Embodying the principles of New Urbanism, Aria Village is an upscale, Tudor-style mixed-use residential community located near the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Designed by Ashton Woods Builders and DPZ Codesign, this distinguished neighborhood features distinctive common spaces and amenities by Ironwood Design Group in the northern section of the village. Among these remarkable outdoor spaces is a breathtaking driveway entrance that gracefully curves around a serene natural pond.
To enhance the elegant Tudor architecture and prioritize a pedestrian experience, Ironwood utilized a unifying landscape palette, a focus on the natural vegetation, and an eye towards tranquility and community. They created pedestrian paths around the pond distanced from the road, with seating nooks built into the stone pathways that nestle into the greenery. Selective use of grading allows the pedestrian bridge to block road traffic noise, enhancing the strolling experience of the land.
To capture the sweeping grandeur of the drive up to the village, Ironwood bordered the road with a formal array of European hornbeams, boxwoods, creamy hydrangeas, and seasonal color beds for year-round color. As visitors drive into Aria across an elegant vehicular bridge (in fact a retaining wall with trompe-l’œil features to create a classic, European-style bridge effect), their eyes are drawn towards the Tudor gables of Aria’s residential towers, sweeping across the cobbled pedestrian path and the glittering, natural lake. Pavement changes to cobblestones as the sweeping architecture comes into view, further elevating the dramatic entrance into Aria. The entryway doubles as a connection to a series of nature trails open to the public, welcoming visitors into the verdant landscape surrounding Aria Village.
For the pool amenities area, Ironwood focused on high-end, contemporary design, which slowly loosens as it heads towards the natural landscape. With a style gesture towards a natural waterfall beyond the village, Ironwood created a graded series of pools, to allow the watershed to transform from a formal pool towards natural flowing water. “It’s a return to nature”, explains Sam Sampson, partner at Ironwood Design Group. The incorporation of natural elements, he notes, is key to the principles of New Urbanism, which seeks to elevate the pedestrian experience above vehicle traffic. The natural beauty of Aria’s surrounding landscape allowed for unique design features that complement and reinforce the dynamic between people and nature.
Ironwood also hand-selected patio furniture and pool fixtures, emphasizing classic colors and materials to reinforce Aria’s European aesthetic. Working in concert with DPZ’s architectural design, Ironwood helped to craft a stunning visual effect through the community clubhouse, which features two walls of glass windows that offer a view of the sunken amenity area from the residential walking paths above.
Working in concert with multiple partners across a large project, Ironwood was devoted to ensuring continuity across the design. As Sampson explains, “We really focused on the thematic design package of our partners, to make sure we were consistent with the original vision of the project”. The effect is a stunning, unified design, with elements of grandeur that elevate the livability of the Aria community.
