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The Pandemic Kicked Cars Off Some Streets. 2022 Could Be The Year They’re Banned Permanently

by Nate Berg On the corner of 9th Avenue and Little West 12th Street in Manhattan, a large hexagonal steel planter holds [...]

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by Jared Green In the final decades of the 19th century, the new art of landscape architecture was born, [...]

The Built Environment Impacts Our Health and Happiness More Than We Know

by Jared Green People living in dense cities are among the least happy. Their rates of depression are 40 percent [...]

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Upcoming Events

Lunch with Leaders – Industry Icons Olmsted 200: Planning and Design of the Stanford Campus with Cathy Blake

February 2 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

In this year of honoring Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200th birthday, this presentation will focus on how Stanford University is building on the Olmsted legacy in historic and contemporary design.

ASLA-NCC Sharks Hockey Night

March 18 @ 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Please join us for the fifth annual ASLA-NCC Sharks Hockey Night at the SAP Center in San Jose on Friday, March 18th. Our San Jose Sharks are playing against Colorado [...]

Annual Meeting and Awards Presentation

April 21 @ 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Save the date to join friends and colleagues as we honor the winners of the 2022 ASLA-NCC Professional and Student Awards program. Details will be announced soon.

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In this year of honoring Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200th birthday, this presentation will focus on how Stanford University is building on the Olmsted legacy in historic and contemporary design.

Cathy Blake has been active in Landscape Architecture for 40 years, the past 25 as the Stanford University Landscape Architect and Director of Campus Planning. The white paper Blake wrote is the guiding philosophy for landscape within University’s central campus. She is responsible for bridging the campus’s Frederick Law Olmsted and Thomas Church heritages with modern designers, environmental concerns, and significant circulation and infrastructure improvements.

Register with the link in our bio!

#thisislandscapearchitecture #aslancc #asla

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Meet the Bay Area LARC team and see what’s on our shelves!
LARC Team recommendations:
📕Attracting Native Pollinators by The Xerces Society //
Colette Curran is a landscape designer at Questa Engineering Corp., and is passionate about ecological restoration.
📗The Inspired Landscape by Susan Cohen //
Yuki Igarashi is a landscape designer with RRM Design Group.
📘Botanicum curated by Katie Scott and Kathy Willis //
Jin McFarland is a landscape designer in Berkeley, CA.

**COMING SOON**
The Bay Area LARC has been working on a new ASLA NCC webpage where all of the resources we have gathered (including our previous posts and more) are readily available. Stay tuned!

Visit our linktree to submit your recommendations to be added to the list, or to see previous features and more! https://linktr.ee/BayAreaLARC #BayAreaLARC #ASLANCC #ASLA #landscapearchitectureresources

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To Celebrate Pride Month, the Bay Area Landscape Architecture Resources Community is featuring the Citywide Historic Context Statement for LGBTQ History in San Francisco by Donna J. Graves & Shayne E. Watson. This detailed guide highlights a variety of influential people, places, and movements and offers suggestions for preserving LBGTQ historic places.

This resource can be downloaded for free (see our LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/BayAreaLARC)!
The slides on this post highlight people, places, events, and suggestions described in Graves’ and Watson’s guide.

Are there any places, people, or events in the Bay Area that have played a role in the LGBTQ movement in the Bay Area that you would like to share? Have you noticed public spaces being used this month to celebrate Pride Month in the Bay Area?

#BayAreaLARC #ASLANCC #ASLA #PrideMonth #landscapearchitecture

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Honoring and uplifting the JOY that this holiday represents.

Texas was the last Confederate territory reached by the Union army. On June 19, 1865—Juneteenth—U.S. Army general Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to proclaim the war had ended and so had slavery in the Confederate states. This was two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

The first known Juneteenth celebrations began in 1866 and spread across the country as African Americans migrated to other parts of the country.

Today we celebrate.

In addition to celebrations, Juneteenth is a time for reflection, and conversation, reflecting on equality, while also showing up for our black brothers and sisters. Supporting black businesses, designers, literature by black artists, donating to organizations are just a few ways to celebrate.

How are you celebrating? We would love to hear about it.

Happy Juneteenth!

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Happy #PRIDE to all of our ASLA-NCC affiliates. We know pride is more than a rainbow- it is progressive + inclusive. Freedom from judgement. Acceptance. And most importantly, L-O-V-E. 🌈♥️

This month we honor those who were part of the Stonewall riots, and the positive impact LGBTQI+ people have had on the world. Let’s win against prejudice and discrimination everywhere.

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In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, the Bay Area LARC is sharing information about the Therapeutic Landscapes Network @healinglandscapes (TLN), an international organization that provides resources on designing green spaces that benefit people’s health and wellbeing.

Spending time outdoors has been proven to have numerous mental health benefits including reducing stress and increasing happiness. Through landscape design, we can create therapeutic outdoor spaces for people of all ages that will greatly benefit people’s mental health.

If you are interested in learning more about therapeutic landscapes and are looking for a place to start, check out the TLN’s “If You Only Read Five” book list. If you would like to dive deeper into therapeutic landscape design, the TLN’s resources list is packed with informative resources. The TLN also has a list of healthcare gardens and a list of community gardens around the world! See our LinkTree for links to these pages.

How have outdoor spaces benefited your mental health? What are your favorite therapeutic gardens or landscapes? Do you have any favorite resources on therapeutic landscaping?

#BayAreaLARC #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #ASLANCC #TLN #TherapeuticLandscapes #mentalhealthmeetslandscape

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ASLA-NCC Emerging Professionals and Student Committee is excited to host a virtual event titled Convo With Kona on Tuesday, May 18th from 5-6 PM PDT.

On Wednesday, May 5th, Kona Gray did a lecture hosted by Stanford University titled Democratic Ground: Discovering Equity In The Landscape. Kona shared a call to action for fellow designers to come together to reinvent the practice of design. With his long-term commitment and support to students and emerging professionals, we are excited to have Kona back with a follow-up discussion on his presentation and engage with our Emerging Professionals and Students through questions and conversation.

Join us as we continue the conversation together and discuss the importance of fostering cultural diversity in design towards curating the public realm to take care of the needs of humanity and nature. Register today and share with friends and colleagues. Link in bio.

Kona Gray, FASLA, PLA, Principal at EDSA
As a firm leader with 27-years of experience in 30+ countries, his global design and management sense has positively shaped the outcomes of many environments. His portfolio includes large-scale planning and detailed site design with emphasis on communities, parks, hospitality, urban and campus environments that solve meaningful issues. Currently, he serves as ASLA Representative to the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board and recently served as ASLA Vice President Professional Practice. He is a Past President of the Landscape Architecture Foundation and active member of the Urban Land Institute. Kona earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Georgia.

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In celebration of World Landscape Architecture Month and EARTH month, the Bay Area Landscape Architecture Resources Community (LARC) is sharing resources on designing Bay-Friendly landscapes and examples of Bay-Friendly landscapes.

What are Bay-Friendly landscapes?
The Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines were created by Stop-Waste.Org, a public agency that works to reduce waste in Alameda County, and are now managed by the nonprofit organization, Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Garden Coalition.

What are the characteristics of Bay-Friendly landscapes?
Whether designing a private or public landscape, to become a certified Bay-Friendly landscape, seven best practices must be implemented (pages 10 and 11 of the Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines):
Landscape locally
Landscape for less to the landfill
Nurture the soil
Conserve water
Conserve energy
Protect water and air quality
Create and protect wildlife habitat
The Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines lists actions that can be taken to design a space that follows the seven best practices and includes a scoreboard that can be used to determine if your landscape is Bay-Friendly.

Examples of Bay-Friendly Landscapes:
951 Turner Court (WRECO)
Emeryville Greenway @callander_associates
San Lorenzo Community Park @rrmdesigngroup
Wildcat Creek Daylighting @restorationdesigngroup

#worldlandscapearchitecturemonth #wlam #Earthmonth #BayAreaLARC #LandscapeArchitecture #Resource #BayAreaProjects #Bayfriendlylandscapes #NativePlanting #RescapeCalifornia #SustainableLandscapes

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Happy #earthday from your Northern California ASLA Executive Committee. Let’s continue to roll up our sleeves for our wonderful blue marble.

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Bay Area LARC Resource Recommendation Spotlight: Patricia Algara, BASE Landscape Architecture

📒Pollinator Patch and Garden Manual
📕The Secret Life of Plants
📗The Shamanic Way of the Bee
📘Song of Increase

Patricia is dedicated to create and share knowledge to foster a resilient future. She co-published the Pollinator Patch and Garden Manual for English and Spanish speakers to illustrate the processes, challenges, and benefits of creating environmental and social resilience in the urban and suburban setting to help address the disappearance of pollinators.

BASE is a Woman & Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (WMBE) and a Local Business Enterprise (LBE) in San Francisco, with another office in Portland, Oregon. We have a diverse team and a strong commitment to providing mentorship and internship opportunities, as well as empowering young women into leadership.

https://linktr.ee/bayarealarc
#BayAreaLARC #RecommendationSpotlight #LandscapeArchitecture

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In honor of Women’s History Month, The Bay Area Landscape Architecture Resources Community (LARC) is sharing resources focused on women landscape architects.

Our first Women’s History Month spotlight resource is the documentary, Beatrix Farrand’s American Landscapes, produced by Lauren DeFilippo and Amanda Pollak. This film tells the story of Beatrix Farrand, a landscape architect who was the only female founding member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. The film describes Farrand’s passion for creating public gardens and tours several of the places she designed including gardens at Dumbarton Oaks and Princeton University.

Check out our Linktree (linktr.ee.com/BayAreaLARC) to learn more about this film or scroll through the pictures on this post to see some of the gardens that Farrand helped design.

Are you familiar with any of Beatrix Farrand’s designs? If so, do you have any favorite(s)? Have you visited any of the gardens that she designed? Please let us know in the comments!

#BayAreaLARC #ASLANCC #WomensHistoryMonth #BeatrixFarrand

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Engaging with community members is crucial in creating landscape designs. One proposed design that has received both positive and negative feedback is the New Harvey Milk Plaza in San Francisco. The existing plaza was designed in the 1970s. Several years after the assassination of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay U.S. official and an influential civil rights movement leader, the plaza was named in honor of Milk. ⁠ ⁠
In order to create an inclusive community space that represents Harvey Milk, the new design integrates more gathering spaces, symbolic planting, a new elevator, and an exhibition space where people can be inspired by Harvey’s message of Hope. However, some community members and groups have concerns about this new project and believe that there are other potential sites for an LGBTQ museum that will require no demolition. To learn more about this proposed project, visit https://linktr.ee/BayAreaLARC
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Do you know of any Bay Area landscape architecture projects that have received both positive and negative feedback? What did people like about the design and what were people’s concerns? Were any design revisions made to address the concerns? Please let us know in the comments below!⁠
#BayAreaLARC #landscapearchitecture⁠

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The Bay Area Landscape Architecture Resources Community (LARC) is working on creating a platform that will increase accessibility and awareness of resources related to landscape architecture and provide opportunities for people to connect with others through shared interests. To learn more about the Bay Area LARC, suggest resources, and see our growing list, visit: https://linktr.ee/BayAreaLARC ⁠
Thank you for supporting the Bay Area LARC! ⁠
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In honor of Black History Month, the Bay Area LARC is highlighting Black landscape architects who have made valuable contributions to the landscape architecture profession and have created positive change through landscape design. ⁠
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Walter Hood, a UC Berkeley professor and the owner of Hood Design Studio, is dedicated to designing artistic and cultural landscapes where people can live, work, and play. Hood’s research-focused studio encourages students to discover stories about landscapes and design spaces that reflect the culture and history of the landscape. Hood Design also incorporates research into the design process and has three main focus areas: art + fabrication, design + landscape, and research + urbanism. The Oakland Museum of California, the Bayview Opera House, and the New de Young Museum gardens are three of Hood Design’s outstanding landscape architecture projects. To learn more about Walter Hood and Hood Design Studio, visit the links in our Linktree. ⁠
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Are there any resources on the influence Black people have had on the landscape architecture profession that you would like to share? Please let us know in the comments below!⁠
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#BlackDesignExcellence⁠

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How can we design ecological and climate resilient Bay Area landscapes?⁠
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Thank you for your continued support for our resources list!⁠
The Bay Area Landscape Architecture Resources Community (LARC) is working on creating a platform that will increase accessibility and awareness of resources related to landscape architecture and provide opportunities for people to connect with others through shared interests. We have started a resources list and are looking forward to growing it!⁠
https://linktr.ee/bayarealarc⁠
If you would like to suggest any resources, please fill out the Google Form. If you have ideas for this platform or want to get more involved, feel free to reach out to us at research@asla-ncc.org. ⁠
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The Bay Area is known for its biodiversity and is home to multiple endangered plant and animal species including the salt harvest mouse, Lange’s metalmark butterfly, and California sea blite. Ecosystems throughout the Bay Area are being threatened by climate change, increased fires, and sea level rise. These issues have also had catastrophic consequences on people and communities throughout the Bay Area. Through landscape design, people can create climate resilient spaces that protect people and biodiversity. ⁠
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Resilient by Design, a year-long collaborative design challenge, brought diverse community members together to create Bay Area climate resilient designs. One project, the South Bay Sponge, uses nature and natural systems to create a climate resilient landscape that will cover more than 20 miles of shoreline in Santa Clara County and San Mateo County. This design concept includes ecological edges by cities and opportunities for people to engage with the Bay. Resilient by Design recently created a free book that showcases the work of the 10 teams selected to participate in the Bay Area challenge. See link in the Linktree.⁠
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Are there any ecological and climate resilient Bay Area projects that you would like to share? Have you read any books, articles, research papers, etc. about designing ecological and climate resilient landscapes?⁠

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