Was working on that project the impetus for starting the Astorino subsidiary company called fathom?
A. Yes. I went to my father [Louis Astorino] and said I wanted to start a design research company with the idea of digging deeper into the consumers’ thoughts and feelings for the design. My philosophy is things can be beautiful, but they should be meaningful, too. At fathom, we came up with [research techniques] for other design disciplines including product design, urban design and marketing communications. Our clients included the Veterans Administration medical facilities in Pittsburgh, Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis and an apartment building in New York City. Q. Why did you leave Astorino to start New Dawn Garden Design? A. The work for fathom included a lot of travel. My children are now 4 and 6, so I wanted to create a more balanced life and leave the big firm environment. I’m doing primarily residential gardens but will consult on larger commercial gardens, too. My designs include garden furniture, plants and accessories. I’m paying much closer attention to how a des
