2023 Class of Fellows, Kenneth Francis, New Mexico Chapter
Surrounding Studio, Santa Fe, NM
Kenneth Francis's influential work combines the intuitive and artful with the pragmatic and demonstrable, using water, light, earth, and flora to steward resources, delight users, and inspire future landscape architects. He is dedicated to complex dialogue and deep exploration of sustainability and water conservation integrated into innovative design responses. His lifelong drive has been to create pioneering works while illuminating landscape architecture's fundamental role in creating sustainable resilient environments, many of them recognized with local, regional, and national awards. At El Parque del Rio, Santa Fe, NM, Kenneth reimagined and expanded landscape improvements along a 1.8 mile stretch of the Santa Fe River, integrating green infrastructure to revitalize the riparian health of the river, adding much needed youth recreational opportunities, and providing respite for itinerant workers that congregate at a highly visible corner of the project. For the Los Golondrinas Master Plan, Santa Fe, NM, Kenneth led a multidisciplinary team to create a comprehensive development plan for this Hispanic Culture living museum, introducing sustainable strategies to support the site's precious historic agricultural landscape, its historic structures, and its aged infrastructure. El Paso Downtown Tree Plan, El Paso, TX, is a master strategy for renovating the streetscapes of the historic downtown of El Paso, based on a long-term approach to creating a sustainable environment for the urban trees and for pedestrians who walk beneath them.
