Matthew McFall 2017 North Florida Landscape Award Winner

Matthew McFall 2017 North Florida Landscape Award Winner
FANN Real Florida Landscapes Design Competition 2017

Untamed wilderness is a phrase commonly associated with western frontiers and mountain ranges, yet many Floridians are unaware of the untouched beauty that is our nature coast and its expansive salt marsh ecosystems. Matthew’s “Marsh Majesty” landscape design is placed in a hospitality use that uses the Florida salt marsh wilderness as its main theme, specifically acting as the transition between the man-made and natural environment.

Situated at the entrance of nature trails and a resort courtyard, this design displays the wide plant variety seen in a salt marsh and acts as a welcoming space that beckons the user to explore the horizon before them. A small stream and dead logs that act as benches add to the natural theme as well as providing a small tour for those unable to venture beyond the space but still desire a glimpse of the landscape around them in a small scale display.

Matthew is passionate about the hospitality and themed entertainment field and would love to pursue challenging creative work. He enjoys larger-scale projects and their opportunities for creativity and imagination and would love to pursue a career on the innovative side of themed designs.

Matthew found it challenging to create a themed and visually pleasing design using a very natural plant palette in a natural environment. A certain kind of look and form is expected in a use like a hospitality application and creating that sense of place and destination while blending local fauna took some trial and error.  

Matthew feels [and FANN agrees] that for years, high-profile Florida hospitality and entertainment landscape projects have largely ignored local plant communities and environments. Matthew’s work demonstrates how native plants can be used to create fun, creative, and engaging spaces without having to clear away existing landscapes or use non-native plant palettes. He believes people are becoming more aware of artificially created places and admire design that is truly local and sustainable.