Michael A McDonald, RLA, CLARB, LEED AP

“Landscape Architecture is best employed in its most

simplistic, purist form. Successful design is a process of

elimination and accentuation that arrives at the

optimum compromise of the client’s desires through the

appropriate manipulation of a given site. All good

design is sustainable by nature and responds to the

context of the environment in which it dwells. Great

design must evolve through human interaction.”

Landscape Architect / Vision Planner

Domestic Experience

The following are representative

examples of projects that I have

directed in the US. All but a few

perspective sketches and

Photoshop plan illustrations are my

personal work. Much of this work

has been successfully implemented

and has proven to be sustainable.

Suwanee Station (TOD) Suwanee, Georgia

Urban

Planning

Perspective Illustrations by Addison Young

144 AC mixed use site with varied

housing, retail and office uses.

Pedestrian friendly trail system

connecting internal common areas,

county wide open spaces and to

future rail station

Urban

Planning

Marina Design Charrette

Anguilla, BWI

Molokai Ranch

Molokai, HI

Resort Planning

Career rooted in resort-oriented

environments for coastal

communities. Planning and site

design for world class resorts,

including participation in the

formulation of many progressive

zoning codes.

Illustration by others

Illustration

by others

Upland /Lowland

River Trail System City of Clarksville , TN

Public Design

Led team which designed trail

system for river flood plain, then

transitioned to extreme gradients up

to connect with abandoned train

trestles. All within thematic design

set for the city’s historic district.

Middle East / UAE

Experience

The following are examples of

large scale vision planning projects

directed in Dubai

Begin with the

physics of wave

interaction to create

differential flows of

energy

Map

concentric

circles

into

context of

the site

Set grid

system of

roads and

circulation

hierarchy

International Experience

Vision Planner

Establish land uses

corresponding to the

ebb and flow of energy

from the site

Served on a small team of

seasoned planners that

relayed back and forth to the

Dubai office of Burt Hill.

Duties included directing an

interdisciplinary, multi-

cultural team of designers

and consultants through

thematic design and

branding presentations for

new communities in the

Middle East and beyond.

Capital District

Abu Dhabi, UAE

2000 Ha TOD site

with central Medina

theme with radial

fingers of greenways

each with cultural

themes

Vision Planner for

Mega-Scale Communities

Al Awir Sharjah, UAE

Jabel Ali Race Course Dubai, UAE

Audio analysis of horse gallop

Thematic

Design

Rumble strips with

horse gallop sound

Photoshop Illustration by others

Current Project Work

China

Due to highly restrictive file transfer in

China business culture, some of the

following images were

photographically reproduced and are

not the best quality. They are included

to demonstrate my quick hand

technique and conceptualization skills.

All work in China is presented in

PowerPoint, and these images were

incorporated into full presentations.

Recent China Work

Lake Front Resort and Convention Center – Yunnan

Province

This was an expansion of an existing 5 star resort with lakefront

cottages and themed retail center to connect the two facilities

together. Made strong appeal to client to alter site plan from

existing proposal due to detrimental effects on overall

landscape character of the lakefront.

Golf Course Landscape Plan – Zhejiang Province

Enhancement plan of golf course with emphasis on reforestation

and thematic design of signature holes. Work with famous golf

course design firm to achieve resort level landscape. Made

major recommendations for enhancement in golf holes that were

accepted by client and designer.

All Seasons Resort – Heibei Province

Master Plan phase with multiple land use components. Use of

native material and details, coupled with a program for

preservation and enhancement of agricultural lands to boost

income resource for local villagers serve as a sustainable model

for the community. A blend of tourism into an old community.

All Seasons Resort

This mountain resort contains

an exiting ski field which is to be

expanded and updated. The

task for this 50 sm site is to

transform a small ski resort into

a major, destination resort with

facilities and activities for year

round use. This is the entry

village showing front gate

activities with preservation of

existing culture

All Seasons Resort

Another village concept showing a new

gateway preserving the agricultural valley

juxtaposed to the enhancement of an

existing populated village.

Lake Front Cottages – Pu’er, China

Images show progression of design process through analysis to illustration. Cluster plan replaced

banned layout due to more efficient and value added design.

Lake Front Cottages – Pu’er, China

Images show logic behind cluster layout utilizing the

architecture to respond to the steep terrain.

本地块设计宛如一条龙，蜿蜒盘旋在这片有山有水的乐享生活之地。

Golf Course Enhancement Plan - Ningbo City, China

Thematic design recommendation of signature hole for this golf course representing a dragon’s

back In the landscape formed by contoured fill against a rock cliff to be viewed in plan from above

and the hole and long view in elevation from hotel site

Wetlands Park and Golf Course – Yongzhou, China

Concept with wetlands park and cultural facilities that served

as an amenity for the surrounding residents. The land

configuration creates a high degree of difficulty for a

contiguous plan.

Freehand Detail at 1:6000 Scale

Wetlands Park and Golf Course – Yongzhou, China

Enlargement of plan shows intricate nature of the concept to

include a network of roads and pedestrian connections

preserving long vistas and scenic naturer of the site.

Wetlands Park

and Golf Course

Wetlands Park and Golf Course – Yongzhou, China

Concept with wetlands park integrated within a golf course

to connect amusement park to river corridor

Freehand Detail at 1:6000 Scale

Wetlands Park and Golf Course – Yongzhou, China

Enlargement showing integration of wetlands park and cultural center within the fabric of the golf

course. Golf is routed on the periphery and designed to protect park goers from errant shots.

Water Park Eco-Tourism Site - China

This illustration is showing a rapid hand sketch of a

park bordering an existing golf course in central

China given a terrain of rice fields and grasslands.

Architectural Character Study Yunnan Provence, China Mid-High Density Residential Site – Shijiazhuang, China

Concept for residential courtyard landscape theming around a waterscape. Fire access was

maintained with pedestrian promenades and multiple usage of water features throughout.

Architectural Character Study Yunnan Provence, China Commercial

Area

Option Two

Urban Water Park

Beijing ,China

Two iterations of a water front

urban park that connected a

major cultural facility to the

surrounding mixed use

neighborhood. These were very

quick studies to solicit client

input prior to proceeding into

more detailed design

Equestrian and Music Venue

Design Directive Plan All Seasons Resort – Chong Li, China

As lead planner for this project, the main objective was to brand the Entry Village as the major draw

for the resort. A multi-tiered collection of venues were programmed for the site which set the tone

for the entire development.

Design Directive

Sketches All Seasons Resort –

Chong Li, China

Quick Start concept

sketches for initial phase

of development for camp

sites, comfort station

and entry gate.

Design Directive

Sketches

All Seasons Resort –

Chong Li, China

Quick Start concept

sketches for additional

phase of development

for observation tower,

corporate retreat and

concessions.

All Seasons Resort – Chong Li, China

Quick Start concept for architectural character to renovate an existing structure into a Water Bar.

Poet’s Vineyard – Beijing, China

Sections and sketches to brand the concept of a vineyard

anchored with a literary theme.

Lake Front Cottages – Pu’er, China

Perspective sketch of the retail village

connecting the existing hotel resort to the

lake front cottages. The thematic design was

of an Italianate shoppingvillage.

309 Rusty Gate Pass

Woodstock, Georgia 30189

Domestic Mobile: 770.652.6463

michaela.mcdonald@comcast.net

Skype: michael.mcdonald3555

Michael A McDonald,

RLA, CLARB, LEED AP