Our Mission
To elevate the site design experience through full commitment to our people, our clients, our plans, and our communities.
Our Vision
To be the most exceptional site design firm in every community we serve.
Our Values
+ Passion
+ Collaboration
+ Quality
+ Care
Our Commitments
Commitment to our people: We strive to elevate the site design experience for our people by focusing on care, respect, integrity, collaboration, mentorship, training, resources, events, and fun. This is our culture.
Commitment to our clients: We strive to elevate the site design experience for our clients by focusing on the following: working as a team, understanding the vision, providing realistic schedules, designing creative solutions, engineering functional plans, producing quality work, and embracing a high level of collaboration and care throughout the process.
Commitment to our communities: An elevated site design experience means being proud of the places we design and the communities we help build and enjoy. Seeing our designs come to life is a rewarding experience in itself. However, we also give back to our communities through service positions, charitable gifts, sponsorships, and numerous organized volunteer efforts each year.
Commitment to our plans: Providing an elevated site design experience means focusing on the quality of our design and deliverables. Creating a solid set of plans elevates the site design experience for our people, our clients, the review agencies, and the contractors on the job. We strive to approach each job with a high level of care, utilizing quality control processes, strong coordination practices, and cutting edge design tools to deliver a set of plans we are proud to stand behind.
Our History
When Landscape Architect Kenny Seamon & Civil Engineer Stuart Whiteside created a business partnership in 1985, the result was SW+, the only company in Charleston offering both services under one roof. This unique mix worked, and soon after, Landscape Architect Lee Gastley was hired.
With the goal of being the best design firm in the region, the SW+ leadership team continues to attract the brightest talent, each with a unique expertise in one of the many facets of land design.
Now with 200+ employees, and offices in Mount Pleasant, Greenville, Summerville, and Spartanburg, SC as well as Charlotte, and Raleigh, NC, SW+ inspires employees to stand behind its tagline, elevating the site design experience.
Passion for Sustainability
Sustainable communities balance social, environmental, and economic resilience, and we play a key role in making that happen. Our comprehensive approach to site design and diverse portfolio of projects work together to support each pillar of sustainability in the communities we serve.
From mixed-use developments and neighborhoods to shopping centers, resorts, offices, industrial sites, healthcare facilities, parks, and recreation, we design places where people and environments thrive together.
We’re just as focused on the details. Resilient design approaches in master planning, flood studies, grading, stream restoration, tree preservation, and thoughtful planting designs are core to our process. We also bring sustainability to life through rain gardens, water reuse systems, level spreaders, pervious hardscapes, native planting, locally sourced materials, and the incorporation of art.
True sustainability is in both the big picture and the fine print and we’re passionate about both.
Our Founders
Kenny Seamon, FASLA
Like many of the landscape architects at SW+, Kenny graduated the University of Georgia. After graduating from college, he worked in both Atlanta and Nashville before making the move to Charleston. In 1982, Kenny and Stuart Whiteside, coworkers at a large design firm, decided to venture out on their own. Partnering with a local architect they established their own practice. In 1985, they realigned the firm as a partnership of Landscape Architecture and Civil Engineering and never looked back.
Kenny was beloved by many for his big heart, easy going personality, caring nature, and skill for building meaningful relationships. Kenny treated his employees and his clients like family and lived by the mantra “you can catch more flies with honey”. Outside of work, Kenny was committed to making memories with his wife and three sons, as well as coaching soccer, hunting turkeys, and riding dirt bikes. While Kenny may have passed on in 2016, his legacy lives on at SW+ through our memories and the company’s core values.
Mr. Seamon passed in 2016.
Stuart Whiteside, PE
Stuart is the Principal-in-Charge of SW+. He holds a master and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Clemson University and is a registered Professional Engineer. After a number of years working at an area design firm, Stuart agreed with friend and soon to be partner Kenny Seamon, that they needed to go out on their own. Today, SW+ is one of the most respected civil engineering/ landscape architectural design firms in the Southeast. In addition to his daily office responsibilities, Stuart is active in a number of community based professional organizations, particularly the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. In 2013, Stuart was named Chairman of Board of the Chamber. Since fulfilling that year long commitment he has continued to be an active member of the Chamber. Stuart’s favorite pastime is without a doubt, golf. When he isn’t hanging out with family or going to a Clemson football game, you may find him playing one of Charleston’s beautiful courses.
swhiteside@seamonwhiteside.com
How We Work
There is a big difference in how engineers and landscape architects visualize a project. We approach every plan from both points of view, working together with our Client to create a successfully integrated venture.
In our world, that's a good thing.
Green Square drives positive change through three pillars: Education, Wellness, and Vibrancy. We support local students with STEM and urban development programs, promote health through heart health, brain tumor research, and access to healthy food and healthcare, and enhance community vibrancy with urban greening, land restoration, and affordable housing efforts. Together, we build a healthier, more sustainable future.
