|
2005 VERSA-LOK DESIGN CONTEST WINNER IS A
TEXTBOOK ON RETAINING WALL VERSATILITY
March
30, 2006
 If there’s a feature that Scott Van Asten didn’t use in his
winning entry in VERSA-LOK’s 2nd Annual Design Contest,
it probably hasn’t been invented yet. Curves, corners, tiered walls,
stairs, freestanding walls and columns all are integrated in a
stunning lakeside patio and entertainment area that brought home the
$5,000 grand prize for Van Asten and his employer, Vosters
Landscaping Inc. of Kaukauna, WI.
 Located on the shores of Lake Winnebago in
Menasha, WI, the project presented several challenges, says Van
Asten. The homeowners wanted a large patio area adjacent to the
house that overlooked—but didn’t obscure—the lake. In addition,
because they entertain clients and have elderly parents, uniform
steps and seating areas were major design considerations.
VERSA-LOK Weathered Mosaic was selected to
complement the home’s genteel brick and natural stone exterior.
“With Mosaic, we could engineer the retaining
walls for support, build integrated steps with a safe 2:1 ratio, and
incorporate freestanding walls and columns throughout the
project—all with one product that gave them a random-pattern
appearance,” explains Van Asten.
Because of the slope of the property, the
large patio required higher retaining walls. Two tiered walls were
used rather than a single tall wall to visually break up the height,
and a low, serpentine freestanding seat-wall with columns surrounds
the outer perimeter of the patio.
 Two sets of stairs were incorporated into the
design. The primary stairs had to connect the upper and lower patios
without blocking the lake view.
“The rise-to-run ratio dictated that a
continuous set of steps needed to be integrated into the tiers of
the retaining walls,” notes Van Asten. Rounding out the bottom steps
and constructing inside and outside steps helped to break up the
long run.
An unexpected challenge arose when a second
set of stairs on the opposite side of the structure was requested by
the homeowners after the project was begun.
“To make it look like part of the original
design of the project, a lower-level area with a set of steps that
wrapped around the outside of the retaining walls to a landing area
was added,” says Van Asten. “A freestanding wall and columns were
chosen for the safety barrier.”
Contest judges praised the project’s
“commanding, classic look.”
“Weathered Mosaic was an
excellent choice for this project,” said one judge. “Its vintage,
random-pattern appearance matches the home’s historic style well,
and the design makes a dramatic transition to the lakeshore.”
Concluded Van Asten: “I’ve always been a big
fan of VERSA-LOK. You can do everything with one system—from a basic
retaining wall up to a high-end project like this one with steps,
seat-walls, pillars and curves. Nothing beats it.”
The VERSA-LOK Mosaic product used in Van
Asten’s project was manufactured by Bend Industries in Appleton and
West Bend, WI.
Runner-up winners in the VERSA-LOK 2005 Design
Contest were:
Synthesis LLP, Schenectady, NY, for
their design of retaining walls and outdoor dining area for the
historic renovation of the Light House Restaurant in Scotia, NY. (Product
from Dagostino Building Blocks, Schenectady, NY)
Tim Wenrich, Clearwater Landscapes, Centre
Hall, PA, for his design of an elaborate series of tiered retaining
walls with a waterfall and built-in outdoor kitchen at a residence
in Tyrone, PA. (Product from R.I. Lampus Co., Springdale, PA)
Honorable Mention was awarded to:
Jeff
Kurilla, Sticks and Stones Landscape Construction, Oakland, MD, for
an extensive residential project in Oakland featuring a pool,
waterfall, fireplace and patio. (Product from R.I. Lampus Co., Springdale, PA) |
