green space Archives - Page 3 of 3

The Health Benefits of Being Outdoors

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Nancy

Considering we all spent a lot of time indoors in 2020, we’ll take any excuse to get outside this summer. Thankfully, there are numerous mental and physical perks to spending time in the great outdoors, whether it’s on a hiking trail or on your own terrace. Here are just a few of the many health benefits of being outdoors:

Boost Your Mood

Studies have shown being outdoors lowers levels of cortisol, a hormone that’s a marker for stress. Spending some time outside can help with stress, anxiety or depression, not to mention the added physical benefits of just spending a few minutes in the sun. Vitamin D helps with bone growth, regulates your immune system and can help battle depression. Even if it’s just a quick reset, getting out of the house and into nature can really boost your mood.

Improve Your Vision

Just like we’ve all spent more time inside over the past year, we’ve also spent more time on our screens. Whether you’re back in the office or working from home, your eyes probably need a break. Staring at computers, tablets and smartphones for long periods of time can cause Computer Vision Syndrome, but spending time outdoors can alleviate blurred and double vision, red eyes and headaches.

Photo of Optima Signature 7th Floor Outdoor Deck — Optima Signature 7th Floor Outdoor Deck

Refresh Your Focus

Nature and green space lets our brains take a break from the chaos of life (and in some cases has even reduced symptoms of ADHD). Spending more time outdoors is also linked to higher levels of concentration, creativity and improved mental clarity.

We hold these health benefits in high esteem, and it’s one of the many reasons we design our residential and communal spaces to invite the outdoors inside. Connecting to nature is an easy way to take some time and connect to yourself and to the environment around you.

Green Space Spotlight: Optima Signature

Posted on June 23, 2021June 23, 2021 by Nancy

In a dense urban area like Chicago, green space might look a little different. With all of our projects, we design our residences to welcome the outdoors indoors; at Optima Signature, that meant making sure residents could still get outside in the city. The green space at Optima Signature takes advantage of landscaping and contemporary, urban recreational design to embrace downtown Chicago living.

On the ground level, Optima Signature is surrounded by greenery with an inviting plaza. Lush landscaping features benches and seating areas, as functional for residents as they are for passersby or pedestrians. Kiwi, an original sculpture designed by David Hovey, Sr., adds visual movement and a playful quality to the entrance of the building.

Once inside, Optima Signature features an impressive 1.5 acres of amenity space, many of which are designed to bring residents outdoors. Heated swimming pools, outdoor terraces, herb gardens for resident use, fire pits and outdoor entertaining all contribute to making residents feel as if they’re in an outdoor oasis in the middle of the city. Strategic landscaping, plants and trees ensure a sense of privacy, despite sharing the amenities with other residents. Designed for residents in all walks of life, Optima Signature also includes an outdoor dog park and play areas for children (although there are indoor options for when the Chicago weather inevitably turns cold). In a concrete jungle, Optima Signature brings residents a bit closer to nature.

When moving to a city, many assume they’ll have to give up access to generous outdoor space. The residences, amenities and green space at Optima Signature offer the best of both worlds, all within a beautifully designed, Modernist tower that overlooks Chicago’s energetic downtown.

Best Plants for Small Urban Gardens

Posted on June 14, 2021April 26, 2024 by Nancy

As the weather warms up, you might be inspired to add some greenery to your home or apartment. For those living in multi-family residences — such as our own Optima residents — that means finding the right plants to accommodate your space. Whether you want to cultivate an indoor forest or try planting outdoors, here are the best plants for small urban gardens.

Indoor Options

For indoor gardening, you should check out your light exposure before you buy any plants. Working with south-facing windows is drastically different than north-facing windows, and knowing how much light your home gets is crucial to cultivating happy plants. At Optima, our units always feature floor-to-ceiling windows – perfect for all exposures and for creating the ideal indoor growing environment.

Snake plants, bamboo plants, types of pothos and spider plants can all thrive in indirect light. For sunnier spots, try options like aloe vera, jade plants, succulents and types of cacti. Many of these plants are also low-maintenance when it comes to watering.

Outdoor Options

Stoops, balconies, patios, decks and rooftops all have the potential to be a home for a small garden, if you can master container gardening. Year-round foliage will depend on your environment, but for seasonal summer greenery, many herbs and vegetables double as decor and a source of fresh food. Peppers, salad greens, tomatoes and green onions are easy to grow in containers or pots, as are most herbs.

Plants are a huge part of our design process at Optima, through our vertical landscaping systems, green space and sustainability initiatives. Bringing the outdoors in can help make any space more vibrant, more joyful and more green; we hope you feel inspired to add some plants to your own urban garden this spring!

Creative Container Gardening

Posted on July 22, 2020September 1, 2020 by Nancy

In cities throughout the country, container gardening is a staple in multifamily housing where space may be limited. And while at home during shelter-in-place orders, many were inspired to test out their green thumbs. We’ve always prioritized green spaces within our projects, from rooftop foliage to lush vertical landscapes, and we love to see our residents doing the same. For those looking to get creative with container gardening, here are a few ideas and inventions to help inspire:

Know Your Basics

This may seem like a no-brainer, but understanding factors like lighting, drainage and materials can drastically affect which plants thrive on a patio or terrace. You’ll also have to choose between annuals, perennials, herbs or greenery. And of course, consider your location. Plants that thrive in Arizona’s climate may not translate well into Chicago’s weather. Knowing your home’s plant hardiness zone can help you decide what to grow.

Embrace Edible Greens

Don’t let growing your own food or herbs intimidate you; it can be done, even if you have limited space. In fact, gardening your produce in containers can actually help you control growing conditions and potential pests. Larger pots, proper drainage, and potting mix specifically designed for containers will help your efforts. For an extra growth boost, plant flowers that will attract pollinators. For more in-depth tips, the Old Farmer’s Almanac has extensive resources for all things container gardening.

Try New Technology

It’s 2020, so gardening technology has evolved to meet your needs. If you travel often or forget to water your plants, invest in self-watering planters. If you want a show-stopping tower of plants, The Farmstand takes container gardening to the next level, with options to grow 200+ varieties of plants with minimal user effort. Or if you want to keep track of the health of your plants from your smartphone, check out devices like the Parrot Flower Power.

Whether it’s in Illinois or Arizona, our passion for bringing the outdoors inside serves to inspire and welcome. We hope it inspires our Optima community members to do the same.

Our Signature Vertical Landscaping System

Posted on July 20, 2020September 1, 2020 by Nancy

With every project, we ask ourselves how the natural land around us influences, affects and works in tandem with the structures we build. Seeking to holistically integrate the natural and built environments led us to develop our next-generation vertical landscaping system. The lush green element, utilized in many of our Arizona properties, is a cornerstone feature of Optima communities, a key component to our sustainability initiatives and so much more.

Our signature vertical landscaping system at Optima Kierland Center.

Aesthetic Enhancement

On its surface level, our signature vertical landscaping system serves to enhance the natural beauty of our communities. The lush verdure enables a palette of vibrantly colored plants at the edge of each floor to grow both up and over the edge of the building. This creates beautiful, private terrace gardens for each unit in buildings like Optima Camelview Village, Optima Kierland Center, and Optima Sonoran Village. The intense greenery also plays bold juxtaposition to our building’s facade, where concrete and glass work work in harmony to celebrate the relationship between the built and natural environment, with glass blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor, home and garden.

Our signature vertical landscaping system at Optima Sonoran Village.

Functional, Sustainable Beauty

Our signature vertical landscaping system isn’t just for aesthetic value — it plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy and sustainable environment. The system, with self-containing irrigation and drainage, provides a haven for urban wildlife, promotes evaporative cooling, re-oxygenates the air, reduces dust and smog levels, reduces ambient noise, detains stormwater and thermally insulates and shields residents from the desert sun, all of which contributes to a sustainable urban environment. Residents also experience the direct impact of being surrounded by nature, with the vertical landscaping system serving as a connection to nature and added source of privacy.

Like all good design, our vertical landscaping system is a natural study in form and function. We’re proud to pioneer a system that contributes to the natural beauty of the environment, and helps preserve it, too.

Wellness at Optima Kierland

Posted on June 29, 2020September 1, 2020 by Nancy

As the residential real estate industry develops, amenities are becoming more in-demand, more inventive and more expansive. And wellness is a huge part of that growth. One study from March 2020 predicts that wellness is estimated to be a $4.2 trillion USD industry for the next generation of high-end homebuyers – forecast to grow at nearly twice the rate of the global economy. The amenity spaces we design for our properties are purposefully created for both community and individual wellness. We’ve previously covered wellness at Optima Signature, and today we review and explore wellness at Optima Kierland.

Embracing Nature

Located in the heart of Scottsdale, Arizona, Optima Kierland Center is comprised of 7120, 7140, 7160 and 7180, four buildings which together make a serene retreat from the North Scottsdale urban core. Both the individual residences and the vast amenity spaces feature stunning views of the surrounding desert, not to mention curated landscaping, hanging gardens and communal green space. More than six acres of open green space on the ground level create a park-like setting for the community, and also reduces ambient temperature to mitigate the heat-island effect. In fact, the landscaping actually creates a microclimate that lowers the ambient temperature from 5 to 9 degrees compared to surrounding sidewalks. The oasis-like greenspace of Optima Kierland keeps residents inspired, provides a closeness with the surrounding environment and celebrates the natural desert surroundings.

The Sky Deck and pool at 7120 Optima Kierland — The Sky Deck at 7120 Optima Kierland

Enjoying the Outdoors

Signature to Optima Kierland Center is the inclusion of a Sky Deck on each of the community’s towers. With panoramic views of the city, each Sky Deck also includes a wealth of amenity spaces, including heated pools, spa-grade plunge pools and saunas, indoor-outdoor yoga studios, rooftop walking and running tracks, entertaining spaces with barbecues, covered bars and counter seating, outdoor theater, lush landscaping and more.

Connecting with Community

As with all of our multi-family properties, fostering a strong sense of community is a top priority because we believe that connection fosters physical and emotional wellness. At Kierland Center, this intention manifests into the many communal amenity spaces, including fully outfitted sports areas, movie theaters, party rooms, game rooms, and state-of-the-art fitness centers. Each building also includes an exclusive Residents Club so neighbors can enjoy each other’s company regularly.

In designing spaces around wellness, we inherently design spaces that bring people closer to each other, closer to their environment and closer to their own personal aspirations. Our people-centric approach is what fuels our passion and drives us forward to continue creating in thoughtful, meaningful ways.

Green Space Spotlight: Optima Kierland Center

Posted on January 6, 2020September 1, 2020 by Nancy

As we began construction on Optima Kierland Center, we envisioned a beautiful community that embraced the desert surroundings and welcomed residents and visitors alike with beautiful Modernist design and, of course, gorgeous green space. A multiphase development project, each building within Optima Kierland Center is connected to the others through aesthetic structure and physical pathways amidst lush gardens. More than 5.5 acres of landscaped open space create a park-like setting for both our neighbors and our residents.

Within the building, our innovative vertical planting system features self-containing irrigation and drainage, including the vibrant and colorful planters at the edge of each floor. The system ultimately culminates into a beautiful rooftop garden, one of the many amenities throughout the building. Within the individual residences, hanging gardens and expansive, private terraces bring the outdoors in, perfectly designed to let our residents enjoy the surrounding greenery.

As with all of our projects, we designed Optima Kierland Center to take advantage of the beauty of the surrounding environment and to integrate our design with soft, natural elements. Working in tandem with our expansive amenity spaces, our green space gives Optima Kierland Center residents endless opportunities to enjoy — and be a part of — the outdoors. With the next two towers underway and with 7180 Optima Kierland 50% sold, we eagerly await the completion of what will be a truly stunning community.

Green Space Spotlight: Optima Camelview Village

Posted on October 28, 2019September 1, 2020 by Nancy

Optima Camelview Village landscaping is an oasis inspired by the surrounding mountains and Native American desert communities. What resulted: eleven terraced, bridge-linked buildings with courtyards that created ample opportunity to utilize our signature vertical landscaping to dramatic, and environmentally impactful, effect.

Optima Camelview Village, Scottsdale, Arizona. — Optima Camelview Village, Scottsdale, Arizona

Private Terraces

Each and every residence at Optima Camelview Village features a private terrace. The terraces are made all the more beautiful by an abundance of verdure, with lush landscaping that provides a pop of color alongside ample privacy and shade. The terraces, and their landscaping, also play into the complex layered language of shading, textures and colors that create depth and complexity throughout the community.

The landscaping on the terraces was complicated due to the intricate geometry of Optima Camelview Village and necessitated designing for each individual terrace. By creating proper conditions for the plant life to thrive, with a specialized vacuum that deposits specially-tailored dirt for each mini-garden, we were able to make them work.

Rooftop Gardens

The community sits on a 13-acre site, including an impressive 23-acres of rooftop gardens spread across the eleven buildings that make up Optima Camelview Village. The intense greenery that thrives atop the buildings serves as a haven for the natural wildlife of Arizona, as well as for the residents who live in the community.

A Collaborative Effort

We worked with experts at Arizona State University for several years to get our landscaping just right. It’s crucial that the greenspace at Optima communities not only provides an aesthetic beauty, but that it contributes to the greater environment. With the help of ASU, we ensured that Optima Camelview Village’s landscaping is sustainable, with positive consequences such as re-oxygenation of the air, reduced dust and smog levels, reduced ambient noise, detainment of stormwater and thermal insulation and shielding from the desert sun.

As always, we consider the additive value of our built communities not just in the lives of those that call Optima Camelview Village home, but of the planet that we ourselves call home.

Green Space Spotlight: Optima Sonoran Village

Posted on August 26, 2019September 1, 2020 by Nancy

At Optima, one of the cornerstones of our design process is the green space in our communities. With Optima Sonoran Village situated on a ten acre site in downtown Scottsdale, there was an abundance of space to become green. Of the ten acres, six of them are open space that not only mediate the harsh desert climate but also create visually stunning landscaped areas to be enjoyed by residents and the community.

Lush Landscaping and Pedestrian Paths

Courtyard walking paths wind throughout the property, guiding public pedestrians into and through the development and its centralized courtyards. Surrounding the paths is a varied palette of plantlife. This colorful landscaping against the signature Optima pops of color provides a vibrancy and complement to the more subdued, natural hues of the surrounding desert.

Original Public Art

Placed within the courtyards are five original David Hovey sculptures, which range in size up to ten feet. As expansive and evocative pieces of public art, these sculptures activate the spaces that they occupy, and enhance the experience of those passing through.

Green Space as Mediator

The greenspace at Optima Sonoran Village also serves to mitigate the heat island effect, where dense urban areas experience warmer temperatures due to human activity. To reduce the urban heat island experienced in Scottsdale, the abundant landscaping throughout the courtyards provides shade and cooling through evapotranspiration — the release of water into the atmosphere from plant surfaces.

Outdoor Amenities

Nestled within the courtyards and their intricate spread of walking paths are exceptional outdoor amenities. A large fountain serves as a dazzling display and a centerpiece around which to lounge and relax. Farther in, an outdoor resort pool with lounge chairs, umbrellas and firepits is made private by the surrounding landscaping.

The greenery continues, drawing the eye upward to the building’s spectacular vertical landscaping and creating a whole immerse experience. The effect of walking through the property’s greenspace, backdropped by dusky desert mountains, is one of entering a lush oasis.

As an installation in downtown Scottsdale and with paths open to the public, the greenspace at Optima Sonoran Village is enhancing not only the community of the development, but of its surrounding area too.

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Tag: green space