Folio 2022

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LAND SCAPE ARCHITECTS

ILLINOIS CHAPTER | 2022

President's Letter

Hello Fellow Landscape Architects and Friends!

On behalf of the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architecture (ILASLA), I would like to be the first to congratulate the 2022 award winners for outstanding work.

This year’s Folio features 16 Professional Awards and three Public Recognition Awards that highlight the great ambition, creativity, and commitment to our profession that continues to elevate and push the limits of design. Each of these award-winning projects are an inspiration and a meaningful example of how we as Landscape Architects are critical in developing sustainable design. These projects also show how we provide communities with innovative nature-based and adaptive solutions that achieve positive environmental, social, and economic impacts regardless of the scope, budget, site restraints, scale, and program.

Even though this past year still had its challenges with the Covid-19 Pandemic, our Chapter’s diverse leadership was determined to work together to strategize the best approach and tools to connect with our Members, Students, and Allied Organizations for continued growth

and to rebuild the spirit of our profession. This was achieved with a mix of in-person and virtual options for educational webinars, networking events, student presentation reviews, advocacy efforts, and ExCom Meetings.

We also continued to work tirelessly with Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and ASLA National’s State Government Affairs team to finalize the rules language of our Title Act reinstatement. The rules language is on the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) hearing agenda for review and approval. hope to announce fantastic news during Celebration!

The next big task for our Chapter is already underway! It is to update our Chapter’s Strategic Plan. National ASLA launched its 2022-2024 Strategic Plan last November, and it made perfect sense to use this as a tool to align our Strategic Plan with our Chapter’s evolving needs for continued advancements. It will allow us to better serve our members and strengthen the Landscape Architecture profession.

Our dedicated leadership team works hard to provide a Chapter that continues to invest in the

future of our profession to provide value to our members. We will continue to advance and make positive contributions to society, and this is what makes me proud to be a member of ASLA and a part of the Executive Committee. I encourage you to volunteer in whatever capacity you can to help make a difference for our Chapter and the profession.

Thank you to our generous members and sponsors for their continued support, and congratulations again to all the award winners!

Best,

A. De

Adam

Foor-White, ASLA, PLA ILASLA President

President’s Letter 2021 Year in Review Awards Criteria Presidential Award Honor Awards Merit Awards

2021 In Summary

2021 was another year that took creative problem solving and patience. COVID-19 continued to spread in its original form and its variants producing questions of how to implement live events while keeping our members and guests safe. We cautiously held four events in person allowing for networking and celebrating the field.

The Chapter was determined to continue its excellent access, services, and education to our members with online webinars and virtual social activities, all of which were free of charge for members. We thank our sponsors and members for their flexibility and partnership.

Most importantly, the Illinois Title Act was passed and signed by Governor J. B. Pritzker on August 6, 2021. We expect the process to be complete by September 2022.

369

*ACTIVE MEMBERS

310

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

12

ASSOCIATE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

27 AFFILIATE, CORPORATE & HONORARY MEMBERS

19 FELLOWS & EMERITUS

25% SUBURBAN AND STATE-WIDE MEMBERS

69% CHICAGOLAND MEMBERS

EDUCATION

22

SPONSORSHIP PARTNERS SUPPORTED EVENTS

8

INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS STRENGTHENED

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS (AIA)

AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION (APA)

CHICAGO REGION TREES INITIATIVE (CRTI)

ILLINOIS GREEN INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (IGIA)

ILLINOIS LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION (ILCA)

ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM (IIT)

MILLENNIUM PARK FOUNDATION (MPF)

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM (UIUC)

ILLINOIS TITLE ACT

THE ILLINOIS TITLE ACT WAS PASSED AND SIGNED BY GOVERNOR J. B. PRITZKER ON AUGUST 6, 2021.

6% OUT OF STATE MEMBERS

*SOME MEMBERS FALL INTO MULTIPLE CATEGORIES.

12

PDH EDUCATION CREDITS OFFERED THROUGH ILASLA STUDENT OUTREACH

97 STUDENT MEMBERS

NETWORKING

3 ILASLA NETWORKING EVENTS

8 EMERGING PROFESSIONAL AND STUDENT EVENTS

4 SERVICE EVENTS

Awards Criteria

The following categories were used to select this year’s award-winning landscape architecture projects. The jury evaluated projects with consideration for quality and functionality of the design; relationship to context and stated program; environmental responsibility; and relevance to the profession, the public, and the environment.

DESIGN

The Presidential Award is given for an outstanding advancement of the landscape architecture profession, and for projects that exemplify the land stewardship ethics upon which the profession was founded. Only one President’s Award of Excellence may be given to a project in each entry category, and only when merited by the jury.

Projects are honored with this distinction for superior professional achievement. Only 20 percent of the entries in any of the categories may earn the Honor Award.

Projects that demonstrate merit in design and environmental responsibility shall be given this distinction. Any number of entries in any of the categories may be given the Merit Award.

Constructed: Recognizes constructed sitespecific works of landscape architecture.

Residential: Recognizes site-specific, built works of landscape architecture for residential use, whether single or multifamily, new construction, or renovation.

BURNHAM AWARD FOR PLANNING & ANALYSIS

Recognizes the wide variety of professional activities that lead to, guide, or evaluate landscape architectural design. Comprehensive plans, master plans, feasibility studies, and design guidelines and standards are examples of submittals for this category.

COMMUNICATIONS

Recognizes achievements in communicating landscape architecture technology, theory, or practice to those within or outside the profession. Entries may include: documents on landscape architecture history, art, or technology; educational material for the non-technical consumer; events or public service; or material that increases awareness of landscape design, environmental, or conservation issues.

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD MERI T AWARD HONOR AWARD

POPCourts!

LAMAR JOHNSON COLLABORATIVE TEAM

POPCourts! was born out of the pandemic and civil unrest to provide a safe community space residents could enjoy while creating a visible feature along Chicago Avenue, strengthening the corridor and the Austin neighborhood. The disinvested neighborhoods on the West and South side have historically been forgotten, and the chosen site has a long history of violence and unrest. Vacant for years, it now has potential to become a catalyst for change in the community.

POPCourts! was designed for gathering, engagement, and change with three courts, each serving a variety of community functions. The basketball court’s gravel drive will host food trucks, farmers market and other vendors, and the shaded lawn functions as a Food Court with casual seating.

Local artists were engaged to paint murals on adjacent building walls. The final piece, “An Ode to our Ancestors,” depicts strong African American figures and serves as inspiration for the Austin community and the youth who live there.

The framework for the street painting attracts the neighborhood to the site and displays the liveliness of Austin. The “rays” framework provides a canvas for community artists to fill in their own designs on vertical surfaces and was simple enough to be painted by volunteers on the ground plane.

POPCourts! was designed for gathering, engagement, and change with three courts, each serving a variety of community functions.

Douglass 18

Douglass 18 is a community-led, youth-designed, and conservation-focused 18-hole mini golf facility in the heart of Chicago’s Anna and Frederick Douglass Park. Owned by the Chicago Park District, the mini golf course was one of the first of its kind in the city’s park system, but closed over a decade ago due to years of neighborhood disinvestment and neglect.

The Douglass CATS students spent three years immersed in the research, design, and implementation of the course.

The Douglass CATS students spent three years immersed in the research, design, and implementation of the course, where each hole was inspired by a native bird selected by a student. Once the student’s designs were nearly complete, the landscape architects led the process to implement the project and ensure it could be constructed. To meet budgetary constraints, the design team selected a variety of both Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) cast sculptures and printed permalene panels attached to powder-coated steel posts.

A local artist and community organizer who saw an opportunity to bring the course back to life created the Douglass CATs, a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) program for high school students from the North Lawndale neighborhood. As students learned about the Chicago region environment, their chosen project centered on the redevelopment of the mini golf course.

Drone by Design

LAMAR JOHNSON COLLABORATIVE TEAM

HONOR AWARD

The use of drones has rapidly become mainstream technology due to increased access, affordability, and wider public understanding. This tool presents an opportunity for designers and everyday citizens to better understand their physical environment and develop more informed design solutions.

The landscape architecture field has yet to widely utilize the data drones are able to capture by embedding that information within the design process. Using embedded drone technology in the design process plays an important role in an integrated practice and is an essential tool for the landscape architecture discipline.

Our firm’s utilization of drones began organically. We acquired a drone and the natural question of “how do we use this?” precipitated. Designers first had to study for and pass the licensure exams, and initial ground-school training was supplemented with honing pilots’ skills.

Research was conducted on post-processing the data, selecting the best service provider and cloud platform, and integrating the various forms of output data into existing design platforms and workflows, followed by experiments with alternative visualization methods to further our understanding of what drones could deliver and how to use them to engage clients with a new perspective. Drones are changing the way we see, design, and experience space in all types of geographies.

This tool presents an opportunity for designers and everyday citizens to better understand their physical environment and develop more informed design solutions.

Imani Village Healing Garden

MCKAY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS TEAM

The Healing Garden at Imani Village is a yet-unrealized design for a public space to serve as the cornerstone for a multi-use, multi-generational development. The design is grounded in research and extensive engagement with a committed group of stakeholders who drew inspiration from African American culture, history, and spirituality. The resulting plan reflects the community and ensures visitors experience the health and well-being benefits that a restorative connection to nature affords.

In the nature play garden, children build their strength and coordination and enjoy quiet moments watching the butterflies and flowers. Accessible, raised vegetable planters near the playground allow older community members to share their knowledge. Open, bright, and colorful, the great lawn provides space for lively community gatherings and features a wood deck for various performances, tai chi classes, and picnics. A solarium provides warmth in bad weather and space for classes.

CATEGORY Landscape Architectural Research LOCATION

Chicago, IL

CLIENT

The Garden Conservancy

Trinity United Church of Christ and Imani Village COMPLETION

Cool and shaded winding paths honor the resilience of the African American ancestors in their journey to create a better life. Educational signage highlights the community’s historic relationship with faith and nature.

Representing perseverance, the Wawa Aba Adinkra symbol inspired the shape of the central labyrinth. The surrounding gardens feature fragrant and therapeutic plants, creating a soothing backdrop.

Cool and shaded winding paths honor the resilience of the African American ancestors in their journey to create a better life.

McKay Landscape Architects

North Van Dyke Avenue DESIGN WORKSHOP TEAM

Design Workshop

Mannik Smith Group Design Distill LLC

CATEGORY Planning & Analysis

LOCATION

Sterling Heights, MI

CLIENT City of Sterling Heights, Corridor Improvement Authority

COMPLETION YEAR

Ongoing

The Sterling Heights community envisions the future of this suburban commercial corridor as an authentic, vibrant, urban, fully walkable, and resilient place — the city’s first. Born from its industrial history, the new North Van Dyke Avenue district will be a destination that welcomes people of all ages and ethnicities to experience urban living while enjoying enhanced access to the Clinton River Greenway.

Van Dyke Avenue is envisioned as a green thread connecting the district’s multiple unique sub-areas, developments, civic facilities, retail areas, parks, and plaza.

HONOR AWARD

The plan transforms a 1.5-mile-long, auto-oriented, low-density corridor into a high-quality right-of-way that prioritizes walkability, multi-modal access, green stormwater infrastructure, and a robust collection of new civic uses — all connected by a resilient network of landscape spaces.

North Van Dyke Avenue district’s spine — Van Dyke Avenue — is envisioned as a green thread connecting the district’s multiple unique sub-areas, developments, civic facilities, retail areas, parks, and plaza. Green corridors connect the Avenue to Clinton River Greenway to the east and into the neighborhoods to the west. North of Utica Road, there is the potential to build a retail and entertainment destination that focuses on bringing the city’s growing cultural diversity together through food, community events, public art, and shopping.

Topping Farm

HOLLANDER DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS TEAM

When new owners purchased this abandoned post-agricultural property, they were enchanted by views of preserved farm fields, ancient trees, a large pond, and beyond that, the ocean. Our role was to influence how buildings were sited, unify the site, and design outdoor activity areas to create an experience of healthful living.

The three main structures on the site feature starkly different architecture: a restored 17th century farmhouse cottage; a traditional, shingle-style main house; and a contemporary pool house. The landscape design unifies these disparate styles through an elegant and consistent plant palette, carefully sequenced transitions, and strategically framed views. Materials like stone walls, gravel, and bluestone are found in front of each building but are used differently.

Every planting decision was guided by a commitment to preserve and increase health in the landscape. Clover is left to flourish in the lawn, while joe-pye weed, oxeye daisies, sunflowers, black-eyed Susans, and lobelia stud the meadows. Bee hives are tucked where they can feast on the flowering peach, pear, and apple orchards. Espaliered pear trees along a Belgian cedar fence are supported by bee-friendly lavender in the same garden. New beeches, oaks, lindens, and assorted flowering trees were carefully selected for their pollinator-friendly attributes.

Every planting decision was guided by a commitment to preserve and increase health in the landscape. HONOR AWARD

Hollander Design Landscape Architects

Peter Pennoyer, Robert Stilin, Riger Ferris & Partners

Wellness at Work HOLLANDER DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS TEAM

Designed to connect more than 850 office-tower employees with nature, this 10,000-SF landscaped terrace wraps the entire 10th floor and creates a walking loop of naturalistic gardens. Large groups can gather in a Lounge Garden featuring curving modular furniture. The Dining Garden offers alfresco dining, and more intimate conversations can take place in the Sculpture Garden.

The project is certified to meet the International WELL Building Standard (WELL), a sustainable building standard that certifies a workplace that incorporates health and wellness into the design. Landscape elements that support the building’s certification include a continuous loop for walking with minimal ramping and impediments, benches to accommodate light aerobic stretching, stopping points throughout the terrace, biophilia in the interior work environment with intensive interior planting designs, and lowVOC materials. Green spaces on the terrace function as both viewing gardens and full-sensory garden experiences that incorporate the fragrance of herbs and planted vegetables.

Inside, office spaces include interior freestanding and built-in planters, further connecting indoor with outdoor. On the 10th floor, lounge spaces and workspaces cross over into social areas after work. The resulting experience is a ‘vertical campus’ with consistent links between inside and outside that promote wellness. Green spaces on the terrace function as both viewing gardens and full-sensory garden experiences.

Crossroads City Club Apartments

The design is whimsical, memorable, and fun, providing an art-forward, vibrant living experience praised for its seamless fit into the surrounding Arts District.

The Crossroads City Club Apartments is a 24/7 mixed-use community comprised of the historic Midwest Hotel built in 1915 plus a new sevenstory building with 283 apartments, 10 percent of which are affordable units. The design is whimsical, memorable, and fun, providing an art-forward, vibrant living experience praised for its seamless fit into the surrounding Arts District.

The ground floor restaurant and lushly landscaped luxury townhouse walk-up units feature private yards. The second-floor Sky Club courtyard features multiple landscape “rooms” that include a gourmet demonstration kitchen, living and dining spaces, fire pit alley, yoga deck, Zen garden, a movie and sun deck, a beach, and a bark park, all with a seamlessly

terraced landscape that provides an accessible experience for all abilities without the use of guardrails. The rooftop Sky Park pool deck features a Moroccan-tiled hot tub, pool with custom turtle spray jets, a terrace club, a media wall with a fireplace, and an outdoor theatre.

The entire site is furnished with a complex furnishing palette that includes unique details, bold colors, and bright patterns. The planting design prioritizes hardy four-season plantings, and local wildlife can be seen throughout the site in design detailing, topiaries, and sculpture.

Macy’s Flagship Amenity Deck

JOHNSON COLLABORATIVE TEAM

CATEGORY General Design, Constructed

Marshall Field's brand is rooted deep in Chicago's history. Its flagship retail building on State Street has been an iconic shopping and tourism destination for over a century. Brookfield Properties and Lamar Johnson Collaborative recently converted the top seven floors of the building's retail space into Class A offices with a rooftop tenant-only amenity deck featuring breathtaking views, multi-functional flexible space with a café and comfortable sectional seating, large tables for work meetings, high-top tables, and intimate nooks with fire pits to accommodate evening gatherings.

The 10,000-SF amenity deck, where 3,500-SF is planting, features a large garage door that opens during the warmer seasons to allow seamless movement between inside and out. The planting design takes cues from the historic nature of the building with a modern twist on a formal garden design using a variety of colors and textures from early spring through late fall. A large shade structure defines zones on the axis, and a synthetic turf lawn with prominent water features terminates the axis.

To ensure rooftop elements were not visible from the street, LJC's team drew sections to understand pedestrians’ field of view from various points at street level to determine the placement of edge railings, shade structures, and landscape.

The planting design takes cues from the historic nature of the building with a modern twist on a formal garden design.

LAMAR

Lamar Johnson Collaborative Thornton Tomasetti Clayco and Atrium Dexspan Sturdi Iron

Malmi Meadow Park PORT TEAM

Helsinki, Finland, aspires to be one of the world’s most sustainable and environmentally progressive capital cities, and the city and region are actively engaged in myriad high-impact initiatives. As an alternative to a proposed urbanization plan for the Malmi Airport, we proposed a two-part strategy combining destination ecological conservation and enhancement with a highly livable, compact, mixed-use urban.

CATEGORY

General Design, Unrealized

LOCATION

Helsinki, Finland

CLIENT

City of Helsinki Department of Planning

Malmi Meadow Parks deploys conservation enhancements and uses existing site materials to create novel habitat areas and augmented ecological function by manipulating existing compacted grounds and impervious surfaces to improve adjacent areas of emergent greenfield habitat and create new areas of biodiversity.

Commercial areas and housing for an additional 20,000 residents is created by redeveloping the Tattarisuo light-industrial district, which expands out from a new light-rail station in a series of four phases. Connections between phase-one development and Tattarisuo redevelopment utilize existing runway alignments and a discrete network of paths carefully woven through areas of conservation and habitat.

The proposal is a unique urban-landscape mosaic that weaves together high-value landscapes characterized by rich biodiversity, structured recreation and civic facilities, and a high-intensity, livable mixed-use urban district offering generous public spaces, diverse housing types, and a distinct urban form.

The proposal is a unique urban-landscape mosaic that weaves together high-value landscapes characterized by rich biodiversity, structured recreation, and civic facilities.

Pollinator Guidebook

HITCHCOCK

GROUP

DESIGN

Hitchcock Design Group Phenix 7 Marketing, Inc.

Orbis Environmental Consulting Barbara Spies Labus

Native pollinators are an irreplaceable member of the region’s ecosystems, but habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, and chemical pesticides are driving alarming declines in pollinator populations worldwide — including right here at home.

Along the sandy Lake Michigan shoreline, grass-covered coastal dunes give way to towering woodland-covered dunes and wetlands. Dune and swale remnants outline the shoreline, while rare oak savannas, riparian woodlands, and sun-filled prairies form a regional mosaic. Each ecosystem boasts an impressive assemblage of plants and wildlife that support one of the country’s most biodiverse regions — the Indiana Dunes.

Indiana coastal-region gardens that feature native plants linked to pollinator lifecycles have nearly endless possibilities for helping pollinators thrive. This approach transforms gardeners into powerful protectors of native plants and their pollinators by building populations resilient to climate change impacts and other stresses.

Living in the Dunes provides rich content on six ecosystems, seven groups of pollinators, and dozens of native plants and offers six ecosystem-themed garden designs. Gorgeous illustrations and stunning photographs will inspire any gardener, and cultivated resources provide the tools and information to help residents transform home gardens to support an incredible diversity of native pollinators.

This approach transforms gardeners into powerful protectors of native plants and their pollinators by building populations resilient to climate change impacts and other stresses.

Prairie Trails School Natural Playground

TERRA ENGINEERING, LTD.

TEAM

Terra Engineering, Ltd.

FGM Architects

Eriksson Engineering Associates, Ltd.

Nicholas & Associates, Inc.

Sebert Landscape

Natural Playgrounds Company

CATEGORY

General Design, Constructed

LOCATION

Mount Prospect, IL

CLIENT

River Trails School District 26

COMPLETION YEAR

2021

With a vision to create a sustainable and integrated learning environment, the Prairie Trails Early Learning Center was transformed into a creative and engaging nature playground that extends learning outdoors. The design fosters creativity and learning in unexpected environments using instruments, manipulation, and exploration including the joys of making mud pies in the outdoor kitchen, becoming frogs on the log steppers, or hiding in fairy houses in the hill.

A creative and engaging nature playground extends learning outdoors.

sand and water area, art parade, vegetable garden, amphitheater, sledding hill, butterfly discovery trail, sound forest, and embankment wall and rock scramble. Topography from existing fill created a detention basin that provides a sledding hill and lookout point.

MERIT AWARD

The goals of the 0.56-acre nature play area were to integrate the school’s curriculum with the outdoor space, engage all five senses, create a variety of play experiences, and align with the school’s vision of inclusivity and empowerment. The playground connects to the existing greenspace and greenbelt floodway via an accessible route featuring unique play areas including a reading garden, explorer’s

The play area breaks the boundaries of a normal classroom and brings science, technology, nature, and sustainability to life offering children a unique experience to understand the nature of things beyond their environment.

Riverwalk East

Riverwalk East creates valuable outdoor amenities through outdoor gathering spaces, recreation and play opportunities, public art, and path upgrades that re-orient the visitor with the Chicago River.

Building off the momentum of the East End of Chicago’s Riverwalk transformation, the new Riverwalk East creates valuable outdoor amenities through outdoor gathering spaces, recreation and play opportunities, public art, and path upgrades that re-orient the visitor with the Chicago River.

The overall vision includes a new series of distinct outdoor rooms that evolve from urban hardscape (west) to a more natural, park-like setting (east) as one approaches the lakefront.

Seven vendor locations in the Civic Market give small businesses an opportunity to showcase their products. The Dock includes an inviting and navigable space with improved landscaping and seating.

The Playground is the most park-like, with improved landscaping and additional public seating. Columbus Plaza is experienced as the entrance to the Playground, while Field Drive Plaza features an innovative children’s play area. The Overlook includes a lushly landscaped viewing area featuring diverse seating and gathering and a viewing area.

“Onion field” is a direct translation of the Algonquian word “Chicagou,” the word from which Chicago is derived, and an onion field mix serves as the foundation of the planting strategy. Seating is a key design component with modular seating components that tie the linear space together.

The Salt District OMNI

Located along the north branch of the Chicago River and adjacent to Goose Island, the Morton Salt warehouse with its iconic sign has been a recognizable landmark for Chicago residents and visitors for nearly a century. After the Chicago-based manufacturer shuttered its salt storage and packing facility in 2015, the property was sold and plans were made to convert it to a mixed-use development including indoor and waterfront music venues, retail, and office space. Coined the Salt District, the project envisions the historic locale as a destination that takes great advantage of its proximity to the river’s edge.

The Salt District site creates the research challenge to determine innovative landscape architecture strategies that provide multi-functional and cost-effective design solutions to simultaneously remediate industrial site contamination, provide effective stormwater management, and create an immersive nature experience while also adhering to a strict budget.

The Salt District campus landscape utilizes an optimized engineered stormwater-retaining media developed by Omni Ecosystems. It is the first time the City of Chicago has approved an engineered media, creating a groundbreaking, decentralized green infrastructure solution to alleviate combined sewer overflow. This project provides a proven storm water management solution that can be replicated throughout the country.

The project envisions the historic locale as a destination that takes great advantage of its proximity to the river’s edge.

site

Artemisia Landscape Architecture

TERRA Engineering

Advance Consulting Group

International

Applied GeoScience

Speedy Gonzalez

Landscaping

CATEGORY

General Design, Constructed

LOCATION

Chicago, IL

CLIENT Chicago Park District

Seneca Park is a quiet oasis and well-loved community amenity at the crossroads of art, nature, culture, health, and community in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood. The new design envisions a functional, flexible, and updated amenity for surrounding residents, Museum of Contemporary Art patrons, and the staff, patients, and visitors of the Lurie Children’s Hospital and Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

The park is a quiet oasis and well-loved community amenity at the crossroads of art, nature, culture, health, and community.

The Dunes playspace focuses on the experience of traversing dunes. It drew inspiration from real dunes, with driftwood play pieces and bridges designed after real bridges found on dune walks.

The City playspace draws inspiration from the adjacent fire station. A tall blue tower is inspired by the triangular form of the historic circa-1869 Chicago Water Tower. The red tower, a shorter, stockier tower inspired by the adjacent Chicago Fire Department Engine 98 firehouse, features climbing elements and ladders that allow children to see into the adjacent firehouse.

This community-led vision has transformed a community park into a modern, vibrant, multi-faceted space that promotes healthy lifestyles, creativity, and community building for generations to come.

The Phase 1 custom playground promotes creative, non-linear play and provides fully accessible play equipment with two overarching themes: Dunes (2–5-year-olds) and the City (5–12-year-olds).

MERIT AWARD

Seneca Park SITE TEAM

Whimsy Farm HOLLANDER DESIGN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

Hydrangea create a sense of continuity throughout the landscape, especially within the entertaining areas. New garden elements include a pool dining area, topiary garden walk, front entry gardens, kitchen and dining terrace, and courtyard. A new diverse orchard complements an abundant vegetable garden.

In the Seuss Garden Walk, pollarded catalpa trees recall truffula trees. The garden beneath them grows along an undulating turf path, while native and naturally adapted plants invite birds and butterflies, and beehives on the property make good use of the pollinator garden.

The landscape and home are designed to convey a sense of mystery, fun, and surprise through the use of soft plantings and garden gates.

Designed for a young family, this 13.5-acre Long Island property is organized around strong axes and generous garden rooms, with an expansive, naturalized landscape that balances fun with easy outdoor living.

The landscape and home are designed to convey a sense of mystery, fun, and surprise through the use of soft plantings and garden gates. Whimsical elements like a clever hare in the hedge garden and an immense stone lizard near the great lawn create delight and a sense of mystery.

Sustainable elements include reusing an existing geothermal well and adding a large solar panel field, while replacing the front lawn with a fescue and clover meadow reduces chemicals and provides a healthy area for pollinators.

of emissions conducted for the years 2010 and 2015. We adopt goals for future emissions based upon international agreements and the best available science. Plausible emissions pathways based on simple assumptions of population growth combined with emissions intensity reveal that future goals are not going to be reached without striving toward explicit targets within

Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region

METROPOLITAN MAYORS CAUCUS AND NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)

ADAPTATION

used in buildings), transportation, and waste. The stationary energy sector includes emissions occurring as a result of gridsupplied electricity and natural gas used for heat, steam, cooling and other processes in the seven-county region. Emissions for stationary energy were calculated using data on electricity and natural gas fuel consumption supplied by the utilities serving the

PARTNERS

Argonne National Laboratory Chicago

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

The European Union Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy Illinois State Water Survey

documents/10180/885293/2015+Chicago+Regional+Inventory_Final+Report_June+2018.pdf/03087e10-fc65-f276-3342-7059f212b9d2.

NEMAC + Fernleaf University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

COMPLETION YEAR 2021

Action to mitigate the root causes of climate change through emissions reductions and to adapt to the effects of climate change must be taken at a scale and speed that can only be accomplished through regional and international collaboration. The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and 175 organizations who contributed to the creation of the 2021 Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region (CAP) brought a strong sense of cohesion to meet this enormous challenge at a regional level. This CAP, the first for the Chicago metropolitan region and one of the first regional-scale plans of its type in the U.S., acknowledges the threats of a changing climate while laying a foundation for climate mitigation and for equitably building strong and collaborative resilience through municipal leadership.

Thriving, high-performing public and private landscapes are central to the climate adaptation objectives and strategies. Landscape architects were engaged in the plan creation through the stakeholder engagement process.

The high-profile document, created and used by numerous stakeholders, has heightened public appreciation of landscape-related issues. For instance, inspired by the CAP, the Village of Glenview has since created a 98-page Urban Forest Management Plan that highlights goals such as increasing the urban tree canopy, properly mulching new plantings, and providing education and outreach.

20. Greenhouse gas emissions in the Chicago region by subsector, 2015. Source: CMAP

Public Recognition Awards

State Senator Ram Villivalam was raised on the northwest side of Chicago He is the son of Indian Immigrants. His parents came here in the 1970s. Though his father and mother were a civil engineer and a teacher in India respectively, they had to work minimum wage jobs, go back to school, and work their way to more than 25 years each of public service.

Prior to being sworn into the Illinois General Assembly, Senator Villivalam spent four years advocating on

behalf of home care for seniors and people with disabilities, childcare for working families, and Medicaid for those in need.

Senator Villivalam also worked at the federal level of goavernment for U.S. Congressman Brad Schneider as his Outreach Director. In this role, he was responsible for outreach on a variety of policy issues and had duties that ranged from signing people up for the Affordable Care Act to organizing Job Fairs.

Additionally, he is incredibly proud to be the first Asian American elected to the Illinois State Senate and the first Indian American elected to the Illinois General Assembly.

He is currently the Chair of the Transportation Committee and sits on the Energy and Public Utilities, Health Care Access and Availability, Human Rights, Licensed Activities, and Pensions Committees.

Senator Villivalam lives with his wife, Elizabeth, and his sons, Rohan and Lokesh, in the North Mayfair neighborhood in the City of Chicago.

ILASLA Presidents

2021 Adam A. De Foor-White, ASLA

2020 Magdalena Aravena, ASLA

2019 Rob Reuland, ASLA

2018 Keven Graham, FASLA

2017 Jack Pizzo, ASLA

2016 Alan Watkins, ASLA

2015 Darrell Garrison, ASLA

2014 Bradley McCauley, ASLA

2013 J. Christopher Lannert, ASLA

2012 Christopher M. Gent, ASLA

2011 Steven Halberg, ASLA

2010 Amy Olson, ASLA

2009 Greg Stevens, ASLA

2008 Erin Fiegel, ASLA

2007 James Gamble, ASLA

ASLA Fellows

llinois State Representative Theresa Mah made history in 2016 when she became the first Asian American elected to serve in the Illinois General Assembly. Representative Mah is a former college professor with a Ph.D. in modern American history and teaching experience in history, ethnic studies, and Asian American studies. Born in San Francisco, California, and a graduate of UC Berkeley, Representative Mah first came to Illinois for graduate studies at the University of Chicago more than 25 years ago.

As a senior advisor in former Governor Pat Quinn’s administration, she worked with legislators, Cabinet members, and co-workers at state agencies on efforts to improve diversity and minority representation in state government. Rep. Mah was instrumental in drafting the first Asian American Employment Plan. She worked with advocacy groups on a variety of issues such as immigrant rights, workers’ rights, voting rights, language access, and health care.

Chinese American Community (CBCAC). At CBCAC, she was instrumental in efforts to increase voter registration, voter education and turn-out; increasing the voting power of the Chinese American community through redistricting; advocating for a new Chinatown library and fieldhouse; preventing the closure of the Chinatown Post Office; and educating community members to become more involved in lobbying their elected officials on various issues.

2022 Heidi Natura, FASLA

2019 Mimi McKay, FASLA

2017 M. Elen Deming, FASLA

2015 Richard C. Bumstead, FASLA

2015 Keven Graham, FASLA

2013 Ernest C. Wong, FASLA

2010 David Yocca, FASLA

2009 Paul H. Gobster, FASLA

2006 Ann Lindsay Viger, ASLA

2005 Carrie Woleben-Meade, ASLA

2004 Brian Hopkins, ASLA

2003 Jay Womack, ASLA

2002 Eric F. Hornig, ASLA

2001 Richard Hayden, ASLA

2000 Keven Graham, FASLA

1999 Gerald J. Milewski, ASLA

1998 Lori Lyman, ASLA

1997 Lori Lyman, ASLA

1996 Ann Lindsay Viger, ASLA

1995 Ann Lindsay Viger, ASLA

1994 Steven Halberg, ASLA

1993 Steven Halberg, ASLA

1992 Gary B. Kesler, FASLA

1991 Gary B. Kesler, FASLA

1990 Robert Zolomij, ASLA

1989 Susan L.B. Jacobson, FASLA

1988 Susan L.B. Jacobson, FASLA

1987 James Ash, ASLA

1986 James Ash, ASLA

1985 James Gamble, ASLA

1984 James Gamble, ASLA

1983 Mark Hunner, FASLA

1982 Mark Hunner, FASLA

1981 James Elson Jr., ASLA

1980 Carl L. Goetz, ASLA

1974-79 John Cook, ASLA

Prior to her position in the Governor’s Office, she worked with advocacy and community-based organizations, initially with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and then Coalition for a Better

In the General Assembly Representative Mah serves on the Committees on K-12 Education Appropriations, Environmental Justice, and Health Care Licenses, among others.

2009 Theresa Guen-Murray, FASLA

2009 Scott Mehaffey, FASLA

2009 James M. Patchett, FASLA

2007 Douglas Hoerr, FASLA

2006 Peter Lindsay Schaudt, FASLA

2000 Bernard P. Jacobs, FASLA

2000 Anthony Tyznik, FASLA

1999 Allen R. Edmonson, FASLA

1999 Brian Orland, FASLA

1998 Gary B. Kesler, FASLA

1997 Terry Warriner Ryan, FASLA

1996 Franklin C. Clements, FASLA

1996 Mark Hunner, FASLA

1996 Joseph Nevius, FASLA

1995 Susan L.B. Jacobson, FASLA

1994 Terence G. Harkness, FASLA

1993 Robert B. Riley, FASLA

1993 Robert Zolomij, FASLA

1992 Joseph P. Karr, FASLA

1992 Debra L. Mitchell, FASLA

1991 Donald J. Molnar, FASLA

1989 Vincent Bellafiore, FASLA

1989 Jerrold Soesbe, FASLA

1981 William Nelson, Jr., FASLA

1966 Clarence E. “Bish” Hammond, FASLA

1960 Wallace B. Atkinson, FASLA

STATE SENATOR RAM VILLIVALAM, 8TH DISTRICT

REPRESENTATIVE THERESA MAH, 2ND DISTRICT

2021-2022 ILASLA Executive Committee

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Susan Ragaishis, AFFILIATE ASLA, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Arizona, where she studied theater performance, directing, and art. After 10 years of professional theater, she changed her focus to nonprofi t management and worked in administration for the Latino Institute, corporate development for Brookfield Zoo, and as a Regional Director for the American Cancer Society. She joined the Illinois Chapter ASLA in 2011 and works with the executive board and committee chairs to provide rich and meaningful experiences for members, advocate for the profession and engage allies for the chapter.

Adam A. De Foor-White, ASLA, PLA, is a Senior Associate Landscape Architect at Omni Ecosystems. He earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. As a licensed Landscape Architect, Adam’s enthusiasm for sustainable design, attention to detail, and coordination skills prove to be very important in project management for a broad range of design projects. As an active member of ASLA, Adam has colead the Host Booth Sub Committee for the 2015 ASLA Annual Conference, served as Illinois Chapter Membership Chair / Student Outreach Coordinator (2017-2020), and is actively engaged in landscape architecture student presentation reviews and mentorship programs.

PAST PRESIDENT

Magdalena Aravena, ASLA, PLA is a Landscape Architect with six years of experience in practice, and seven years as an engaged volunteer and leader in ASLA Driven by her experiences as a first-generation immigrant from Chile, she is passionate about exploring the role of designers in improving disadvantaged communities through education, advocacy, and collaborative design. She pursues opportunities for growth through volunteering, outreach programs, leading and participating on professional educational panels, and through her leadership in various national and local committees. Most recently, she served as ILASLA Membership Co-Chair and Advocacy Committee Member. Nationally, she is invested in representing Illinois through her more recent roles in the ASLA Finance and Investments Committee Member and as one of six members of the ASLA CEO Search Committee, which led to the eventual hiring of Torey Carter-Conneen as our ASLA CEO and Executive Vice President.

PRESIDENT ELECT

Sarah White is a landscape architect and an urban planner. Since she was a child growing up in suburban Minneapolis, she has felt a keen connection with “place,” and when in college she realized there was a whole profession that dealt with genius loci she was hooked. Since then she’s spent time building a career as a planner and landscape architect in Chicago (a city with genius loci to spare!). Sarah has a BS in Landscape Architecture from the University of Wisconsin at Madison (go Badgers!) and a MUPP from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She received her professional landscape architecture license in 2013 and has been a certified planner since 2012. Sarah currently works at the Chicago Park District as Lakefront Planning Coordinator, is mom to a super toddler, and is thriving on the excitement of living in and working to improve a city she loves.

TRUSTEE

Alan Watkins is an account representative with Clarence Davids & Company and an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. He earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign and a Master of Business Administration from Northern Illinois University. His responsibilities at Clarence Davids & Company entail developing and maintaining business relationships with current and prospective clients, as well as managing landscape construction and landscape maintenance projects. He is actively involved in a variety of professional organizations. He served as President of the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2016, currently serves as the Chairperson of the University of Illinois Department of Landscape Architecture Resource Committee, and is also an active member in the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association.

SECRETARY

Cassandra Rice, ASSOCIATE ASLA is a Landscape Architect and planner at site design group, ltd. (site). Her work focuses on synthesizing environmental, economic, and cultural influences to create evidence-based, sustainable strategies. She is passionate about community-based design, aiming to create innovative and engaging participatory processes for all of her projects. Some of her recent projects include the Chicago River Design Guidelines, the Milwaukee Harbor District Design Guidelines, and the University of Chicago Laboratory School Master Plan. Prior to serving as the Chapter’s secretary, Cassandra served as the 2017-2019 Emerging Professionals Co-Chair and the 20152016 Awards Chair. She is also actively involved in the American Planning Association.

TREASURER

MEMBER-AT-LARGE

Sarah Dreier, ASLA, PLA CPSI LEED Green

Associate is a graduate of Iowa State University and is a

Professional Landscape Architect in the states of Illinois and Indiana, with over fourteen years of experience. At JSD Professional Services, Inc., she contributes her ability to a wide range of planning and design projects throughout the office and is a proven thinker, collaborator and leader who works well with others and her experience with both public- and private-sector clients has yielded skills that facilitate an enriched project process. Sarah is an active member of the Illinois Chapter, leading a field session at the 2009 ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture, serving on the Awards Committee (2011-2015), was a team member for Host Booth Sub Committee at the 2015 Conference on Landscape Architecture, and acted as Celebration Co-Chair (2015-2020).

Stacey Libra, ASLA, is a co-owner and landscape architect at Indigo Ecological Design. She is a Professional Landscape Architect with a graduate degree in environmental science with a passion for creating beautiful, resilient spaces that are responsive to a changing climate, provide habitat for wildlife, and benefi t the health and well-being of people.

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Advocacy Chair: Mark Jirik, ASLA

Awards Chair: Jessie King, ASLA

Celebration+ Chair: Stacy Libra, ASLA

Communications Co-chairs: Jim Forrester, ASLA; Maelo Maldonado ASLA

Education Chair: Amanda Arnold, ASLA

Emerging Professionals Chair: Sophia Essian, ASLA

Events Chair: David Traphagen, ASLA

Fellows Nomination: Susan Jacobson, FASLA

HALS Representative Chair: Ken Horinko, ASLA

Membership Chair: Josh Bauman ASLA

Public Awareness Chair: Steve Gregory, ASLA

Social Media Chair: Cesar Gomez, ASLA

Webmaster: Tadhg Barlow, ASLA

PRESIDENT

Production Notes

Folio 2022 is an official publication of the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

This publication’s goal is to increase public awareness of landscape architecture as a profession and recognize the works of our profession that bring honor to us all. With this year’s issue, we offer our readers a glimpse of a number of unique projects that highlight the exemplary work of Illinois Landscape Architects.

The entire contents of this issue, including the plans, photographs, and all artwork are under copyright agreement with the Illinois Chapter ASLA and may not be copied or reproduced except as specified under contract with the Illinois Chapter ASLA.

To the best of our knowledge, all information at the time of publication is accurate. The Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the publisher, the copywriter, the designer, and the production firm are not liable for omissions or errors.

It’s hardest at work when you’re most at rest.

IMAGE CREDITS

C

REDITS NUMBERED TOP TO BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT

50 years of Prestige Projects

POPCOURTS!

1-3: Lamar Johnson Collaborative

DOUGLASS 18

1-3: Aaron Magana

4: site

DRONE BY DESIGN

1-2: Lamar Johnson Collaborative

IMANI VILLAGE HEALING GARDEN

1: India Martin

3:Justin Taylor

2,4: n/a

NORTH VAN DYKE AVENUE

1-3: Design Workshop

4: Design Distill, LLC

TOPPING FARM

1: n/a

2-3: Charles Mayer

4: Neil Landino

WELLNESS AT WORK

1-3: Hollander Design

4: Magda Biernat

CROSSROADS CITY CLUB APARTMENTS

1-3: Alan Blakely

2: site

MACY'S FLAGSHIP AMENITY DECK

1-2: Lamar Johnson Collaborative

3: Jameson Skaife

MALMI MEADOW PARK

1-4: PORT

POLLINATOR GUIDEBOOK

1-3: Hitchcock Design Group

PRAIRIE TRAILS SCHOOL NATURAL PLAYGROUNDS

1: Amy Veytsman, Prarie Trails

2-3: TERRA Engineering, Ltd

RIVERWALK EAST

1-2: site

3: Scott Shigley

THE SALT DISTRICT

1-2: Lamar Johnson Collaborative

3: Omni Ecosystems

SENECA PARK

1-2: site

3-4: Scott Shigley

WHIMSY FARM

1-3: Neil Landino

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