting was to provide for an uncluttered appearance with year-round interest.Using existing mature landscaping as much as possible, the challenges of a corner lot with long right of way on Queen Street were successfully met. Near the front entrance, an overgrown Loquat tree was selectively pruned rather than uprooted and large existing shrubs were retained for their scale at the corners. Camellia sasanqua, mahonia, ginger lilies, dwarf palmetto, and Tardiva hydrangea provide texture and color.