It is our passion to design compelling and evocative spaces and places that stir the imagination and stand as precedents of design excellence.
In our approach, we blend innovation, sustainability strategies, ecology and biology, economics, architectural detailing, engineering, and identity of place - all in one discourse.
We work across the globe, conceptualizing and realizing public and private projects of all sizes. These include small intimate gardens, residential developments, private estates, urban master plans, public realms, parks, streetscapes, waterfronts, commercial developments, institutional campuses, the outdoor spaces of museums and recreational facilities, as well as other civic and cultural destinations.
Our attitude is collaborative, positive and optimistic, and we truly work across disciplinary boundaries while embracing unrestrained creativity.
For us, every project deserves a holistic approach in order to achieve the best possible outcome - socially, culturally, economically, and environmentally. We also consider what our design will mean for the adjacent context, as often our projects are found within historic settings. What impact will our design have on the identity of the place as a whole? What is the experience? And most important, how will our design work for people?
As dreamers and pragmatists, we are driven to come up with bold ideas that are rooted in functionality, meticulous detailing, and constructibility.
Our objective is to create designs which have embedded immersive and alluring qualities - that are refreshing, comfortable, and welcoming - spaces that are original and have never been seen before, that exude an inherent positive spirit and carry elements of surprise.
Our goal is always to establish an appropriate and unique character, ultimately resulting in a place that is memorable, frequently used, and loved.
Client: The Community Builders, WellLife Network, Help USA, CSD Housing LLC for Empire State Development - Project Partner: UAI, Langan, Gilbane
The Parks at 5M
Forsythia Green - Brooklyn
Project Info
For this project in Kingsboro, Brooklyn, !melk, serving both as co-masterplanner as well as lead landscape architect, strived to retain the eclectic character of the site, while strengthening its connections to the surrounding neighborhood. !melk’s landscape design draws from the unique historical context of the site, which was once a dense woodland. This quality conjures notions of curiosity and lushness, and is at the very heart of !melk’s approach.
The design establishes a cohesive park-like public realm, consisting of multiple spaces that accommodate a variety of programming and activity that focus on “wellness”, such as a running track, an outdoor fitness area, and a multi-purpose lawn. An elevated stage functions as a flex-space for an array of outdoor events such as performances, film screenings, community events, etc. The overall design further comprises three playgrounds with custom equipment and features, multiple amenity spaces for residents, and a dog run.
!melk’s landscape design, with its gently arced trajectories, and its various pathways, is arranged to connect plazas and building forecourts, and designed to instill a sense of curiosity and discovery as one’s journey will interact with sculptural landforms and interstitial spaces. Once entering Forsythia Green’s public realm, the visitor is transported to another world, removed from the chaos of the street, where one can enjoy their time spent in a calm environment.
The heavily planted and ecologically focused setting aims to entice the public. It features sustainable gardens with a uniquely-Brooklyn planting scheme. Among the many flowering species selected for the project, Forsythia is used predominantly. Once deemed the “flower of Brooklyn”, this optimistic, bright yellow shrub is used throughout the project to celebrate a uniquely Brooklyn character. Informed by an extensive sun/shade analysis of the site, the overall planting palette also consists of a variety of native species that will enhance microclimate.
Other park features include project specific fence design and carefully selected site furnishings, and all materiality is deliberate. It was important to create an “instant patina” that is unique to this neighborhood.
For this project in Kingsboro, Brooklyn, !melk, serving both as co-masterplanner as well as lead landscape architect, strived to retain the eclectic character of the site, while strengthening its connections to the surrounding neighborhood. !melk’s landscape design draws from the unique historical context of the site, which was once a dense woodland. This quality conjures notions of curiosity and lushness, and is at the very heart of !melk’s approach.
The design establishes a cohesive park-like public realm, consisting of multiple spaces that accommodate a variety of programming and activity that focus on “wellness”, such as a running track, an outdoor fitness area, and a multi-purpose lawn. An elevated stage functions as a flex-space for an array of outdoor events such as performances, film screenings, community events, etc. The overall design further comprises three playgrounds with custom equipment and features, multiple amenity spaces for residents, and a dog run.
!melk’s landscape design, with its gently arced trajectories, and its various pathways, is arranged to connect plazas and building forecourts, and designed to instill a sense of curiosity and discovery as one’s journey will interact with sculptural landforms and interstitial spaces. Once entering Forsythia Green’s public realm, the visitor is transported to another world, removed from the chaos of the street, where one can enjoy their time spent in a calm environment.
The heavily planted and ecologically focused setting aims to entice the public. It features sustainable gardens with a uniquely-Brooklyn planting scheme. Among the many flowering species selected for the project, Forsythia is used predominantly. Once deemed the “flower of Brooklyn”, this optimistic, bright yellow shrub is used throughout the project to celebrate a uniquely Brooklyn character. Informed by an extensive sun/shade analysis of the site, the overall planting palette also consists of a variety of native species that will enhance microclimate.
Other park features include project specific fence design and carefully selected site furnishings, and all materiality is deliberate. It was important to create an “instant patina” that is unique to this neighborhood.