Floor Associates, a Phoenix, AZ-based award-winning landscape architecture firm headed by Kristina Floor and Christopher Brown, announced they are merging with JJR, a national award-winning practice with offices in Ann Arbor, MI; Madison, WI; Chicago, IL; and Washington, DC. JJR is a nationally recognized leader in landscape architecture, planning, urban design, civil engineering, and environmental science. The firm will be known locally as JJR¦Floor.
Founded in 1997, Floor Associates' focus has been providing quality design services for project types ranging from urban infill and mixed-use developments to detailed garden designs. Floor Associates is dedicated to creating sustainable projects that respect the sensitive desert environment, while collaborating with its clients to reinvent the places people live, work and play.
Kristina Floor's project experience includes landscape design and site planning for mixed-use commercial, hospitality and campus facilities. With each project, she strives to create a sense of place that is timeless and unique. Floor has extensive experience in the design of over-structure living roofs and is widely regarded to be one of the leading landscape architects in this specialty field of design for arid environments. She is licensed in Arizona and New Mexico, with a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University.
Christopher Brown is responsible for directing projects through all phases of the design and documentation process. Brown's strong design and managerial skills explore creative solutions to traditional challenges, allowing his teams to achieve outstanding designs within budget and on schedule. As a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP), he oversees the firm's involvement in a variety of sustainable projects and has received international recognition for his work on sustainable desert re-vegetation techniques. Brown is a licensed landscape architect in the state of Arizona and has a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University and a master's degree in real estate development from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
JJR was founded in 1961 as Johnson, Johnson & Roy and provides services through a multidisciplinary approach that serves to enhance the quality of the environment and contributes significantly to the way that people live and work.
Floor and Brown have practiced landscape architecture in the Southwest United States for over 25 years. They will act as studio directors in the Phoenix office of JJR¦Floor, which will include their 14-person staff. The office will remain at its current location in the historic Acme Building on First Street in downtown Phoenix.
"This collaboration offers us the opportunity to offer an expanded level of services to our clients," Kristina Floor said. "We will continue to provide quality design services for all project types with personal attention from Chris and me, and will now be able to provide a more multidisciplinary approach to environmental design including expanded planning and civil engineering design services. Coupled with JJR's extensive experience and expertise, this approach will allow our firm to become engaged earlier in the planning process and will enable us to pursue larger, more complex regional and national projects. For us, one of the more important aspects of the merger is that JJR's structure will allow us to expand the scope and range of our services while still maintaining our 'boutique firm' presence which we have become known for in our industry."
"Floor Associates' leadership and passion for their profession has built an outstanding reputation with their clients," stated Fred Klancnik, president of JJR. "Floor Associates was ranked as the No. 1 landscape architecture firm in 2006 and 2007 by the Arizona Business Annual Ranking Survey. We are excited about this merger, which will enhance our talented staff and expand our geographic presence in the Southwest United States. JJR¦Floor gives us the opportunity to strengthen our national practices in campus planning, cities and communities, and property development."
