JSG
JONATHON GEELS, PLA, ASLA PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
DESIGN ADVOCATE INNOVATE 2018
Lakeland Regional Health System St. Joseph, MI
CONTENTS
ADAPTIVE PRACTICE DESIGN
Pursuit of Good Design Engagement Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, and Planning Process Driven Practice
INNOVATION
Change Theory Beyond the Pop-up The Ideas Project
ADVOCACY
Activism Government Affairs
PROFILE
Connect By The Numbers Honors | Awards | Affliations
ADAPTIVE PRACTICE Adaptive Practice and the Genetics of Landsc ape Architecture Constantly in a state of flux, the practice of landscape architecture frequently changes and adapts from one condition to another. From transportation planning to water and stormwater management to park design and preservation, the sheer breadth of types of landscape architecture practices supports the notion that the profession has never fit into a box. The concept of hybrid practices, which came out of a need to address complex environmental and cultural issues, only partially addresses the problems we look to solve and the methodology we use to solve them. In biologic terms, landscape architectural allelic heterogeneity, alludes to a diversity of variations of practice that have the same relative process (inventory, analysis, iterative concept ideation, development), also includes an array of different product offerings and at the same time alternative career trajectories. In this way, the product of landscape architecture does not always need to be construction documents or drawings and the careers of landscape architects do not always need to follow the intern to designer to project manager to principal path. In essence, this alternative model is adapting practice and has been the underlying theme for my own career. Building on the theme of science, the term ‘adaptation’ is typically used to describe a newly
mutated trait that increases fitness in a particular environment. In business, it might be described as a ‘pivot.’ For our purposes, understanding the influence a variety of variables – from politics and the economy to vocational idleness to the moving target of success – adapting the practice of landscape architecture includes navigating the minefield of expectations and cost justifications while battling identity and scope of practice crises. For the sake of comparison, ‘evolution’ is the process by which that beneficial trait identified in adaption, spreads throughout a population (typically over the course of generational iterations). With the impact of the contemporary political climate, the generational calamity of climate change, and continued social issues yet to be fully realized, the evolution of landscape architecture has yet to be determined. From this hybrid position, we are set to tackle new problems and form new collaborations, using new communication channels and atypical processes, leading to innovation and unanticipated hegemony. Such has been the ambition of my practice: to continue to adapt and add value, in an ever-evolving landscape, toward solving increasingly critical issues facing society and the environment.
everything comes down to people and their experiences.
Environmental Center Master Plan Elkhart, IN
THE THREE LEGS OF CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE IN COMMUNTIES As a landscape architect, I recognize the systemic connectivity of public health, social equality, energy efficiency, economics, and the built environment. In order to effect positive change, I work at the intersection of those facets while building partnerships and integrating public policy advocacy.
PROFESSIONAL FOCUS AREAS
DESIGN
ADVOCACY
AND EVOLVE
INNOVATION
AND ACTIVISM
AND RESEARCH
Redefining the product of design. Design is a process, not just an end artifact. This process has two parts that diverges on analysis, converges on opportunities, diverges again on ideas, and finally converges on solutions. Hinges on leveraging productive public involvement to ensure the essence of place is adhered to...
By advocating for our public spaces, transportation alternatives, land and water conservation programs, as well as environmental justice initiatives, I seek to improve the equality of opportunity in our communities.
Beyond creativity, innovation means developing something new and better. I enjoy working on innovation strategies, like Design Thinking and Change Theory, to solving complex problems by identifying opportunities for change and creating impact strategies.
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Health Justice + Equity Learning + Discovery Resource Management Public Spaces
Policy Writing Public Speaking Volunteering Civic Engagement
Research Cross Disciplinary Interaction Change Theory Adaptive Practice + Tactical Urbanism Ideas Project
DESIGN IS AN OPTIMISTIC WAY OF VIEWING THE WORLD. A BELIEF THAT YOU CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER.
100 Idea Project South Bend, IN
THE PURSUIT OF GOOD DESIGN
ENGAGE Activism
HEAL
Lakeland Regional Health System - St. Joseph, MI
EDUCATE
Stinson Remick Hall - Notre Dame, IN
RESTORE
Environmental Center Master Plan - Elkhart, IN
CONNECT
City Cemetery District Master Plan - South Bend, IN
INSPIRE
100 Wayne Plaza and Streetscape - South Bend, IN
EDUCATE
CONNECT ENGAGE
HEAL
RESTORE
INSPIRE
Aesthetics cannot be the driving force, it must be the baseline. Design Aesthetics Function
DESIGN The Pursuit Of Good Design Design processes, especially in the built environment, tend to progress on very similar trajectories: a client with an idea engages a designer to turn that abstract idea into a concrete product (sometimes literally concrete). Many problems with this approach come to mind, but the one I would like to focus on is the notion of genius and where good ideas come from. If your notion of genius is embodied by the lone patent clerk in some back office slaving away on the theory of relativity, then you’re imagining a process that is very non-participatory. Similarly so if you expect the next great American novel to come from someone typing away in a wintery log cabin, while the public waits to be amazed by the author’s genius. Looking at the standard model of design practice, we see similar perceptions and deferred participation, which often results in dismissing the idea of design as a luxury. If design lacks engagement and is not necessary, we relegate the spaces we live and work in, at best, to mediocrity, and in the worst case, these spaces become unhealthy, economically and environmentally unsustainable, and not functional. The implications of a dismissive design process on our public spaces is dire. Along the same lines, built-environment projects—
like plazas, streets, or parks—take a lot of social, political, and economic capital to come to fruition. They take a long time from start to finish, often evolving over years. With all of this gravity, it can be difficult to change the course of a project. So even if a project begins with an idea that is not fully explored or is outright bad, the ability to make changes is limited. With so much effort being put into projects of this nature, when criticisms are brought up, the natural inclination is to be defensive or dismissive, which serves no one’s best interest. And so began an unintentional pilgrimage to rediscover design. Opportunity drives design. Because we deserve healthier, more vibrant places to live in, living out the vision to overcome obstacles and understand opportunity is a journey worth taking. For my part, I enjoy solving problems by connecting people to new ideas through design, innovation, and advocacy. I am passionate about improving public health, the built environment, social equality, and resource management, and I hope to engage other professionals with the same enthusiasm. Seeking to answer the above questions is a bit like peeling back the layers of an onion. I invite you to peel back
the layers with me and discover solutions to the problems that keep us up at night. To quote the great Peter Walker, “Cities are on the rise and we [landscape architects] are on deck.” This is not a position of idle effort. The continued need for leadership in the face of obstacles – climate change, social castes, gender equality – cannot be met with the same linear process. We must adapt our notion of practice and ultimately evolve the profession of landscape architecture to unlock greater meaning, impact, and success.
Our collaborative design process addresses the key aspects that make places successful, leveraging the each site’s unique context to strengthen communities and create more resilient environments. Using aesthetics as a baseline, our designs solve functional problems and amplify the performance of spaces that support the goals of our clients. As a result, our projects contribute to the economic, social, and ecological components that drive lasting positive changes. From municipalities and public spaces to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to healthcare and higher education, we serve clients with the same enthusiasm and commitment on every project.
Stinson Remick Hall Notre Dame, IN
IF DESIGN LACKS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OUR CIVIC SPACES WILL BECOME UNHEALTHY, ECONOMICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY UNSUSTAINABLE, AND ULTIMATELY NOT FUNCTIONAL.
THE PROCESS MUST BE EMPATHETIC AND INCLUSIVE, DELIBERATELY SEEKING OUT PARTICIPATION TO EMPOWER PEOPLE.
Public Planning Meeting South Bend, IN
CREATING PLACES THAT HEAL
Lakeland Regional Health System St. Joseph, MI
THE HEALING PROCESS BEGINS AS SOON AS YOU CAN SEE THE HOSPITAL.
THE CAMPUS ADDRESSED EACH FACET OF HEALTH INDIVIDUALLY, WITH A DISTINCT FOCUS ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND CONNECTING TO THE COMMUNITY
West Quad Master Plan and Design Notre Dame, IN
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE IS SYSTEMS THINKING
whether it’s a college campus or a municipal plaza or a park playground, the proper design of public spaces facilitates the success of system: people, buildings, process, flow - all working together to achieve symbiosis
Stinson Remick Hall Notre Dame, IN
CREATING PLACES THAT EDUCATE
The next generation of campus ecosystems includes flexible learning spaces, demonstration learning labratories that are integrated into the landscape, integration of each facet of health, marketing for prospective students, all while celebrating the history and traditions of the colleges. At the University of Notre Dame, Stinson Remick Hall embodied this transition, with a design that saw the campus’ first rain garden and resulted in a 70% water consumption reduction (compared to the baseline and adjacent campus facilities). The native planting landscape design also worked with the formal campus, bridging between the old and new campus to create a unique space for the new Engineering Facility.
CREATING PLACES THAT RESTORE
Environmental Center Master Plan Elkhart, IN
THE POWER OF CONNECTING PEOPLE AND PLACE
The design thinking process, from discovery to ideation to final solution, diverges on context and converges on opportunities and constraints. From there it diverges again on ideas and concepts before converging on the final solution. This process is unique to each project and results in designs that have a deep connection to both people and place. The Environmental Center Master Plan in Elkhart, IN (this page) as well as the City Cemetery District Master Plan in South Bend, IN went further in the discovery process by utilizing 9 key lenses to prompt stakeholders and process participants, providing more valuable feeback that contributed to better project recommendations. These lenses include people, scale, energy/environment, economy, mobility, materials, and technology.
CREATING PLACES THAT CONNECT
City Cemetery District Master Plan South Bend, IN
Transforming The Way We Think About Public Space Redefining The Relationship Between Neighborhood And Resource
This project involved internal and external recommendations that aims to positively influence direction of the entire historic district that surrounds the 25acre parcel. Part advocacy effort about the historic nature involving years of work with the City Common Council, Parks Department, and Historic Preservation Department, this plan involved programming and development recommendations for the internal cemetery operations as well as the historic neighborhood. Rife with vacant and abandoned houses, the City was confronted with a significant landuse issue. By changing the perspective of the cemetery from graveyard to repository of the City’s history, the open space (the first planned open space for the City), the resource could better serve the community. This was executed through heightening the heirarchy of the main entrance, creating several pedestrian connections to a nearby recreation center and several historic landmarks.
CREATING PLACES THAT INSPIRE By supporting the existing capacity of the community, people can take ownership of both the process and the resulting spaces.
100 Wayne Plaza and Streetscape Design South Bend, IN
Environmental Center Main Entrance Concept Elkhart, IN
INNOVATION Creating Change. One Idea At A Time. Constantly in a state of flux, the practice of landscape architecture frequently changes and adapts from one condition to another. From transportation planning to water and stormwater management to park design and preservation, the sheer breadth of types of landscape architecture practices supports the notion that the profession has never fit into a box. The concept of hybrid practices, which came out of a need to address complex environmental and cultural issues, only partially addresses the problems we look to solve and the methodology we use to solve them. In biologic terms, landscape architectural allelic heterogeneity, alludes to a diversity of variations of practice that have the same relative process (inventory, analysis, iterative concept ideation, development), also includes an array of different product offerings and at the same time alternative career trajectories. In this way, the product of landscape architecture does not always need to be construction documents or drawings and the careers of landscape architects do not always need to follow the CAD technician to designer to project manager to principal path. In essence, this alternative model is adapting practice. Building on the theme of science, the term ‘adaptation’ is typically used to describe a newly mutated trait that increases fitness in a particular environment. In business, it might be described as a ‘pivot.’ For
our purposes, understanding the influence a variety of variables – from the recession and economy to vocational idleness to the moving target of success – adapting the practice of landscape architecture includes navigating the minefield of client expectations and cost justifications while battling identity and scope of practice crises. For the sake of comparison, ‘evolution’ is the process by which that beneficial trait identified in adaption, spreads throughout a population (typically over the course of generational iterations). With the impact of the contemporary political climate, the generational calamity of climate change, and continued social issues yet to be fully realized, the evolution of landscape architecture has yet to be determined.
100 Ideas Project and Idea Salon Best Wednesday Ever - South Bend, IN
Combining unique research experiences to reveal the cultural and social potential of the built environment. Research leads to better design. Better design leads to innovation. Innovation leads to behavior change. This is the crux of the change I hope to make in the world.
100 Ideas Project and Idea Salon Best Wednesday Ever - South Bend, IN
RESEARCH CHANGES DESIGN
DESIGN
CHANGES BEHAVIOR
BEHAVIOR CHANGES THE WORLD
SB150 Green Pop-up Park South Bend, IN
SB 150 GREEN
THE LINK BETWEEN THE TWO MAIN CAMPUSES FOR SOUTH BEND’S 150 BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, IN COLLABORATION WITH DOZENS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WE CREATED A 25,000SF POP-UP PARK. OVER THE COURSE OF 3 DAYS IT ACCOMMODATED OVER 60,000 VISITORS.
SB150 Green Pop-up Park South Bend, IN
The entire pop-up park utilizing primarily recycled and reclaimed materials, was assembled in just a few hours with a team of volunteers, withstand crowds of visitors over the course of several days, and finally be disassembled in a day. As a key connection space that withstood thousands of pedestrians, many of the materials were later recycled, reused, or donated.
Park(ing) Day 2009 Celebration South Bend, IN
Around the time I launched the 100 Ideas Project, I had been reading about the Paris Salon in the mid-1800s. It was an exhibition of all the different artwork in Europe at that time. If you were able to get a piece of artwork into the Paris Salon then you were officially an artist and a financially stable career was secured, something artists still find hard to come by. Thousands and thousands of people would come to this exhibition, which gave artists a certain amount of notoriety, thus enabling them to secure future commissions. To have a piece displayed at the Salon, you had to adhere to Renaissance ideals, namely presenting scenes of history, mythology, or religious content that were technically perfect. This meant no visible brush strokes and often mathematically composed perspectives. Afterward, while financially stable, these artists were often relegated to relative anonymity because of the sheer volume of work collected at the Salon. Continued on next page.
Idea Salon Panel Discussion South Bend, IN
Also in the mid-1800s, a small group of artists met regularly at the Parisian Café Guerbois, each lamenting their inability to gain entry into this Salon. They submitted many paintings, but their ideals of what art was differed from the Salon’s ideals. The Salon saw art as needing to be this perfect representation that depicted real moments of history sans brushstrokes. But the Café Guerbois group liked to paint everyday life. They wanted viewers to see the brushstrokes; they wanted viewers to see the nitty-gritty of the work’s composition. Banding together, though shunning any specific title, this group of artists developed their own exhibition, one where their work wouldn’t get lost in the crowd. Presenting their own ideas of what art was might not have attracted the same type of crowds that the Paris Salon attracted, but they were able to show their work and find the audience that was supportive of what they found to be true. These interactions, discussions,
and evolved artistic styles eventually led to the group in order to be formed into the best ideas possible. becoming known as the Impressionists. Among them Cézanne, Monet, Degas, and Manet led a shift in thinking The way to make things better is really to get and culture that changed the way we look at the world. community feedback and share these concepts, very similar to the way the culture is in Silicon Valley. There, Starting the 100 Ideas Project was really born out professionals don’t hold on to these new apps and of reading about the effort the Impressionists put new ways of using the Internet. They want to share into expressing different ideas. Initially, the website their concepts with business competitors to get was a type of professional exercise, but with more the best feedback, to better hone and evolve them. conversations arising from the posts, the project became less and less about the individual ideas themselves. Even though the ideas addressed municipal problems and opportunities, the project became more about the idea of creative culture and sharing and how we manage that and how we interact with one another and how we put those ideas out there—not as something I want to hold onto and keep secret and work on by myself but as ideas to be shared
ADVOCACY Advocating For A Better Future For Everyone, Everywhere. Ultimately, if all designers share the professional goal to do the best work possible, then we must change the system, raise the minimum design standards, improve the policies that guide and shape the built environment, and allocate the resources to have the greatest impact. If all we have to design to is the minimum standard, then we are destined for a society of mediocrity and continued environmentally catastrophe. But if we take our oath of stewardship seriously and embrace the declarations of the next generation of landscape architecture we have to do more. To do this work successfully, we must advocate at every level of government with clarity, consistency, and insight.
2017 Salute to Business - Regional Chamber of Commerce South Bend, IN
Green Ribbon Commission - Strategic Plan South Bend, IN
Activism From Congress to the Common Council, Jonathon sees advocacy as a pivot component to the success of our public spaces and his role as a designer. • 10 years of service on the Executive Committee of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Indiana Chapter, with increasing responsibility ranging from Chair of the Government Affairs Committee to State Chapter President. • Serving on the National ASLA Government Affairs Advisory Committee, advising on Federal Highway urban standards and transportation legislation positions – as well as other landscape architecture related topics – for the organization. • Regularly presenting and providing education sessions on tactics for environmental,
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social, and economic value for municipalities throughout the Northern Indiana • Coordinating state and regional legislative issues including licensure, transportation, stormwater management, community design and development, ecology and the environment, as • well as small business issues Collaborating with local policymakers to draft • legislation, such as local Complete Streets Ordinances, and provide plan briefings on topics ranging from energy to urban forests. Cultivating and maintaining relationships with local, state, and federal agencies and offices Managing and fostering coalitions and partnerships with allied and related organizations for advocacy and legislative collaboration on issues such as landscape architecture licensure
and the Transportation Alternatives Program Participating and speaking at annual Federal Advocacy Day fly-in, the ASLA’s premier advocacy event, as well as advocacy summit earning ASLA’s Rising Star Advocacy Award in 2015 In 2015, I was featured in the iAdvocate Video for ASLA’s Government Affairs Presenting at several national and state conferences on legislative and legal issues for landscape architects.
Ignite As anMichiana outspoken - The Next advocate Space Race forPresentation landscape architecture, South Bend, INurban spaces, resource management, and public health. He regularly speaks on these topics
Government Affairs From Congress to the Common Council, Jonathon sees advocacy as a pivot component to the success of our public spaces and his role as a designer. • 10 years of service on the Executive Committee of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Indiana Chapter, with increasing responsibility ranging from Chair of the Government Affairs Committee to State Chapter President. • Serving on the National ASLA Government Affairs Advisory Committee, advising on Federal Highway urban standards and transportation legislation positions – as well as other landscape architecture related topics – for the organization. • Regularly presenting and providing education sessions on tactics for environmental, social, and economic value for municipalities throughout the Northern Indiana • Coordinating state and regional legislative issues including licensure, transportation, stormwater management, community design and development, ecology and the environment, as well as small business issues • Collaborating with local policymakers to draft legislation, such as local Complete Streets Ordinances, and provide plan briefings on topics
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• •
ranging from energy to urban forests. Cultivating and maintaining relationships with local, state, and federal agencies and offices Managing and fostering coalitions and partnerships with allied and related organizations for advocacy and legislative collaboration on issues such as landscape architecture licensure and the Transportation Alternatives Program Participating and speaking at annual Federal Advocacy Day fly-in, the ASLA’s premier advocacy event, as well as advocacy summit earning ASLA’s Rising Star Advocacy Award in 2015 In 2015, I was featured in the iAdvocate Video for ASLA’s Government Affairs Presenting at several national and state conferences on legislative and legal issues for landscape architects.
Courthouse South Bend, IN
Jonathon’s experience encompasses design, strategic planning, innovation planning and development, as well as efficiency analysis and cost reduction. As a landscape architect, he designed large sites with a public health and environmental stewardship focus. Recently, Jonathon has segued that into trying to incorporate LEED and Sustainable Sites’ principals as a baseline for public sector projects, specifically promoting life-cycle cost analysis versus traditional first cost models. As his role has expanded, Jonathon has worked on developing and promoting performance indicators to aid in further project development for municipalities throughout the region. He has been labeled a visionary and a consummate idea-man whose impact continues to span sectors and push the boundaries of design, incorporating innovation and advocacy. He has won several community and National awards, being recognized for his outstanding service and leadership. His writing has been featured in a variety of national outlets, including Land8 and the Culture Keeper. His recent extra-curricular accomplishments include collaborating with dozens of organizations and public agencies on both large scale and small projects, as well as founding a volunteer organization that has contributed thousands of hours of volunteer beautification work over the last several years
Jonathon Geels Web: JonathonGeels.com Email: jsgeels@gmail.com Cell: 574.360.7042
Twitter: @JonathonGeels Blog: jsgdesign.wordpress.com Facebook: facebook.com/jsgdesign LinkedIN: linkedin.com/in/jonathonsgeels/
13
YEARS EXPERIENCE
100+ PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
5
STATE AND NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL AWARDS
3
VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS FOUNDED
1
PROFESSIONAL STATE LICENSE
$23M L A N D S C A P E ARCHITECTURE 25 PUBLIC ENGAGE 40 M E N T
LIFETIME PROJECT ENERGY SAVINGS
MUNICIPAL CONSULTING SERVICES PROJECTS
HEALTHCARE PROJECTS
10
HIGHER EDUCATION PROJECTS
E X P E R T I S E
URBAN
DESIGN
$500M+ P L A N VISION CONSTRUCTED WORK VALUE
Ignite Michiana 2015 South Bend, IN
Outreach and Engagement From small classroom settings to large public events, I enjoy connecting people to new ideas. In 2015, I spoke at the inaugural Ignite Michiana Event on municipal energy management. The presentation ended with a fired-up pep talk that riled up the crowd and committed to creating the most innovative city in the nation. Jonathon regularly contributes to conversations on equity, public health, and resource management at venues such as the American Society of Landscape Architects Annual Meeting. Nationally recognized for his leadership on public engagement and ecosystem service issues, he was
awarded the ASLA’s Rising Star Government Affairs Award in 2014, named to the South Bend Region’s 40 Under 40 List in 2016, and recognized as the Outstanding Young Business Leader in 2017.
SB150 Green Pop-up Park South Bend, IN
HONORS | AFFILIATIONS | ACTIVITIES South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce • 2017 Outstanding Young Business Leader of the Year • 40 Under 40 – 2016 Inductee 100 Ideas Project Founder Keep South Bend Beautiful Founder American Society of Landscape Architects • 2017 Special Recognition Award • 2015 and 2016 Outstanding Chapter Service Award • 2015 National Government Affairs Rising Star Award • 2014-16 Indiana Chapter President • 2015-2017 National Gov. Affairs Advisory Committee • 2012-17 State Government Affairs Chair
Indiana Chamber of Commerce 2016-2017 Environmental Policy Committee Member US Green Building Council Northern Indiana Chapter Member South Bend Green Ribbon Commission Energy Sub-Committee Member West Side Wednesday Planning Committee
P R O “ He will make a distinctive mark on any team of which F E S S he is a part. ” IE XOP EN A L RIENCE As is clear from his roster of involvements, Jonathon is a passionate individual who is deeply committed...
“Jonathon is positive,
Mayor Pete Buttigieg Former Candidate for DNC Chair
I recommend him highly.”
“He is respected by his peers,
adaptive, and innovative. Steven Cox City of South Bend Fire Chief
Phillip St. Clair City of South Bend Director of Parks
EDUCATION | CERTIFICATION
Professional Landscape Architect, State of Indiana License Ball State University Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, College of Architecture and Planning Digital Publishing Concentration, Department of Technology Presidential Scholarship Recipient Garden Club Scholarship Recipient Member, Sigma Lambda Alpha, Tau Chapter Honorary Society Inductee Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Professional Design and Implementation Courses
EXPERIENCE
Landscape Architect + Project Manager | Troyer Group South Bend, IN. | April 2014 – Present Project Specialist | Municipal Energy Office South Bend, IN | May 2011 – April 2014 Landscape Architect | BSA LifeStructures, Inc Indianapolis, IN. | May 2005 – April 2009
has high quality worksmanship, and has great vision.”
“Visionary.” “Thank you for your commitment and focus in helping the community thrive.” Sam Centalles, Director La Casa De Amistad
EVERYTHING STARTS SOMEWHERE. LET’S START SOMETHING.