Each year, we’re proud to showcase our award-winning projects, which reflect not only our high standards but also the hard work and skill of our teams. Award projects are recognized for their complexity and visual appeal, judged by industry professionals based on detailed narratives and high-quality photos. Preparing for these awards is a team effort, requiring input from across our organization—from gathering statistics to preparing sites for photos and crafting narratives. However, the true effort happens every day as our teams transform each site through skilled work and dedication. Thank you to everyone involved—from project managers to crew members—for making these achievements possible. Your commitment and excellence are what allow us to shine, both in awards and in all that we do. Keep up the outstanding work, and thank you for all that you do!
The following projects were recognized in the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) 2024 Awards of Excellence and the Landscape Contractors Association (LCA) 2024 Excellence in Landscape Awards.
Metropolitan Park Terraces
Location: Arlington, VA
Maintained By: Virginia Installation Branch
Awards Won: NALP Gold Award & Judges Choice Award/LCA Grand Award
Category: Commercial Landscape Construction
Description: METs is a 2.1 million-square-foot office development serving as Amazon’s headquarters, featuring two 22-story buildings, 65,000 square feet of street-level retail, and nearly four acres of public spaces. Amazon and its project partners prioritized sustainability, making innovative choices to reduce construction carbon impacts and optimize building operations.
Scope: This project involved installing 20 terraces (half of which were occupied) from levels 3 to 22 of the office buildings. Key elements included 18,375 drainage cells, 4,200 SF of drainage mat, 6,300 CF of polystyrene, 22,500 SF of geotextile, 1,300 CY of green roof soil, an irrigation system, and nearly 70,000 SF of landscaping. We incorporated 60 fiberglass planters, 10 wooden benches, dog relief stations, granite boulders, and a variety of aggregates, rocks, and mulch. The landscaping included 74,000 perennials, 600 shrubs, and dozens of trees to bring this green space to life.
Thank you to the following Ruppert team members for your hard work on this project: Lou LaBonte, Cale Bowers, Don Branch, Raquel Del Cid, Kim Biche, Kurt Siemon
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Duke Health Bed Tower & Karsh Alumni Center
Location: Durham, NC
Maintained By: Durham (NC) Maintenance Branch
Awards Won: NALP Gold Award/LCA Grand Award
Category: Commercial Landscape Maintenance
Description: Duke University, a private research institution in Durham, NC, was endowed by James B. Duke in 1924 with a vision for both top-tier education and a beautiful, expansive campus. As the campus evolves, all development aligns with the master plan’s goals to enhance the campus’s physical and visual character. Two notable areas we maintain are the Duke Health Bed Tower space and the Karsh Alumni Center.
Scope: Ruppert helps Duke achieve its goals through a high standard of maintenance, which includes flower beds, trees, and turf, including care of approximately 30,000 perennials/grasses, 1200 shrubs, 1.5 acres of turf, 110,000 SF of bed space, over 200 trees, and irrigation system management.
Thank you to the following Ruppert team members for your hard work on this project: Donald Morgan, Ben Ramos, Kevin Wetzonis
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Alief Park
Location: Houston, TX
Maintained By: Texas Installation Branch
Awards Won: NALP Gold Award/LCA Grand Award
Category: Commercial Landscape Construction
Description: The Alief Neighborhood Center and Park in West Houston reopened in January 2023, serving one of the city’s most diverse communities. This reimagined 38-acre civic center combines multiple city departments within a redeveloped urban sports park featuring a skatepark, sports courts, playgrounds, soccer fields, a pool, and a rock-climbing wall. Designed for resilience, the park also manages floodwaters with tree canopies and pathways that guide visitors while addressing Houston’s flood challenges.
Scope: This project involved preparing over 17 acres by clearing existing vegetation, grading, amending soil, and adding new soil. We seeded and sodded 17.3 acres, installed 1,300 SF of subslab, 6,500 SF of pavers, 87 tons of gravel, and 4,850 SF of soil separator fabric, along with a $460,000 irrigation system. Additional features included 600 SF of synthetic turf, playground equipment, 2,200 SF of wood fiber paths, 670 CY of mulch, 12,000 groundcover plants, 6,600 shrubs, and 830 trees.
Thank you to the following Ruppert team members for your hard work on this project: Jonathan Branco, Delana Jackson-Parker, April Rose, Jack Jones
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The Baltimore Peninsula
Location: Baltimore, MD
Maintained By: Maryland Installation Branch
Awards Won: NALP Gold Award/LCA Grand Award
Category: Commercial Landscape Construction
Description: The Baltimore Peninsula project is a 177-acre waterfront redevelopment in Baltimore, aimed at creating an inclusive, impact-driven community. One of the largest urban revitalizations in the U.S., it will ultimately feature up to 14 million square feet of mixed-use development, 2.5 miles of restored waterfront, and 40 acres of green space. Phase 1, completed in 2023, included five buildings and 10 acres of parks and public spaces, with enhanced pedestrian access and ecological features to promote stewardship of the Baltimore waterfront.
Scope: The overall scope of this project included the excavation and removal of 750 truckloads of soil and the installation of 9500 LF of storm water management drainage pipe connecting 125 micro-bioretention pits; 90,000 SF of pavers; 24,000 SF of asphalt setting bed for roadway pavers; 125 tons of decomposed granite; 7500 CY of engineered soils; 2100 shrubs; 24,850 perennials; 84,000 bulbs; 250 CY of mulch; 298 large caliper trees and 8500 silva cells.
Thank you to the following Ruppert team members for your hard work on this project: Darrin Middleton, Michael White, Ethan Russell, Casey Cook, Sean Davitt
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Credit One Stadium
Location: Charleston, SC
Maintained By: Charleston Maintenance Branch
Awards Won: NALP Gold Award/LCA Distinction Award
Category: Commercial Landscape Construction
Description: Credit One Stadium, home to the Credit One Charleston Open, underwent a major renovation to improve the guest experience and attract top-tier athletes and performers. The revitalization transformed the venue into a premier space for concerts, shows, and international events, with versatile amenity and support spaces that adapt from day to night. The landscape design enhances the stadium’s aesthetic, featuring a restrained color palette, textured patterns, and elements that honor the beauty of the Lowcountry.
Scope: This site includes 13,500 annuals, 1000 shrubs, 500 perennials, 13 acres of turf, 150 mature trees, two fountains and a pond. Our maintenance care involves pruning, edging, mulching, and mowing along with a turf care program, integrated pest management, tree pruning and fertilization, fountain and pond maintenance, and irrigation management.
Thank you to the following Ruppert team members for your hard work on this project: Jordan Powell, Crisler Vaughn, Andrew Kreminski
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Downtown Cary Park
Location: Raleigh, NC
Maintained By: North Carolina Installation Branch
Awards Won: NALP Gold Award/LCA Grand Award
Category: Commercial Landscape Construction
Description: Showcasing the extraordinary natural beauty native to North Carolina and the Piedmont, this downtown park balances active programming with a unique botanical experience that prioritizes sustainability. Shade gardens, perennial gardens, wetland and aquatic plantings, pollinator gardens, native meadows, and many more plant communities are on display throughout the seasons. A series of outdoor rooms are woven together by multi-dimensional vantage points, including elevated walkways, meandering paths and water features that take advantage of the change in grade across the site.
Scope: To complete this project we excavated 20,000 yards of existing soil, and installed 8000 tons of drainage stone, 3100 SF of stabilized stone dust, 1700 SF of decorative gravel, 300 tons of river rock, 3250 SF of decomposed granite, 5000 CY of sand (drainage layer), 2300 SF of metal edging, an irrigation system with over 107,000 LF of lines, 8600 LF of subdrainage, a significant amount of site amenities, a dog park and splash pad, 8000 SF of artificial turf, 13000 CY of soil, one acre of sod, 49,000 perennials, 7300 shrubs and 830 trees.
Thank you to the following Ruppert team members for your hard work on this project: Ed Wood, Brad Carper, Hunter Neilsen, Dan Flake, Angela Howes