Orlando Firm Celebrates 35 Years

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando’s oldest landscape architectural practice, Foster Conant & Associates (FCA), turns 35 this year.  Established in 1969 by founder Bert T. Foster, many of the area’s leading landscape architects began their careers during the firm’s history.

Established as Bert T. Foster & Associates, the firm had a short transition as Foster Herbert Associates, before taking on its present moniker in 1977.

Foster, who retired in 1994, notes, “I am proud of the legacy that I established,” notes Foster, who retired in 1994. “My desire for quality and love of plants is clearly evident in this firm today.”

Richard R. “Rick” Conant, FASLA, who joined the firm in 1973 after graduating from the University of Florida, became a principal in 1977, assuming managing principal duties in 1988.

“Having begun my career under the mentorship of Bert Foster formed a strong professional work ethic that is firmly engrained in our corporate philosophy today,” Contant says.

For the past two years, FCA has won the highest award given by professional associations in Florida for landscape architecture. In 2003 the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) gave FCA its highest honor, the Frederic B. Stresau Award, for the Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios. In 2002 the Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association (FNGA) gave FCA the Roy S. Rood award for a private residence, and in 2001 FCA was honored by their peers with the “Firm of the Year” award from the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.  FCA has won more than 50 awards in the past 35 years.

FCA is known for its award winning designs for site-specific landscape architecture of large complex projects such as Orlando International Airport, MetroWest, Isleworth, Starwood’s Vistana Resorts, U.S. 192 Streetscape, Valencia Community College, CED Apartments, Team Disney Headquarters, Universal Studios Florida, Discovery Cove-Sea World and Busch Gardens Tampa-Edge of Africa.

The firm continues today through the three key principals of Conant; Keith Oropeza, ASLA, principal in charge of design; and René A. Ramos, ASLA, principal in charge of production.