Campus Planning & Design Highlights from San Francisco

Left to right: Tony Catchot, ASLA, April Riehm, Student ASLA, Joe Favour, ASLA, Taylor Wilson, Associate ASLA, David Cutter, FASLA, SITES AP, Krista M. Van Hove, ASLA, and Stan Szwalek, ASLA, PLA / image: courtesy of the Campus Planning & Design PPN leadership team

We can’t believe spring is already upon us! The Campus Planning & Design PPN is busy planning another great year of connection and engagement amongst our colleagues and peers. Before we dive into future planning, we wanted to share a recap of last year’s PPN gathering at the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture in San Francisco.

Last year, the Campus Planning & Design PPN leadership team sent out a call for student presenters to submit their original research or design work focused on how campuses can create inclusive communities that contribute positively to well-being, diversity, and sustainability. We were pleased to extend the invitation to two candidates to speak at the PPN meeting. First, Taylor Wilson, Associate ASLA, an MLA candidate at North Carolina State University, presented her research on “Trail Oriented Development’s Role in Higher Education & Student Health.” Second, April Riehm, Student ASLA, a dual-degree Masters candidate in both Landscape Architecture and City and Regional Planning at Clemson University, presented her research on “Campus Playscapes: Designing a Built Environment that Creates more Equity and Inclusion for Students with ADHD and other Learning Disabilities at Clemson University.”

April Riehm, Student ASLA, presenting at the Campus Planning & Design PPN event at the ASLA 2022 Conference on Landscape Architecture / image: Alexandra Hay

Following the student presentations, the PPN broke out into small group discussions around on the question “How can we as landscape architects create more welcoming and inclusive landscapes on campus?” The conversations were engaging and fun, and it was great to connect with friends and colleagues at the event. We encourage you to check out the students’ work—the slide deck from the PPN meeting is available on our Resources page.

image: courtesy of the Campus Planning & Design PPN leadership team

Campus Field Sessions

Campus tours of the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University highlighted the impact of Frederick Law Olmsted and how the evolution and design of campus continues today by modern-day practitioners. The UC Berkeley field session was led by Gary Strang, FASLA, of GLS Landscape and John Leys, LEED AP, PE, Sherwood Design Engineers, as well as retired Campus Landscape Architect James Horner and Campus Architect Wendy Hillis, AIA. The interrelationship of the Picturesque, Beaux Arts, and Modern design periods on campus were explored, along with how the emerging campus-wide sustainability and green infrastructure strategies will restore Strawberry Creek and enhance stormwater management in response to the realities of climate change and drought.

Memorial Glade at UC Berkeley / image: Stan Szwalek, ASLA

John Leys, LEED AP, PE, Sherwood Design Engineers, and UC Berkeley’s Strawberry Creek beyond / image: Stan Szwalek, ASLA

One of UC Berkeley’s covered bicycle parking facilities / image: James Moore, ASLA

The Stanford University field session, Resiliency and Innovation: Evolution of Stanford’s Olmsted Plan and Contemporary Design, was led by University Landscape Architect Cathy Blake, FASLA, and Campus Planner Krista Van Hove, ASLA, along with speakers Scott Sebastian, ASLA, Sebastian & Associates; David Walker, FASLA, PWP Landscape Architecture; and John Wong, FASLA, SWA Group. Grounded in the campus framework established by Frederick Law Olmsted, the team illustrated how the Olmsted principles have been preserved and evolved to accommodate continued growth and change. The tour highlighted many of the sustainable landscape design practices on campus and the innovative multimodal transit strategies to facilitate movement of pedestrians and bicyclists throughout campus.

Stanford’s Frost Amphitheater / image: Krista Van Hove, ASLA

Memorial Church at Stanford’s Main Quad / image: James Moore, ASLA

History Corner Courtyard at Stanford’s Main Quad / image: Krista Van Hove, ASLA

Stanford’s Knight Management Center, Graduate School of Business / image: James Moore, ASLA

Schwab Graduate Residence Housing Courtyard / image: James Moore, ASLA

Stanford field session attendees and leaders in front of the sculpture *Hello* by Xu Zhen, and Hoover Tower in the background / image: Krista Van Hove, ASLA

Shumway (Red Hoop) Fountain at Stanford’s Green Library / image: James Moore, ASLA

Cooley Courtyard at Stanford Law School / image: James Moore, ASLA

Stanford University Landscape Architect Cathy Blake, FASLA, and John Wong, FASLA, of SWA Group at White Memorial Fountain and Plaza / image: Krista Van Hove, ASLA

Stanford’s Bing Concert Hall / image: Krista Van Hove, ASLA

Stanford field session leaders Cathy Blake, FASLA, and Krista Van Hove, ASLA / image: Krista Van Hove, ASLA

In just a few weeks, registration for the ASLA 2023 Conference on Landscape Architecture will be opening, and we can’t wait to see all the field sessions and other events in store for Minneapolis this October!