Brookfield, Wis.-based engineering and surveying firm R.A. Smith National recently received a 2013 State Finalist Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies Wisconsin for work it performed on behalf of the Alterra Coffee Roasters bakery in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee.
R.A. Smith provided sustainable site design and landscape architectural design services to The Kubala Washatko Architects for the new 27,600-square-foot cafe and wholesale bakery.
The project started as a two-story Maritime Savings Bank building on a 1-acre site and was transformed into an environmentally sustainable Alterra café and bakery. Alterra wanted to create a site that would reflect its commitment to minimizing environmental impacts.
An integrated series of living displays at the Alterra site demonstrates an innovative use of stormwater. The combination, type and number of these uses demonstrate the practical, cost-effective means of collecting, storing and re-using stormwater in an aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly manner. The sustainable design techniques that were implemented include an aqueduct/waterfall feature, shade garden/rock garden, cistern, dry stream bed and a vegetated roof.
