Today we’d like to introduce you to Bill Bauer.
Hi Bill, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m a native Texan, and I graduated from UT Austin with a degree in architecture in 1992. At that time there wasn’t much going on in Austin’s housing and construction market (hard to imagine now) so I started working for a local landscape architect as a draftsman. As Austin began building steam, I was able to move up quickly in the small firm and work on high-end residential projects in the Austin and surrounding area, with some of the best architects and builders at the time. I found that I loved the cross-pollination that was possible between architecture, landscape architecture and construction. I’m now a licensed landscape architect, but those years of architecture school definitely left an impression. All of my 30 years doing this have been in the design/build realm, so we’ve always built (and now maintain) our projects. In 2006 I went out on my own and The Garden Design Studio was born. Together with a friend of mine, I opened a retail nursery on the east side in 2010 (Tillery Street Plant Co), which has developed a great following over the years and has become a destination for plant enthusiasts. The Garden Design Studio is a vertically integrated design/build firm, in that we subcontract very few things. We handle design, masonry, planting, drainage, all types of wood and steel construction and now even swimming pools in-house. In 2014, I opened a Dallas office and that continues to build an enthusiastic following. I’m fortunate to have a talented and loyal team of artists, designers and craftspeople and I absolutely love what I do.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Like most businesses, we’ve had challenges, to be sure. I think the most obvious was in 2008 and the few years after that. The downturn ravaged so many Austin businesses and we were no exception. It was the worst experience in business that I’ve been through, but like so many others, we bootstrapped, got lean and found our way through it. And when the smoke had cleared we were able to start building back to a size that made sense for us. I’m forever grateful to the clients, colleagues and staff that stuck with us through those years.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I believe our structure and the scope of work we are able to deliver is somewhat unique, in that we are able to address and define ‘landscape architecture’ in the most comprehensive sense. I think that stems from my background in architecture, the nursery industry and construction. We’re able to design and construct anything ‘off the slab’ in residential architecture – and do it almost fully in-house. This keeps the project from getting segmented into disparate design philosophies. As an example, it’s not unusual to find a project where the pool contractor designs the pool and maybe the lighting designer designs the lighting and the landscape firm really handles the planting. I find that challenging in terms of creating a landscape that is really integrated. Each of these spaces/elements should be intertwined with each other – both from a design philosophy standpoint, but also a construction standpoint. We approach our projects with that in mind and try to deliver cohesive results. We also work closely with architects, to insure that the blending of our disciplines is seamless and complementary.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
I think it’s a combination of things – we all want beautiful projects and happy clients. I also believe firmly in the value of happy employees and a good work environment. I don’t micromanage people and I’m not ‘bottom line driven’. I’d rather have us take our time to deliver something exceptional than to rush through a project just to get to the next one.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gardendesignstuido.us
Image Credits
Jessica Mims
