Lew Oliver, Principal of Lew Oliver Inc., is an Atlanta-based urbanist, master planner, and designer with more than a decade of experience in advancing New Urbanism and residential design. He envisions, designs, and implements entire towns. He is celebrated for extraordinary attention paid to form, detail, and proportion, making for beautiful, innovative designs. He curates versatile building typologies and highly marketable plans with timeless exteriors. Master plans by Oliver are designed with each community’s values, local vernacular, and climate in mind. He focuses on the pedestrian experience in each of his site plans, making paramount the physiological and psychological wellness of residents. Each of his plans considers how to enrich the landscape.
Oliver is a preferred design consultant of renowned Duany Plater-Zyberk, having undertaken over 40 charrettes internationally. One of his favorite charrettes that his design hand and leadership was involved with includes the Scottish Sustainable Community Initiative, where he helped plan the first extension of Edinburgh since 1805. He especially emphasized the design of housing, building types, and facades that were highly responsive to Scotland’s historic architecture. He was instrumental in the design and development of Trilith (GA), Hartness (SC), Southlands (BC), Vickery (GA), Rosemary Beach (FL), Celebration (FL), Serenbe (GA), Lost Rabbit (MS), Village at Hendrix (AK), and more.
Project Samples
Hartness
Greenville, SC | Town Planner
Trilith
Fayetteville, GA | Town Planner
Village at Hendrix
Conway, AR | Town Urbanist
Mineral de Posos Master Plan
Mexico | Master Planner + Residential Designer
Serenbe
Atlanta, GA | Town Urbanist
Tornagrain, Ladyfield, Grandview, Lochgelly, for the Scottish Sustainable Communities Initiative
Scotland | Designer, + DPZ Team Member
Patrick Square, Clemson, SC
Clemson, SC | Town Urbanist + Residential Blocks Designer
Las Catalinas
Costa Rica | Charrette Leader
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Georgia Institute of Technology
AFFILIATIONS
The Charter of the New Urbanism (CNU)
The National Association of Town Builders (NTBA)
ACCOLADES
New Urban Guild 2023: Design Excellence: Urban Design for Trilith
Best in America Living (BALA) Awards 2020
twenty-five 2020 OBIE winners
Atlanta Magazine’s Atlanta Groundbreakers of 2017
Coastal Living’s Ultimate Designer Beach House at Rosemary Beach
Southern Living’s Inspiration House at Cedar Bluff Congress for the New Urbanism Charter Awards
Best in American Living (BALA) Awards
Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association Awards
ULI Development of Excellence Award (Vickery)
The Atlanta Regional Commission Development of Excellence Award (Woodstock)
Award of Merit, Goldnugget Awards (Pacific Northwest)