Hi, I’m Michelle!
My goal as an aspiring landscape architect is to encourage people to understand, respect, and admire the both the natural and built environments, as well as the richness of ecological and climatic variance throughout our planet. Each biome has its own unique sense of beauty and strength, and is worthy of celebration.
Through a balance between creativity and detailed logistics, I aim to design accessible spaces for people to interact with their environment with thoughtful intention and build on shared experience.
michellemlazarz@gmail.com | 512.809.5911 | issuu.com/michellelazarz | she/her contact
about
highlights • Photoshop • Illustrator
InDesign • AutoCAD • SketchUp • Twinmotion
ArcGIS Pro • Wordpress software
Calligraphy
Watercolor
Weaving
Sketching
Plant Identification
Photography
Graphic Design skills
• 2nd year Master of Landscape Architecture student at the University of Colorado Denver • UTAP Landscape Design Research Assistant • ASLA Student Chapter VP • ASLA Colorado student member • Former event professional
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academic
University of Colorado Denver
Master of Landscape Architecture Candidate, Anticipated Aug. 2021 - May 2024
University of North Texas
B.S. Hospitality Management, 2014
Honors College, 4.0 GPA
James Bowie High School
Diploma, 2010
experience
University Technical Assistance Program
Design Research Assistant • Apr. 2022 - Present
Premiere Events
• Administrative Contractor • July 2021 - Sept. 2022
• Administration Specialist • Jan. 2019 - July 2021
• Event Rental Consultant • Nov. 2016 - Jan. 2019
Thirty Day Dash
Creative Operations Manager • A ug. 2014 - Nov. 2016
leadership
ASLA
• Student Chapter Vice President (current)
• First-Year Representative, (2021-2022)
National Assoc. for Catering & Events
• Austin Chapter Secretary, 2019 - 2021
• Communications Director, 2018
liatris punctata | dotted blazingstar prunus virginiana | chokecherry
bromus inermis | smooth bromecrustose lichen on red sandstone
Explore
Auraria Urban Campus
Center Sports & Recreation Complex
Creede Civic Park
Park Hills
Additional Work
Auraria Urban Campus
Studio 2 | Fall 2022
Denver, CO 80204
The southwestern portion of Auraria is the primary arrival point for most campus visitors and provides a dismal welcome surrounded by a sea of parking lots and garages, and lacking safe and enjoyable routes for pedestrians and cyclist transit.
Our guiding principles were to reclaim car-centric space for alternative clean transportation methods and celebrate the concept of an urban steppe campus through active public space, mixed use development, and ecological design.
I produced all graphics shown individually, except the site plan, through a group design process in collaboration with Lisa Caruana and Dan Zehr.
Site Area Auraria Campus Parking Offsets 2,299 Existing AHEC Parking Spaces -935 Proposed for Removal 1,364 Remaining Proposed Autonomous Shuttle Route Proposed Bike & Pedestrian Greenway Existing Light Rail Lines Existing Bus Routes Existing & Increasing E-Bike & E-Scooter Usage AurariaParkway Cherry (-112) Dogwood (-5) Spruce (-209) Elm (-861) 5th St. Garage (0) Aspen (-145) Walnut (0) RTD Auraria West RTD Mile High 7th St. Parking Garage
context
site plan
Graphic produced by teammate
Converted Parking Lot & Road to Greenway at 5th St. Garage 5th St. Garage with Ground Floor Retail/Commercial 13’ Sidewalk9.5’ Street Tree Swale 6’ Bike Lane 6’ Bike Lane 12.5’ Street Tree Swale 13.5’ Street Tree Swale 8’ Bike Pulloff & Repair Station 7’ Sidewalk with Street Lamp Posts 18.5’ Pocket Park 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% y Targeted Road Closure of Walnut St. between 5th & 7th 2% 2%2%2% 2% Nature of Place Garden 23.5’ Flex Sidewalk with shuttle pick up/ drop off shelter, e-bike & e-scooter drop zone, and street lamps 12’ Autonomous Shuttle Lane 5’ Planter Buffer 5’ Bike Lane 5’ Bike Lane 10’ Street Tree Planter 14’-6” Sidewalk with Planters & Street Lights Pocket Park
internal mobility
right-of-way planting plan
Buff Sandstone Steppers
Coreopsis lanceolata (6)
Amorpha nana (4)
Squeegee
Engelmannia peristenia (7)
Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’ (3)
Callirhoe involucrata (11)
Prunus pumila var. besseyi PAWNEE BUTTES® (2)
Helictotrichon sempervirens (3)
Nassella tenuissima (6)
Agastache cana ‘Sinning’ (14)
Tanacetum densum ssp. amani (5)
Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’ (20)
Festuca glauca (8)
Artemisia ludoviciana (3)
Erodium chrysanthum (4)
Rhus aromatica ‘Grow-low’ (1)
Buff Sandstone boulder
Eriogonum umbellatum var. aurem
KANNAH CREEK® (6)
Oenothera macrocarpa ssp. incana SILVER BLADE® (8)
Veronica CRYSTAL RIVER® ‘Reavis’ (1 flat)
Representative Sample at Corner of 7th & Walnut St.
Delosperma FIRE SPINNER® (1 flat)
Marrubium rotundifolium (9)
ROAD
CONCRETE SIDEWALK PARKING LOT
Winter Autumn Summer Spring
EXISTING CONDITIONS
ART GALLERY
EMPOWER FIELD AT MILE HIGH RTD LIGHT RAIL STATION
MINI GOLF & YARD GAMES
OUTDOOR STAGE
POP-UP VENDOR MARKET
BAR & RESTAURANT
5TH ST. TOWARDS
BALL ARENA
NEIGHBORHOOD
ADDITIONAL PRIVATE EVENT, RETAIL, MARKET & FOOD SERVICE SPACE
ELEVATED BIKEWAY TO SOUTH PLATTE TRAIL OVER RAILROAD
TO AURARIA
SKATE PARK
AURARIA PARKWAY
MURAL WALLS PLANT LAB TEST PLOTS
Center Sports & Recreation Complex
UTAP | April 2022 - January 2023
Washington Way, Center, CO 81125
The Town of Center contracted the University Technical Assistance Program to reimagine Center Park as a functional sports complex, and design a recreation center to serve the growing population.
My site plan maximizes available space for programming without moving the existing football field, and incorporates the local Viking Club facilities into a shared recreation center.
context
Need additional baseball field to host tournaments
Oversized Parking Lot
not
is in poor
Underutilized Space Oversized Turf Lawns in Dry Community
Track does
meet regulation &
condition
Big High School Football Community
SCHOOL W 4TH ST. Need for additional Picnic Shelters, Sand Volleyball, and Playground
Request to shift entrance from Washington to 4th WASHINGTONWAY
site plan
0'25'50'100' 0 25 50 100 BASEBALL BASEBALL LITTLE LEAGUE TRACK & FIELD FOOTBALL TRACK BIRD BOX FIELD STORAGE PICNIC SHELTER GRANDSTANDS PLAYGROUND DEMO GARDEN WATER TOWER PICNIC SHELTER SAND VOLLEYBALL PICKLEBALL & TENNIS COURTS BIORETENTION SWALES (123) PARKING SPACES SKATE PARK REC CENTER COMMUNITY GARDENS OUTDOOR THEATRE BATTING CAGES BIKE RACKS WARMUP FIELD PICNIC SHELTER PICNIC SHELTER WASHINGTONWAY W. 4TH ST. GARCIA ST.
grandstands
800-SEAT CAPACITY
Section
recreation center
EXISTINGWALKINGPATH
COMMUNITY GARDENS
TEAM AREA TRACK REC CENTER ENTRANCE OUTDOOR MOVIE THEATRE & COURTYARD BATTING CAGES & TRACK & FIELD FOOTBALL LOCKER ROOMS ENTRANCEfloorplan
FOOTBALL LOCKER ROOMS
Floorplan (33,614 sf)
SPORTS COURTS WITH RETRACTABLE BLEACHERS
CONCESSIONS & EXTERIOR ACCESS RESTROOMS
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN
LOBBY
VIKING ADMIN.
MECHANICAL & JANITOR
REC CENTER LOCKER ROOMS
VIKING YOUTH CLUB VIKING GYM
CLIMBING WALL
ADMIN. OFFICES
North Elevation
BOXING & MARTIAL ARTS
WEIGHT ROOM & EQUIPMENT FLEX. STUDIOS
Creede Civic Park
UTAP | April 2022 - January 2023
2223 N. Main St., Creede, CO 81130
The City of Creede contracted the University Technical Assistance Program to design a new Town Hall and Public Works Facility. To reduce the spatial constraints of the existing site, we proposed the removal of a portion of N. Main St, allowing for the addition of a small civic pocket park adjacent to Willow Creek and the new Town Hall.
I developed a variety of site plan configurations for the building designs, parking and road changes, and designed Creede Civic Park.
In collaboration with: Jenn Clegg, Jake Dudley, Kally Mott, Justin Trammell, Erin Walrath, and Jeffrey Wood
context
Creede Rio Grande Continental Divide Canyon Wall Main St. Loma St. Public Works Town Hall Remove Road Willow Creek County Courthouse Town Bachelor Loop, Mining Museum & Fire Station Canyon Wall
0 10 20 40 PUBLIC WORKS TOWN HALL WILLOW CREEK N.MAINST. PRIVATE PROPERTY LOMA ST. PARKING (11) BIO-SWALE TOWN LOGO SIGN INFO KIOSKS PICNIC AREA COVERED PATIO GENERATOR FUEL TANKS MATERIAL BAYS RAMP PROPANE GRILL BENCH BENCH BIKE RACK TRASH/RECYCLING RIVER ROCK FIELDSTONE WALL GRAVELPATH
site plan signage
dry creek bioswale
Stand of mature Spruce Trees
Proposed Aspen
Picnic Area
Seeded Area
Path connecting to Mining Museum
Banks planted with native and adapted plants tolerant of both wet and dry conditions
Shallow excavated swale filled with locally-sourced river rock
Willow Creek Flume
New Town Hallpocket park
Park Hills
Studio 1 | Fall 2021
4141 E. 35th Ave., Denver, CO 80207
The neighborhood has been affected by rapid growth and subsequent fracturing of the community’s identity. Park Hills was designed with the intention to act as a grounding space in which neighborhood residents can gather to celebrate the beauty of growth, community, and nature.
Core elements of the design of this former golf course include a trail system through restored shortgrass prairie and a central gathering plaza.
rammed earth entry sign
central plaza entry
context
Park Detention Basin Proposed Commercial Proposed Residential Plaza Existing Parking & Clubhouse Existing Trees to Remain New Trees Proposed Bike Path Existing & Proposed Roads Walking Trails
site plan grading plan
1 35th Street Central Entry Sign 2 Restrooms & Picnic Pavilion 4 Bike Racks and Parking Lot 3 Accessible & Inclusive Playground 5 Shortgrass Prairie 6 Glass Entry to Plaza 7 Central Gathering Plaza (Section) 8 Rain Garden 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 7 Property Boundary Limits of Disturbance Major Contours Minor Contours PARK HILL GOLF COURSE: GRADING PLAN 4141 E. 35th Ave., Denver, CO 80207 - 1’ Contours High Point Low Point High Point of Swale Top of Wall Bottom of Wall
Additional Work
The following are samples of work completed in my personal, professional, and educational life that I am proud of. Some reflect how I see the world and others were profound learning opportunities that challenged my representational skills.
capturing essence
demonstration garden
boggsville bird blind b ir d bl in d
Section of wetland on-site along central flyway
Thank you!
get in touch:
e: michellemlazarz@gmail.com
p: 512.809.5911
linkedin.com/in/michellelazarz
ig: @hellomichelleo