Dec. 10, 2006
Witkin Design Group Wins Four Speaking Spots at International Builders’ Show, Orlando, Feb. 7-10
Hollywood, FL, December 5, 2006: The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has invited members of Witkin Design Group, Hollywood, FL, to speak on four educational programs during the 2007 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Feb. 7-10, 2007.
The award-winning landscape architecture firm, founded by Andy Witkin in 1988, designs exterior environments for residential, mixed-use, hotel and commercial projects throughout Florida, the Caribbean and Central America.
During the upcoming show, which drew more than 105,000 housing professionals in 2006, Andy Witkin, ASLA, will speak on two topics.
On Feb. 8, he will discuss “How to Put Personality into your TNDs”. Witkin Design Group has designed exteriors for numerous mixed-use communities in South Florida. Sharing the podium will be Stewart Greenebaum, a residential developer in Baltimore, MD, and Rick Gonzalez, AIA, President, REG Architects, West Palm Beach.
On Feb. 9, Witkin will speak on the topic “Healing the Hurt: Hurricane Restoration.” He will discuss the firm’s hurricane restoration work at the Cap Juluca resort in Anguilla and Little Palm Island, Florida Keys. Fellow speakers will be George Fletcher, AIA, President, Adache Group Architects, Ft. Lauderdale, and Yolanda McKendall, whose custom home development in New Orleans sustained massive damage from 36” of flooding during Hurricane Katrina.
Witkin Design Group Associate Patricia Watkins will speak Feb. 7 on “Lush Landscaping Where Water is Scarce”, along with Michael Perkins, Irrigation Design Group, Boca Raton. Both firms have been recognized for their work in dry or seasonably dry climates. In 2001, they were jointly awarded the 2001 National Rain Bird Award for “Best Use of Water Conservancy”. Also speaking on the topic Feb. 7 will be Rob Parker, Jr., ASLA, Principal, RGA Landscape Architects, Palm Desert, CA.
On Feb. 8, Witkin Design Group Project Manager Juan R. Pacheco will discuss “Exterior Design: The Balancing Game”. Joining him will be John Kephart Architects, AIA, Denver, CO; Linda Mitchell, Marketing Vice President, Taylor Woodrow, Toronto, and Cheryl O’Brien,AIA, C. O’Brien Architects, Bala Cynwdy, PA.
“We feel really honored to have received so many invitations to speak at this major event, especially since so many of the speakers are nationally and internationally known architects, developers, builders and planners,” Witkin says. “I think it’s an indication that landscape architecture is being increasingly recognized as an integral part of the project design mix, and a powerful marketing tool as well.”
In 2005, Witkin became the first landscape architect elected to the 1,100-member Builders Association of South Florida’s prestigious Housing Hall of Fame. He is a Lifetime Member and former Vice President. The Pennsylvania State University graduate is also very active with the university’s School Architecture and Landscape Architecture. He endowed a design studio there and has developed a new course to give students hands- on exposure to professional landscape architecture environments.
For more information about the International Builders Show, go to www.NAHB.org.