April is World Landscape Architecture Month! To join the American Society of Landscape Architects ‘ celebration, several of our Landscape Architects share about their design inspiration, community projects, light bulb moments, industry trends, and more.
How do you draw design inspiration and what is your absolute favorite space?
“What inspires me changes depending on the day or project at hand. I love going to public parks and experiencing new spaces. My favorite spaces are those that are untouched and not yet designed.”
Austin Powers Landscape Architect, Dallas
“The fun part about landscape architecture is that design inspiration can come from anywhere or anyone . In everyday life, you might be inspired by a grand entry to a building you’ve never seen before, an interesting detail that forces you to investigate, or most often, great work accomplished by my partners here at Kimley-Horn.”
Anne DeBoard Landscape Architect, Phoenix
“My approach to planning and design is grounded in discovering what the community wants and needs . Community engagement is an important part of the process. I believe strongly in applying placemaking principles and having the work be as authentic as possible. To accomplish this, I do some digging into the roots of a place, ask its residents to share stories, and seek to learn about its history. To me, projects are successful when the design solution is so intrinsic to a community that it couldn’t be replicated anywhere else.”
Daniel Grove Landscape Architect, Chicago
“I keep a mental catalog of places and spaces I’ve seen or been to over the years, and I often think through those experiences and pull on what might work for the design assignment at hand. Considering the surroundings —architecture, community, and potential users of the space—helps you tailor the design direction. My favorite space is probably Balboa Park in San Diego. I’m always amazed to look across the park and see how many people use the space in so many different ways all at the same time. There’s something for everyone.”
Michael Madsen Landscape Architect, San Diego
How would you describe the Landscape Architecture culture at Kimley-Horn?
“Holistic.
Austin Powers Landscape Architect, Dallas
“Diverse and flexible.
Anne DeBoard Landscape Architect, Phoenix
“Problem-solvers.
Daniel Grove Landscape Architect, Chicago
“Diverse.
Michael Madsen Landscape Architect, San Diego
How has a project you’re excited about positively impacted the community?
“For the past 15 years, Kimley-Horn has served as the lead master planner and designer for all City of Dallas aquatic facilities. In 2011, we were selected to do a city-wide aquatics master plan which called for 10 aquatic facilities. More than half of the facilities have been built at this time, and several are under construction. The City of Dallas’s investment improves its residents’ quality of life with activities such as learn-to-swim classes, programs for the elderly, and affordable options for all, regardless of income.”
Austin Powers Landscape Architect, Dallas
“I enjoy multi-use-paths and trails projects. Many times, these projects include theming or branding opportunities, rest node amenities like shade structures and seating, and of course, landscape. One recently completed project that I really enjoyed working on is the Highline Canal Multi-Use-Path . As someone who enjoys using our area multi-use paths, I see these as a great amenity and an opportunity to get our communities out for a walk or on a bike ride, exploring a different side of our cities. “
Anne DeBoard Landscape Architect, Phoenix
“I’m excited to be providing services for Courtland Commons in Mundelein, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago. After some bad flooding a few years ago, they decided to implement a stormwater detention facility in an area walkable from downtown. We were asked to help with designing a civic space at the edge of the stormwater facility, incorporating placemaking, tying this new area into the rest of downtown, and referencing some of the local history. There’s an old industrial building in this lot that was used to manufacture Washburn Guitars, and before that, a manufacturing of picture frames. When designing the space, we drew inspiration from the guitars and picture frames, including paving bands along a formal promenade that look like the frets of a guitar and a stage element with a series of frame structures. The design is authentic to Mundelein’s history and will provide a space for the community to come together. “
Daniel Grove Landscape Architect, Chicago
“I’m really excited to be working on the City of Hollister’s 50-acre community park. There’s nothing like it in the area. The park will provide a place for the community to gather for sporting and community events, attract area sports teams to compete, bring in a revenue stream, and help bring more attention to the City.”
Michael Madsen Landscape Architect, San Diego
Have you ever had a light bulb moment in a park or public space that sparked creativity or changed the way you plan or design?
“Yes, almost every time I’m in one! Design is about continuously searching for new solutions. I strive to keep up with how spaces are used, incorporate new technology, and think about what’s next.”
Austin Powers Landscape Architect, Dallas
“Maybe not one moment, but I will say every time I have a project go to construction, I learn a little bit more about the details and what works or doesn’t work. That knowledge is critical to evolving and improving the way we approach design.”
Anne DeBoard Landscape Architect, Phoenix
While no one moment comes to mind, I try to take small lessons from everything I do , I keep my eyes open when I travel, and I always think about how things work and come together.
Daniel Grove Landscape Architect, Chicago
“Definitely. Observing how people use and interact with the design elements is often very different than how we, as designers, imagined they would be used. This constantly helps us fine tune our designs to lead to better implementation.”
Michael Madsen Landscape Architect, San Diego
The Landscape Architecture industry is in a constant state of change. What trends or topics are you tracking or preparing for now?
“More and more, we’re pushing innovation and coming up with new, more efficient ways to do old things. As time goes on, and with the introduction of things like social media, we’ve seen people approaching social interactions differently. The work we do is designing for those future interactions.”
Austin Powers Landscape Architect, Dallas
“Sustainability is a long-term trend that continues to be important. To that end, I have become more involved in incorporating low impact development (LID) practices into my work.”
Anne DeBoard Landscape Architect, Phoenix
“There’s a lot of discussion around the notion of third spaces. If your first space is your home, and your second space is your place of work, third spaces are all the other places you spend time in. These used to only be places like churches, social clubs, and bowling leagues, but over time large portions of the population have drifted away from those entities and other spaces like Starbucks or your local coffee shop are filling that need. Third spaces are critical for community well-being and social cohesion. Right now, I’m preparing for how outdoor spaces like parks, plazas, and streetscapes can meet these needs of society, and how placemaking can play a role.”
Daniel Grove Landscape Architect, Chicago
“Climate change, specifically sea level rise , is probably the biggest consideration in every design from irrigation/water use to the choice of plant material to sustainability and long-term maintenance of the site. Design codes aren’t always aligned with this current issue, so our challenge is to be forward-thinking and come up with innovative solutions.”
Michael Madsen Landscape Architect, San Diego
If you could share one piece of knowledge about Landscape Architecture, what would it be?
“The Landscape Architecture profession is growing, and people are increasingly understanding our role and the importance of it better than they ever have before. I can’t imagine a world without the placemaking Landscape Architecture provides.”
Austin Powers Landscape Architect, Dallas
“My practice extends into the public and private sector and I thoroughly enjoy both. It can be a challenge sometimes to quickly switch hats, but I love the diversity of work that it brings me.”
Anne DeBoard Landscape Architect, Phoenix
“Landscape Architects are problem-solvers and look at things differently. We’re extremely focused on weaving social and community value throughout our work. We think about how projects look and feel and the impact they’ll have on communities. While we often are brought in to provide the finishing touches to a project, our unique perspectives can generate value to clients, developers, and communities from the very start of a project, improving quality of life and helping with economic development.”
Daniel Grove Landscape Architect, Chicago
Michael Madsen Landscape Architect, San Diego
*In light of the current pandemic, please be mindful of social distancing & shelter-in-place guidance from the CDC and local officials.
