By Kate Abney

Although not an artist himself, Steve Nygren–founder of Serenbe, the bucolic new-urbanism community in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia–is a person who trusts artists and artisans implicitly. His vision for the design of Serenbe’s bustling new commercial center, One Mado, involved anchoring the property with an architectural feature as symbolic as it is eye-catching. “I wanted a staircase placed front and center to encourage movement throughout the building,” Nygren says. “I envisioned a symbol of vitality and life, so I chose a tree motif with a fountain as the base.” Here, we explore the roles of three local creatives who worked to bring the idea to fruition.