2009 VA ASLA Awards

Virginia Landmark Landscape - Maymont Park, Richmond, VA

Virginia Landmark Landscape

Maymont Park, Richmond, VA

Landscape Architect: Earth Design Associates
Architects: Gloria Newman, Anderson Architecture, Sanford Bond
Owner / Client: Maymont Foundation

Maymont was originally built at the turn of the 19 th Century as the country estate of local railroad entrepreneur and his wife, Major and Mrs. (Sallie May) Dooley.  Their will bequeathed Maymont to the City of Richmond for use as a public park. Without proper planning, preparation or funding, the City opened Maymont's gates to the public and over the ensuing forty years, as the city grew around the park and visitation increased, Maymont fell victim to neglect and into a state of serious disrepair. In 1968, concerned citizens formed a private foundation and reached an agreement with the city to take over care and operation of Maymont as "a cultural and environmental learning center."

One of the foundation's first orders of the business was to hire the landscape architects to develop a master plan. The plan was the beginning of a process that would span over thirty years of continuous involvement by the landscape architects.

The significance of Maymont to the public realm and the profession of landscape architecture has been substantial. The Landscape Architects' Plan and Historic Structures Report for restoration of the Italian Garden at Maymont, a 1981 ASLA Merit Award Winner, advanced the profession and gained national recognition.  In all, the landscape architecture work at Maymont has received over twenty-five national, state and local awards and special recognitions resulting in significant visibility for the profession. Maymont, aided by works of the landscape architects, has also had a significant social impact on the region.

The park with its wide variety of attractions, and large number of visitors, attracts an extremely diverse population ranging from the city's Who's, Who to inner-city youth, many of whom are disadvantaged minorities. The latter group is a major target population for Maymont's cultural and environmental programs.

Although Maymont is indeed a distinguished landscape architecture project which has retained its design integrity and contributed significantly to the public realm, it is much, much more. Here the work of the landscape architects goes far beyond design, combining many facets of the practice of the profession to contribute to the creation of a landmark comprised of a myriad of experiences which have become part of the heart and soul of a city.

Some of the jury comments on Maymont were:
- The impact on the region and the community is significant,
- The restoration projects are true to the original intent and new additions seem to follow the original master plan but aren't outdated,
- Exhibits true cross cultural relavance.