SUN-A01: INSIDE THE LA STUDIO WITH NELSON BYRD WOLTZ LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

Session Summary Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects (NBW) is a 45 person firm with permanent offices in Charlottesville and City, and field offices in and Melbourne. NBW’s innovative, researched based methodology draws inspiration from deep ecological and cultural research, assuring meaningful, inclusive, beautiful, and ecologically resilient designs for public parks, cultural institutions, memorials, campuses, and rural and urban agricultural landscapes.

Learning Objectives 1. Learn about the core business and organization principles that drive a mission based practice, and the culture that sustains it. 2. Learn how research and collaboration contribute to greater positive impact on our natural and built environments. 3. Consider the importance of cultural research and narrative as a means to promote equality in the physical public realm. MODERATOR

Susan Van Atta FASLA President Long before sustainability became a focus in the landscape architectural profession, Susan Van Atta’s work reflected a commitment to environmentally appropriate landscape design, habitat restoration, and the use of native plants. Susan approaches design with a deep understanding of environmental processes gained from a degree in Environmental Studies, an early career in California coastal planning and environmental impact assessment, and over twenty-five years as a practicing landscape architect. PANELISTS

Thomas Woltz FASLA Principal Over the past two decades of practice, Thomas has led NBW in forging a body of work that infuses narrative of the land into the places where people live, work, and play, deepening connections between culture and ecology and inspiring environmental stewardship. In 2011, Thomas was the second youngest designer to be invested into the American Society of Landscape Architects Council of Fellows, and in 2013 he was named Design Innovator of the Year by the Wall Street Journal magazine.

Breck Gastinger ASLA Senior Associate During his nearly twenty years with NBW, Breck has managed a wide range of large scale projects, ranging from university master plans and built work to national design competitions and urban parks. Recent projects include the Aga Khan Garden in , Alberta, ; and the Master Plan for Cornwall Park, Auckland’s primary urban park.

Chloe Hawkins ASLA Associate Chloe has been with NBW since 2012. Recent work includes the master planning process for the mount Cuba Center in Hockessin, Delaware, construction and implementation of the Centennial Park master plan in Nashville, Tennesee, and implementation of the Cornwall Park master plan in Auckland, .

Serena Nelson ASLA Associate Serena has been at NBW since 2012, and has been highly involved with the design and management of the Public Square and Gardens at Hudson Yards. Other recent work includes the Peabody Essex Museum; 80 Flatbush, a mixed- use development in ; and a range of residential projects in the Hudson Valley and the east end of Long Island. CONTEXT The session today will touch on a broad range of topics, including these main points: • Defining NBW’s role within the broader industry. • How the history of the firm helped shaped its current identity. • Personal recounts of professional development and current projects. • Workplace culture across offices. • Design process as embodiment of firm’s mission. • Current challenges in a broad context. • Future aspirations of the firm.

NBW’s Mission Statement The mission of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects (NBW) is to employ design excellence at the intersection of ecological and cultural systems to foster stewardship and engagement with our world. We believe in the power of design to positively shape communities and to reveal the beauty and complexity of our environment. We seek to provide systems- based design solutions within ecologically and agriculturally productive landscapes, industrial and post-industrial sites, and in shaping the civic realm for the benefit of all.

For more information on NBW, please visit www.nbwla.com.