1
2024-2025
This research project seeks to understand how knowledge about ecosystem succession and decolonizing design can influence our planting designs in urban settings, and how Landscape Architects can use that knowledge to prepare us to design urban landscapes that perform over time.
The research examines institutional, industrial, and multi-family residential spaces and how they may be designed for maximum longevity and for ecological & aesthetic success. Historically, most landscape architectural designs look to freeze the landscape in time. Landscape Architects need more information about how to integrate ongoing management techniques and systems into their design deliverables. On other projects, clients are often not satisfied with the landscape aesthetic that may be part and parcel of an ecological landscape design. This project seeks new approaches or paradigms for successful and beautiful ecological planting designs.
The approach to this project includes a literature review, a comparative case study, interviews, and mentorship training. The research findings are to be communicated via a research report, a publication, and in-person or online presentation.
Recipient of the 2023 Robert N. Allsopp Urban Design Fellowship.
2
2023-2024
A collaboration between Prospect & Refuge Landscape Architects, Modern Formline Design, and Ron Hart Architecture. We are exploring how decolonization influences the design process, and how the new approach addresses social and environmental challenges such as local climate conditions and community health.
This is an applied-research case study of a new supportive housing site for BC Housing on Matsqui and Sumas First Nations. Research methodology includes interviews, workshops, and theoretical research.
The outcome will be an illustrated article and virtual presentation, targeting designers and clients who seek inclusive, equitable, and creative approaches to design.
Awarded the Landscape Architecture Canada Foundation research grant.
3
2015
Urban ecological restoration is a discipline that shares a knowledge base with landscape architecture. This project carefully studies the crossover between the design processes of landscape architecture and restoration ecology, intending to find where there can be increased sharing of ecological information that may be useful to the landscape design process.
This project is a case study for a landscape design process in an urban setting. The case study follows a design exercise through several stages in ecological restoration, with the final outcome of an exemplary urban design for ecological function. This project may contribute to the fields of landscape architecture and ecological restoration by contributing toward the development of a new system or process for ecologically-functioning urban landscape design. At a minimum, this work can offer several criteria that may be added to the landscape architecture design process for increased ecological success.
Published in EcoRestoration No. 1 (2015): Spring.