Kurt Culbertson, FASLA, to receive ASLA Medal, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates wins Firm Award
Washington, D.C., June 28, 2016 – The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) today announced its 2016 honors recipients. Selected by ASLA’s Board of Trustees, the honors represent the highest awards ASLA presents each year. The honors will be presented at the president’s dinner on October 24, held during the 2016 ASLA Annual Meeting & EXPO, October 21–24, in New Orleans.
2016 Honors
ASLA Medal: Kurt Culbertson, FASLA
Kurt Culbertson, FASLA, will receive the ASLA Medal, the Society’s highest award for a landscape architect. Culbertson, the CEO and chair of Design Workshop Inc.’s international practice, is a longtime leader in sustainable development, and communities from around the world have benefitted socially, economically and aesthetically from his projects. His skill at navigating difficult, but important projects to build broad consensus is clearly recognized by the profession through seven national ASLA awards and dozens of regional and state ASLA Awards. Culbertson has also served as a mentor to hundreds of landscape architects and demonstrated a lasting dedication to landscape architecture education.
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ASLA Design Medal: James Burnett, FASLA
James Burnett, FASLA, will receive the ASLA Design Medal in recognition of his exceptional design work. Burnett has consistently delivered graceful, human-scaled and sustainable built landscapes that yielded some of the most recognized and beloved urban environments worldwide. Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Sunnylands Center and Gardens in Rancho Mirage, California, and The Park at Lakeshore East in Chicago are just a few examples. Burnett founded The Office of James Burnett in 1989, which has become one of the most influential landscape architecture firms in the world and received the ASLA Firm Award in 2015.
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Jot D. Carpenter Teaching Medal: Chip Sullivan, ASLA
Chip Sullivan, ASLA, will receive the Jot D. Carpenter Teaching Medal for significant and sustained excellence in landscape architecture education. In his nearly 30-year career in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at the University of California at Berkeley, Sullivan has inspired thousands of students with his iconic publications, exceptional instructional methods and overwhelming belief in the power of landscape architecture to create positive change in the world.
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LaGasse Medal – Landscape Professional: Mia Lehrer, FASLA
Mia Lehrer, FASLA, will receive the LaGasse Medal for contributions to the management and conservation of natural resources and public landscapes. Lehrer, the founding principal of the Los Angeles firm Mia Lehrer + Associates, has focused her work on public and private-sector projects including complex mixed-use development projects, urban revitalization initiatives and neighborhood and regional parks. As a designer, she has applied landscape and urban design innovation and technical expertise on complex design/build infrastructure projects. Lehrer also plays a significant leadership role in outreach and consensus building, including for the Los Angeles River revitalization.
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Olmsted Medal: The Honorable Michael Nutter, Former Mayor of Philadelphia
The Honorable Michael Nutter will receive the Olmsted Medal, which recognizes individuals, organizations, agencies or programs outside the profession of landscape architecture for environmental leadership, vision and stewardship. Mayor Nutter has championed and supported several pivotal initiatives that will shape Philadelphia’s designed and natural landscapes for decades: Greenworks (sustainability), Green2015 (open space), Green City, Clean Waters (stormwater management) and Philadelphia2035 (comprehensive plan). Since ending his term in early 2016, Mayor Nutter continues to advocate for thoughtful, inclusive and well-designed public spaces and meaningful and impactful environmental and planning policies.
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Medal of Excellence: National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) will receive the Landscape Architecture Medal of Excellence. The award recognizes significant contributions to landscape architecture policy, research, education, project planning and design, or a combination of these items. Landscape architects have a deep connection to the NPS, and ASLA members were instrumental in the passage of the National Park Service Organic Act, which established the NPS in 1916. Today, iconic parks and recreational spaces cover 84 million acres of land for the public’s enjoyment. The NPS Centennial is a perfect opportunity to recognize the agency’s service to preserve America’s natural and cultural resources, while inspiring the next generation of park stewards to experience and value public lands.
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The Landscape Architecture Firm Award: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA) will receive the Landscape Architecture Firm Award, the highest honor ASLA may bestow upon a landscape architecture firm in recognition of distinguished work that influences the profession. Michael Van Valkenburgh, FASLA, opened MVVA in 1982, and the firm continues to impact the ongoing urban renaissance being experienced across the country. The firm’s projects include many award-winning parks, campuses, residences and urban spaces, including the celebrated Maggie Daley Park and the 606 in Chicago, the G.W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Teardrop Park in New York City and the green roof on ASLA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
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Community Service Award – Individual: Martin Barry, reSite
Martin Barry will receive the Community Service Award for providing sustained, pro bono service demonstrating the sound principles or values of landscape architecture. As an urban design advocate, Barry founded reSITE in the Czech Republic while he was a Fulbright Scholar teaching landscape architecture and urbanism in Prague in 2011-2012. reSITE is a collaborative platform to exchange ideas about livable, resilient and competitive cities. Martin continues as the director of reSITE as it heads into its fifth year of successful programming, with its impact reaching around the globe.
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Community Service Award – Organization: Design Jones LLC
Design Jones LLC will receive the Community Service Award for providing sustained, pro bono service demonstrating the sound principles or values of landscape architecture. The firm’s principals, Diane Jones, ASLA, and Austin Allen, associate professor of landscape architecture at Louisiana State University, address projects predominantly in urban areas with a focus on New Orleans, Key West, St. Louis, Baltimore and Cleveland. The two landscape architects have pushed community service far beyond any single locale or region and have helped to foster diverse communities near and far.
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2016 Honorary Members
Honorary membership is among the highest honors ASLA may bestow upon non-landscape architects in recognition of notable service to the profession. Since its inception in 1899, ASLA has inducted only 207 honorary members.
Carlton S. Abbott, Carlton Abbott and Partners
Architect Carlton Abbott has made significant contributions to and supported the practice of landscape architecture, landscape architects and the Virginia ASLA Chapter over his nearly 60 years of professional practice in Virginia. Abbot’s association with the landscape architecture profession began at birth as the son of prominent landscape architect Stanley Abbott, perhaps best known as the designer of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Over the course of his practice, Carlton Abbott led the development of plans and designs for many of the museums, historic sites, campuses, and transportation systems serving Virginians and visitors to the Commonwealth.
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James Barker, Clemson University
James Barker has always valued a sense of place and has continually promoted and valued the profession of landscape architecture due to his decades of work as an architect and as president of Clemson University from 1999 to 2013. As Clemson’s former dean of the College of Art, Architecture and Humanities, Barker led the creation of South Carolina’s sole bachelor of landscape architecture program with graduates now spread throughout the country. Clemson’s master of landscape architecture program also became established during Barker’s tenure as president.
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R. Wayne Drummond, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Wayne Drummond, emeritus dean of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Architecture, knows and understands the profession of landscape architecture. From his days as an architecture faculty member at the University of Florida he has embraced the idea and practice of inclusive, inter-disciplinary design. His advocacy for landscape architecture has been reflected in his mentorship of faculty, in his personal commitment to students, and in his energetic engagement of other colleges and administrators to develop mutual support and guidance for the difficult process of starting a new academic program in landscape architecture at the University of Nebraska.
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Edward Gilman, Ph.D., University of Florida
Ed Gilman, a professor of urban trees and landscape plants at the University of Florida, is one of the leading researchers on the issues of trees in the built landscape. Gilman is known for his singular resolve to improve the state of landscape tree production quality. His work with nursery standards, pruning, tree staking and wind resistance has found its way into the literature and practice of landscape architecture across the United States. Gilman is a renowned author and speaker and has reached many landscape architects at the national and chapter levels.
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Andrew S. Hallowell, Pargament & Hallowell PLLC
Attorney Andrew S. Hallowell has served as legal counsel to ASLA on corporate and business issues for almost 15 years. Over that time, he has been a trusted and valued counselor, consistently going above and beyond to support the Society. His work has been critical to the Society’s success and its ability to support and promote the profession. Beyond ASLA, Hallowell is broadly recognized for his expertise in corporate, business and association law.
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Kris Jarantoski, Chicago Botanic Garden
Kris S. Jarantoski, the executive vice president and director of the Chicago Botanic Garden, has demonstrated a nearly 40-year commitment to landscape excellence and the landscape architecture profession. Jarantoski has significantly enhanced the landscape of the United States by creating one of the most beautiful botanic gardens in the world. From 1993 to the present day, Jarantoski has played a major role in the creation of at least 20 significant capital projects and has promoted the profession of landscape architecture by working with world-class landscape architects.
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U.S. Representative Dave Joyce, Ohio
Since being elected to Congress in 2012, Congressman Dave Joyce of Ohio has been a staunch supporter of green infrastructure. Because of his efforts in raising the visibility of Complete Streets legislation with his colleagues and constituents, Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed into law the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act that includes the first federal Complete Streets policy. Congressman Joyce’s dedication to achieving a federal Complete Streets policy will lead to landscape architects having more opportunities to plan and design streets, walkways, transit stops and other multimodal transportation projects that are safe and attractive for all people, regardless of age, ability, income, ethnicity or race.
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Audra Lofton, Affiliate ASLA, University of Georgia
Audra Lofton’s enthusiastic dedication to her career as senior events coordinator with the College of Environment and Design at the University of Georgia is clear and visible through her works. She adds value to the profession of landscape architecture, and promotes the profession as a career to students. Lofton serves as chair of ASLA’s PR and communications committee and actively participates in public awareness programs like PARK(ing) Day and ASLA’s public awareness summit. She also played an invaluable role in planning LABash, a national student-led landscape architecture conference hosted by the University of Georgia in 2013.
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Darla Moore
Darla Moore, a philanthropist and business woman, has recognized and valued the profession of landscape architecture for the transformative power landscape can play in the life of a community. She has used her wealth to start Moore Farms Botanical Garden at her family farm outside Lake City, South Carolina, which is dedicated to preserving native plants and education on how these plants can be utilized by the landscape industry. She also founded the Charleston Parks Conservancy in Charleston, South Carolina, which has elevated the level of the city’s parks.
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Jeffrey J. Pargament, Pargament & Hallowell PLLC
Attorney Jeffrey J. Pargament has served ASLA for more than 15 years. His role as legal counsel on employment and human resource issues keeps him far in the background, and his work is virtually invisible to all but a few of ASLA’s senior staff and elected leaders. Yet the work he does on the Society’s behalf is critical to its stability, health and success. Although ASLA is one of Pargament’s smallest clients, he always responds as if ASLA’s needs were his top priority.
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J. Gregory Poole Jr., Dix Visionaries
J. Gregory Poole Jr. is a focused corporate executive and more recent urban design and conservation-sensitive advocate. As chair of the Dix Visionaries, Poole led the fight to secure a 306-acre parcel of land overlooking the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, for future generations as a public space and destination park. His perseverance, energy and deep commitment to his community galvanized the public on a grassroots level, engaged business and community leaders and ultimately helped convince state lawmakers to release this land from state control and allow it to become Raleigh’s and North Carolina’s Central Park.
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John Spain, Baton Rouge Area Foundation
John Spain, the executive vice president of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, has always been an advocate for the development of downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Under Spain’s leadership, the Foundation created the Water Institute for the Gulf and subsequent Water Campus to bring scientists, policymakers and others in conversations about water preservation and coastal restoration. He also led the planning effort for other community projects and championed the Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit Louisiana in 2005.
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G. Wade Walker, Alta Planning + Design
G. Wade Walker is recognized expert in what good transportation planning and design means to the future of America’s cities and towns. A champion for Complete Streets, Walker is working with landscape architects all over the country to put people back in transportation, whether they are walking on a sidewalk, riding a bike or driving a car. Above all, Walker is a collaborative designer, partnering often with landscape architects and other design professionals. While he brings his technical skills to the design process, he values, trusts and promotes what landscape architects bring to the table as well.
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Photos of the 2016 recipients are available. Please contact Karen Grajales at (202) 216-2371 or Email Contact.
About the American Society of Landscape Architects
Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing more than 15,000 members in 49 professional chapters and 72 student chapters. Members of the Society use "ASLA" after their names to denote membership and their commitment to the highest ethical standards of the profession. Landscape architects lead the stewardship, planning and design of our built and natural environments; the Society’s mission is to advance landscape architecture through advocacy, communication, education and fellowship.
Contact:
Karen Grajales
American Society of Landscape Architects
(202) 216-2371
Email Contact
@landarchitects