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February 2023

Events

Visit the WASLA Event Calendar for more information on events.

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WASLA Board of Directors


President
Nicholas Zurlini, ASLA

Past President
Duane Dietz, ASLA

Trustee
Marieke Lacasse, ASLA

Treasurer
Su Wanqin, ASLA

Secretary
Jason Henry, ASLA

Member at Large
Maureen Colaizzi, ASLA

Member at Large, W. WA
Mike Faulkner, ASLA

Member at Large, E. WA
Joshua Tripp, ASLA

Our Sponsors

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President's Remarks

Dear WASLA Members and Readers,

I am happy to report that at the start of February we made it through the darkest weeks of the year and officially have sunset happening after 5 PM! Every extra minute of daylight equals a bit more dopamine, which I will gladly take. My sun lamp can only do so much work.

Regarding news pertinent to WASLA, I do not have anything new, but I do have some important reminders. For one, if you meet the criteria of 1) being a WASLA member and 2) having worked on a cool landscape architecture related project, please submit said project to the 2023 WASLA Awards! The WASLA Awards are a great opportunity to elevate your work, gather with peers, and showcase all the talent within our chapter. In case you have not already marked your calendars, the event will be happening on April 20th at Wisteria Hall in the Washington Park Arboretum, and, if luck is on our side, the space will live up to its name and the wisteria will be in bloom. The deadline to apply is March 17th and you can find more information about the WASLA Awards below.

I also want to remind you all about approaching 2023 WASLA Sponsorship deadlines. We are so thankful for the support all our new and returning sponsors have given the chapter. I am sure they can attest to the many ways sponsors can get involved, from supporting the state conference to engaging with students to promoting other fun WASLA events. If you are still considering becoming a 2023 sponsor, feel free to reach out with any questions and review the information linked below.

Lastly, the WASLA State Conference is right around the corner. I have already had some members reach out and ask to be on the Events Committee to help with conference planning. I will never turn away a volunteer, so please email [email protected] if you want to join and help put together an amazing event.

Sunnily,

Nick Zurlini

   WASLA President

The ASLA Community

by Maureen Colaizzi, Statewide Member At Large 

I still remember attending my first ASLA event in Tampa with the Florida Chapter. A member with a warm smile was standing at a  sign-in table and introduced herself. I was nervous and unsure of my place. She welcomed me and shared about her experience and involvement in ASLA. Instantly, I felt a closeness that put me at ease and made me feel included. We became acquainted. It was through her involvement that I discovered what opportunities lie ahead. I will always be grateful to her. Who was she? Julie Johnson, Associate Professor in Landscape Architecture at the University of Washington.  

Being a member of the WA Chapter provides for a sense of belonging. A fellowship with other members that allows for rapport, social kinship and like-mindedness that provides for acceptance, inclusion and mentorship. This shared affinity for our profession leads to a sense of belonging and an allegiance with ASLA and the WA Chapter where, as members, we can thrive. How is this created? Through communal participation and involvement, we are WASLA. This year, I will be engaging principals on inspiring member involvement, soliciting participation and creating new Chapter leaders.      

If you are interested in being an active participant in WASLA, please email the WASLA office at [email protected]

Become a 2023 WASLA Sponsor!

2023 Awards and Conference Sponsorship Opportunities

Now Available!

Our annual Chapter Sponsor program allows our partners the opportunity to connect with members throughout the year, share their products and services, and show their support for the Chapter. Our Sponsors gain an edge over their competition through enhanced brand and product visibility and the relationship building opportunities our
ASLA Washington Chapter Sponsor Program provides. These packages include the opportunities linked below and Special recognition by Chapter Leadership.

Call for 2023 Professional Award Entries

2023 WASLA Awards

April 20, 2023 | 5:30pm to 9:30pm

Wisteria Hall at the WA Park Arboretum

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT ENTRIES MARCH 17, 2023 AT 5:00PM

Award Descriptions

Award of Excellence may be presented to a single entry in each category for a project that truly stands far and above all other entries and embodies the spirit and understanding that best reflects the Vision and Mission of ASLA.
Honor Award is presented for superior professional accomplishment and a higher level of excellence recognized in the work presented.
Merit Award is presented for superior professional accomplishment.

Award Categories

  • General Design|Public Ownership
  • General Design|Private Ownership
  • Residential Design
  • Analysis and Planning
  • Urban Planning
  • Community Stewardship
  • Outstanding Emerging Professional
Booking.com’s Big Game Ad Features “Landscape Architect” — So What Exactly is a Landscape Architect?

“If you love football stadiums, vacation resorts, public parks, campuses, plazas, waterfronts and other outdoor spaces, thank a landscape architect!”

WASHINGTON (Feb. 10, 2023)—In response to Booking.com’s 2023 “big game” ad “Somewhere, Anywhere” starring Melissa McCarthy, American Society of Landscape Architects CEO Torey Carter-Conneen released the following statement:

“Landscape architects design the treasured outdoor spaces where Americans gather, play, compete, relax, live, learn and work. If you love football stadiums, vacation resorts, public parks, campuses, plazas, waterfronts and other outdoor spaces, thank a landscape architect!

“At American Society of Landscape Architects, we love the humor and the delivery in ‘Somewhere, Anywhere.’ Like actor Ben Falcone’s character, every landscape architect knows what it’s like to have to explain what they do.

“Here’s the secret: Landscape architects bring people together in beloved spaces enjoyed by all and make the world healthier and more beautiful.”

Carter-Conneen and a variety of practicing landscape architects are available for interviews.

For sports arenas, landscape architecture firm Studio-MLA recently helped set a new standard at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, “opening up the arena to the sky, air, and nature, and blurring the lines between stadium, botanical garden, and public park.”

Landscape architecture is a professional discipline that involves the planning, design, management, and nurturing of the built and natural environments. Landscape architects are leaders in designing solutions for strong communities, flood control, climate resilience, and more, as recently noted in The Architect’s Newspaper: “[T]he landscape architecture profession will no doubt have a voice in the room as global leaders come together to chart the path for a cleaner, greener, and more equitable future.”

Media resources:

●     What Is Landscape Architecture?

●     Interactive Tour: Landscape Architecture 101

●     Landscape Architecture Examples: 2022’s Award Winning Projects

●     Landscape Architecture Experts

Opening Reception: Sketching as  Witness with Daniel Winterbottom

What is the role of sketching in landscape architecture?  And how can it become a prompt to design activism?

This exhibit features the sketches and watercolor works of Daniel Winterbottom from his neighborhood wanderings and observations of pandemic life: “deserted streets, businesses closing overnight, and a dramatic increase of homeless encampments.”  Read more about his work in this LAM article.

Daniel Winterbottom, FASLA, began drawing around age eight and never stopped.  He received his BFA from Tufts University and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.   He is currently a Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) Fellow researching the therapeutic implications of differing carceral environmental models.  He is a professor of landscape architecture at the University of Washington and the founder of Winterbottom Design Inc. in Seattle.

Opening Reception
Friday, February 24, 2023
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Gould Hall Gallery

RSVP by Tuesday, February 21

Free PDH of the Month

Members now have access to free monthly PDH live webinars and recordings via ASLA Online Learning. | Read More

Welcome Members!

A very warm welcome to our new and renewing WASLA Members:

  • Christine Abbott
  • Trish Almeida
  • Amanda Bailey
  • Paul Crane
  • Catherine De Almeida
  • Laura Enman
  • Nick Hagan
  • Diana Hammer
  • Jane Tesner Kleiner
  • Patricia Lenssen
  • Chris McBride
  • Valerie Mehring
  • Clara Pang
  • Andrew Rasmussen
  • Kathleen Reader
  • Callie Roberts
  • Vinita Sidhu
  • Ana Garcia
  • Hassan Mousa

Interested in becoming a member?  Learn more  about benefits of membership. Join today!

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