Landscape architects design and nurture built and natural environments – from residences and parks to campuses and streetscapes – with the goal of strengthening communities by improving human and environmental health. United by that common goal, the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture’s annual Landscape Architecture Days spring lecture series presents a unique opportunity for students, faculty and the local community to learn about the latest thinking and trends in landscape architecture from internationally renowned leaders in the field.
Organized by the CSU Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the 30th annual LA Days program features five speakers at the cutting edge of the profession and represents the broad spectrum of scale and scope that constitutes contemporary practice in landscape architecture.
Anyone interested in the design process, the built environment, cities, fine art, social equity, environmental issues or simply learning about new places and ideas will find these lectures engaging and worthwhile, said Landscape Architecture professor Scott Carman.
“These presentations promise to be fascinating for anyone curious about how the designed environments where we work, live and play come to be,” said Carman.
Among the speakers featured is Marcel Wilson, a graduate of the CSU landscape architecture program and founder and design director of Bionic, a design firm in San Francisco. Bionic has commissioned significant projects for LinkedIn, Google, Genentech, and Zeiss. At the city scale, Wilson is leading the design of the public realm for the City of Sunnyvale and India Basin in San Francisco. The firm has won multiple international design competitions including the Fort Mason Center Public Realm, The Adobe Creek Bridge in Palo Alto, and The Resilient By Design Bay Area Challenge.
All lectures are held at 6 p.m. in Clark A103. Find more information on the LA Days lecture series webpage.
Chris Grubbs, Architectural Illustrator
April 6 | 6 p.m. | Clark A103
Trained as an architect, Chris Grubbs is a renowned illustrator. His love of drawing the world around him and worlds yet to be imagined has led him to unsuspected and significant places. Read more.
Laura Solano, Partner, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
April 10 | 6 p.m. | Clark A103
Laura’s talent as a landscape architect is grounded in her undergraduate study of botany and a deep love of plants. A passion for the materials and building of landscapes as well as an intuitive understanding of plant growth and care guide her work. Read more.
Brie Hensold, Principal and Co-Founder, Agency Landscape + Planning
April 13 | 6 p.m. | Clark A103
Brie Hensold is an urban planner, co-founder and principal of Agency Landscape + Planning. With a passion for understanding and improving communities and places, Brie brings a systems-based approach that celebrates diverse perspectives. Read more.
Marcel Wilson, Founding Principal and Design Director, Bionic Landscape
April 25 | 6 p.m. | Clark A103
Marcel founded Bionic on the belief that every project offers the possibility of invention. He is a recognized leader and voice in the transformation of cities and landscapes. And he has demonstrated the potential of landscape as an inventive medium in a broad spectrum of project types including workplaces, public space, high rises, and infrastructure. As design director, Marcel leads the design of the firm’s projects with an inventive spirit and personal investment. Read more.
David Malda, Principal, Gustafson Guthrie Nichol
April 27 | 6 p.m. | Clark A103
David Malda is a key design leader at GGN. His work explores the role of landscape in connecting people to each other through experiences of the land. Narrative and engagement informs his designs, resulting in projects with impacts that extend beyond their sites. Read more.
