The Cliffs Cottage on the Furman campus is a showcase of environmentally responsible design, building techniques and materials, and energy-saving systems, and after one year of public tours, will be converted into the University’s Center for Sustainability. Innocenti & Webel was there from the beginning, planning the building layout with the architect, Johnston Design Group, and developing a master plan for the entire site, which at the time consisted of six aged tennis courts. Seamlessly fitting a residential home on to the traditional southern campus was one design challenge that was compounded by the flatness of the tennis court site, and the fact that the site would be approached and engaged in all directions. Sustainability being the driving program element, the house was aligned on a east-west axis, to take advantage of solar gain, and perched atop a slope facing the Furman lake. Features of the landscape include several examples of pervious pavement, rainwater harvesting and rain gardens, formal gardens comprised of native plants, xeriscaping and edible gardens, including a one acre organic garden. The project is LEED registered.

Services Provided: Master Planning, Landscape Design, Hardscape Design, Sustainable Design, Water Feature Design, Construction Documentation