Hello – I’m a Landscape Architect!

By Robin Gyorgyfalvy, RLA, ASLA

When you tell someone you’re a landscape architect, have you noticed what a great response you get? It’s usually a huge smile with words like “I wish I were one” or “that is the field I wish I had gone into.” The creative and impassioned spirit of landscape architecture is alive and well. We have an incredible story to tell. And for the first time ever, we are telling it to the rest of the world together.

The Understory of 08.17.11 was the launching of events that initiated a two-year campaign to create public awareness for landscape architecture. Landscape architects took to the streets all over the country and even across the globe. They placed themselves in outdoor gathering places and talked to people in their communities. Landscape architects everywhere told the public how they designed their environment and showcased many public spaces that were designed to look better, solve environmental or social issues, and restore sites back to natural healthy conditions.

As a sampling of these events, Minnesota landscape architects showed the public how to solve water quality problems by designing floating islands with recycled materials to restore unhealthy lakes. North Dakota landscape architects presented the public with examples of how to improve the environment by creating active and healthy public spaces. New York landscape architects demonstrated how quality of life has improved for urban dwellers both in the past and present by showcasing places like Central Park and High Line.

At Mississippi State University, landscape architecture students generated excitement and interest with outreach to other students. Colorado State University students created an art installation to demonstrate how landscape architects transform places into functional and beautiful environments that engage people. Students at University of Nevada at Las Vegas chalked the talk and UCLA got all those cars to honk their love for landscape architects.

Almost all of the landscape architects in Juneau, Alaska gathered at a waterfront park being redesigned and while receiving lots of press, they successfully engaged the public and their event morphed into a hobnobbing political event. Kentucky had three great events and began to get the word out about landscape architects in their state. More than 60 Illinois landscape architects gathered in three different locations to talk to the public about the parks they designed and in doing so, they strengthened their own volunteer network, re-energized their chapter, and generated plenty of momentum to support the next sequence of public awareness events.

The next step is a public awareness webinar this month where all of the public awareness advocates will evaluate how everything went and brainstorm even better ways and create better tools to help landscape architects get the word out. One of the strategies throughout the campaign is to harness the great energy and creative ideas already being generated by guess who……landscape architects! Stay tuned and be ready for the next public awareness event opportunity.

In the meantime, you can now use the new interactive website at www.asla.org/design to help you do a great job of explaining your profession to the public. Designed as part of the public awareness campaign, the website is exciting because it describes how to become a landscape architect, how to collaborate with others, and how to solve problems in the environment. The site also features a video of a landscape architect taking the steps involved in a design process. Be sure to check the latest August 30, 2011 LAND E-NEWS from ASLA at http://asla.org/land/LandNewsletter.aspx for more of the stories told on the day of The Understory 08.17.11.

Creating awareness for landscape architecture is something each of us can do simply by saying “I’m a landscape architect and I design your environment.” The power of connecting and collaborating is what we landscape architects do best and what we accomplished in one day was inspirational.

Thank you to all who joined in and to those who plan to next time!

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Hey All, Here’s a first take at what happened on 08.17.11, and I must say it’s pretty amazing so far. Anecdotally we’ve heard that at some of the events, many participants were non-member landscape architects, contractors and vendors. It also went international! Quote from the Philippines: “we support and will do our part here, on the other side of the world – the Philippines. calendars marked!”

 Firstly by the numbers: • At least 170 events nationwide, and chances are there are more that aren’t on the map: http://bit.ly/oG4Hxf • The Campaign Google Map itself received 40,000 views. • Created and distributed 25,000+ pieces of collateral material to chapters across the country, including 120 campaign t-shirts sold online. • At least 60 news stories, including more than 16 TV spots, plus more stories to come. MNASLA received saturation coverage, with stories on every TV station plus a front page story in the main daily newspaper. • 2,700-plus page views for the new http://www.asla.org/design website in less than 48 hours. • More than 2,800 video views of campaign-related videos in the past week (Landscape architects hit the street, Street landscape architecture, Dramatic chalk) • Approximately 100 “rewteets” of ASLA’s information on Twitter to thousands of others, plus at least 200 other tweets about 08.17.11 in the past week. • Dozens of posts on the campaign Facebook page, which now has 2,100 fans.

Media

Here’s an initial look at media. A pretty full list is below, but here are a few select highlights first. This ran four times in NYC: http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/145269/landscape-architects-share-knowhow-by-penn-station Minnesota TV: http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2011/08/16/minneapolis-to-use-floating-islands-to-clean-up-sick-lake/ http://kstc45.com/article/stories/S2245003.shtml?cat=10905 Fargo TV: http://www.wday.com/event/article/id/50619/group/homepage/ Michigan TV: http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/story.aspx?list=~%5Chome%5Clists%5Csearch&id=652982 Rapid City TV: http://www.blackhillsfox.com/2011/08/17/Architects-build-understanding-in-Rapid-City Additional TV, from media monitoring: http://www.criticalmention.com/report/12957×230892.htm A few other story highlights: http://www.courant.com/business/hc-bushnell-plaza-landscape-architect20110817,0,6211081.story http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2011/08/16/watch-out-for-guerilla-landscape-architects-tomorrow/ http://savannahnow.com/exchange/2011-08-16/gathering-honor-landscape-architectsclermont-lee http://landmarkwest.blogspot.com/2011/08/landscape-architecture-is-designing.html Rest of Media Below: Minnesota: http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2244999.shtml?cat=1 (video not currently working) http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S2245001.shtml?cat=10151 (video currently not working) Fargo: http://www.wday.com/event/article/id/50619/group/homepage/ Inhabitat: http://inhabitat.com/floating-islands-will-restore-life-to-minnesotas-spring-lake/ Hartford Courant http://www.courant.com/business/hc-bushnell-plaza-landscape-architect20110817,0,6211081.story Lansing State Journal: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20110818/NEWS06/108180319/-1/RSS13 http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20110814/ELANSING01/108140417/MSU-s-Children-s-Garden-focus-talk-tour Minneapolis Star-Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/127980188.html http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/127617988.html Minneapolis Post: http://www.minnpost.com/dailyglean/2011/08/17/30878/minnesota_on_pace_for_fewest_traffic_deaths_in_67_years#73-30878 Press Democrat (AP): http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110817/APN/1108170614?Title=Charleston-landscape-architects-talk-environment&tc=ar SC AP: http://www.live5news.com/story/15280749/charleston-landscape-architects-talk-environment http://www.islandpacket.com/2011/08/17/1760341/charleston-landscape-architects.html http://www.lakewyliepilot.com/2011/08/17/1226763/charleston-landscape-architects.html http://www.thestate.com/2011/08/17/1937008/charleston-landscape-architects.html http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20110817/APN/1108170614?tc=ar http://www.abcnews4.com/story/15280903/charleston-landscape-architects-talk-environment http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110817/APN/1108170614?Title=Charleston-landscape-architects-talk-environment&tc=ar http://www.fortmilltimes.com/2011/08/17/1672277/charleston-landscape-architects.html http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/1058fe1ebbe4415a996bee054e34e181/SC–Landscape-Architects/ http://www.telegram.com/article/20110817/APN/308179951/-1/rss01&source=rss http://www.lakewyliepilot.com/2011/08/17/1226763/charleston-landscape-architects.html The Sun News (Myrtle Beach): http://www.thesunnews.com/2011/08/17/2337492/coastal-business-hospital-picks.html Memphis Commercial Appeal: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/aug/18/coffee-break-evolve-joins-loan-program/ Los Angeles: http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2011/08/l-a-graffiti-day/ Atlanta Journal Constitution: http://www.ajc.com/news/county-by-county-news-1111263.html?cxtype=rss_news Great Greater Washington: http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/11709/breakfast-links-suburban-traffic-engineer-follies/ Sacramento Press: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/55229/081711_Sacramento_Landscape_Architects_Join_National_Awareness_Movement Washington City Paper: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2011/08/16/watch-out-for-guerilla-landscape-architects-tomorrow/ Capital City Weekly (Juneau) http://www.capitalcityweekly.com/stories/081711/cal_872659433.shtml Minnesota Public Radio: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/08/16/artificial-islands-work-to-clean-up-polluted-spring-lake/ Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce: http://www.djc.com/news/ae/12032259.html Inform (Fargo): http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/330780/ Savannah Now: http://savannahnow.com/exchange/2011-08-16/gathering-honor-landscape-architectsclermont-lee Missoulian: http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_818e3384-c6f8-11e0-8e2f-001cc4c03286.html Baltimore Real Estate: http://baltimorerealestate.citybizlist.com/1/2011/8/11/Mahan-Rykiel-to-Participate-in-National-Understory-Day-on-817.aspx City of Coeur D’Alane Blog: http://cdacity.blogspot.com/2011/08/first-city-park-designed-by-landscape.html Hartford Business: http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news19966.html Erosion Control: http://www.erosioncontrol.com/the-latest/minneapolis-floating-islands.aspx Landmark West (Blog, NYC): http://landmarkwest.blogspot.com/2011/08/landscape-architecture-is-designing.html

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Greetings

•  I’d like to introduce you to landscape architecture.
• What do you know about landscape architecture?
• Learn about landscape architecture!

Greeting – avoid asking questions that lead to yes or no answers. “Do you have a minute for landscape architecture?” If you have campaign materials, get them in their hands. 

 Talking Points

• Today we’re talking to folks across the country about what we do. Our goal is raise public awareness. Landscape architecture is a design profession. We design, protect and preserve the environment around you.
• Landscape architecture is inclusive and interdisciplinary of everything from a park to a streetscape, to historic preservation, to infrastructure to a backyard.
• We manage the relationship between the built and natural environment designing green roofs to transportation corridors.
• We offer solutions for storm water runoff, public health, active living, and energy conservation to bioremediation and rehabilitation.

Reference the street you’re on, the park you’re nearby or what the profession would contribute to the place you are to explain the relationship between the built and natural environment – you manage that relationship! 

 General Tips

• Have 1-3 main points ready that you’d like to share throughout the hour. Your 30 second elevator speech. Make sure they’re points for which you have pride, motivation and passion. 
• Be yourself and talk about your profession and what it means to you otherwise it’s not authentic.
• Don’t say what you don’t do but what you do; be positive. 
• Talk about the requirements to be a landscape architect. If they’re younger and seem interested, tell them about how the profession is growing and needs students interested in art and science.  
• Don’t hide behind your props but make yourself open to conversation
• Use sketching and chalking as spectacles to break the ice.
• Mention that they can learn more at asla.org/design
• Pick the right location to greet people and if it’s not working adjust accordingly.
• Whether by yourself or with a team of people use it to your advantage. One person can be more approachable whereas with multiple you can have those who are just visible passing out materials, greeters/talkers and those using easels/chalking. Everyone has strength.
• If you have handouts, business cards, etc, get the materials in their hands or tell them one succinct point about what you do and we’ve all won!  People remember and appreciate one on one interaction more than any other way to communicate.
• Finally, if you’re not having fun, then you’re not doing it right.   

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Yes, you designed it, yes, you would design this and yes, they will hire you to design that. Now hiring landscape architects! Don’t miss the opportunity to raise awareness for all the interdisciplinary projects that you take on.  Yours is the profession that provides the design solutions that the public seeks but they remain unaware of your skill.  On 08.17.11 landscape architects will have conversations with average people across the country to tell them about what they do.  They’ll sketch designs next to busy lunch cafes, chalk the streets and wave signs in the air. Don’t miss this opportunity as we have organizers representing all 50 states ready to employ you in this crusade. Contact the representative in your area and get on the map. It’s simple, fun and easy. Take it to the streets!

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What’s yours?  Check out this one from one of our very own Public Awarness Representatives:

I got involved in NJASLA for a number of reasons, but one that drives me to advance the role and visibility of our profession involves an old friend, college roommate and landscape architecture student.  My dear friend always sprang to my defense whenever I was maligned by dilettante teachers, truculent coworkers and even his wife.  He did this selflessly, seeking nothing from me in return.  He was a quiet, happy person with a natural bent toward environmental stewardship and thoughtful design, but no flair for graphic presentations.  That is an “issue”, in school and elsewhere in our profession.  “Visualization” is often a vital tool for attracting work and respect.  His passion for the profession was not enough to overcome this problem and there were no computer applications to assist him “Back in the Day”.  

Unfortunately, that failing and our roller coaster economy ruined his LA career and the profession lost a potential great mind.  He retreated to another honorable profession, becoming a firefighter, rising to an Assistant Fire Chief in an urban city.  Whenever we visited, the conversation quickly turned to my recent work and we would go on for hours into the night, much to his wife’s chagrin.     

It was about six months since my last contact with him, when I was shocked by his obituary in the news. He had quickly succumbed to a cancer at the age of 45, leaving wife and two young children. On site visits, walks through the woods, and at the drafting table his words often come to me,  bringing inspiration and compassion into my work and life.

So, in many ways, my support of the profession in its widest scope, and especially emerging professionals, has been a tribute to my memory of a great friend’s unrealized potential and my realization that, while I am good at my profession, I am extremely fortunate to be able to practice and make a living from it.  

Nick Tufaro

Public Awareness Representative 

New Jersey Chapter

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YES! They’re here! Posters that will draw landscape architecutre oriented folks like a moth to a flame: http://asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=31989

Email them out.  Print them off in all sizes.  Paint your office with them. Hang them anywhere designers gather.  Cover an entire wall of a firm (with permission first) and then take a photograph and post it on The Understory.  Wear them.  It’s your story – tell it.

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