When design matters.

terra firma landscape architecture has been established in Portsmouth, NH and serving the Seacoast New Hampshire, Maine, and southern New England since 1993. We specialize in landscape architectural aspects of site design such as urban gathering spaces and parks, custom residential projects, commercial properties of all kinds, streetscapes as green infrastructure, garden design, playgrounds and schoolyards, and recently memorial design.

We believe that landscapes reflect the vison and values of those that inhabit them.

Recent Projects

Furniture hand carved from boulders with fire pit. Seacoast NH residence.

Recent News & Announcements

May 8, 2018Awarded Foundry Garage Art Installation

Terrence Parker presented his sculpture concept to the Portsmouth City Council after being awarded the majority of the budget on the first ever “1% for the arts” commission at the new Foundry Parking Garage in Portsmouth, NH. This sculpture refers to the long history of industrial development and innovation in the area on the south side of the North Mill Pond adjacent to the existing railroad tracks. The sculptural elements consist of 3 giant steel hammer-heads working with an oversized steel pulley wheel and railroad tracks. The history of Portsmouth’s forges and foundries that made hand-tools and the machines powering the industrial revolution is made relevant by the use of the iconic hammer, which resembles a human figure when detached from its handle. This interpretive sculpture captures the zeitgeist of the work experience of former and current circumstances.  … Read More …

February 25, 2018Foundry Garage Finalist

Terrence's conceptual design for the Foundry Garage art installation was chosen as one of five finalists/ Visit http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20180212/portsmouth-parking-garage-art-project-finalists-named to learn more about the project and the design finalists. His submission can be viewed here: http://art-speak.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Proposal-D-Hammer-Concept.pdf … Read More …

October 22, 2017Intent to Burn: Sculpture for Community Fires

The FireCage series, designed by Terrence Parker, landscape artist, puts the heat back in the fire and the atmosphere in the gathering a fire can create. Built like it was conceived and constructed in the Dark Ages, these sculptural devices cage the fire when in-use and rekindle the memory of the flame when idle. Wood Stacks easy. Burns hot. The hand-forged steel by master Portsmouth blacksmith—Peter Happny--who is an innovative leader in contemporary blacksmithing--bends and hammers the steel to his will. All models are built for decades of use: think long-term Infrastructure. Real fire-Contained. Like the first ancient spark. https://atmosfirecages.com/  … Read More …