Profile: Gene Bressler, FASLA

Company/academic title: Professor and Department Chair, North Carolina State University

Education: BLA 1968, ESF at Syracuse MLA 1970, Harvard Graduate School of Design

Years in the profession: 37

ASLA chapter: North Carolina

Category: Administrative Work

Most notable professional accomplishments:

As Department Chair, Professor Gene Bressler rebuilt the landscape architecture curriculum and program at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. While at UCDHSC, he was appointed founding Director of the University?EUR??,,????'???s Center for Sustainable Urbanism, and produced a series of public conferences, ?EUR??,,????'??Colorado Tomorrow?EUR??,,????'?? that examined urban growth and development challenges and issues facing the state. Now heading the Landscape Architecture Department at NC State?EUR??,,????'???s College of Design, Bressler brings his experience, creativity, and passion to Raleigh. ?EUR??,,????'??The College of Design has a great reputation in areas of community design. There are a rich history and tremendous resources at NC State in terms of projects, people and facilities. That coupled with the realities that this beautiful state is experiencing tremendous growth and development pressures, provides an excellent laboratory for research, teaching, and engagement.?EUR??,,????'??

At Colorado and Oregon, Bressler and his colleagues developed computer modeling tools for land use planning that were used: to determine sites suitable for development, ?EUR??,,????'??game?EUR??,,????'?? alternative growth and development scenarios, and evaluate possible consequences of various development strategies. The research and applied course work addressed multiple scales from that of a geographic region, the design of a community, and down to the design of home sites.

Bressler is excited about continuing and expanding his work and the capability of NCSU?EUR??,,????'???s College of Design to become the ?EUR??,,????'??think tank?EUR??,,????'?? and place to learn and test best practices for studying and dealing with urban growth and development issues. In particular, he is interested in working with faculty and students in the College?EUR??,,????'???s Architecture School, other units on campus, UNC?EUR??,,????'???s Planning Department, and external professional colleagues to develop expertise using new computer modeling and simulation tools to design more sustainable communities. Bressler says the landscape architecture program, specifically, will better prepare its students with design thinking capabilities coupled with rigorous technological training to enable them to more effectively deal with the why?EUR??,,????'???s, what?EUR??,,????'???s, who?EUR??,,????'???s, and how?EUR??,,????'???s of sustainable development.

In his previous position, Bressler was involved in the Colorado Community Design Network, a group of university faculty and students along with a number of external constituents consisting of planners, bankers, lawyers, landscape architects and architects. Together, they participated in the College?EUR??,,????'???s studios, lectures and reviews, and engaged students in examining what ?EUR??,,????'??better design and development?EUR??,,????'?? means. He hopes to create a similar and more advanced group at NC State.

?EUR??,,????'??NC State has greatest potential to make a difference in the quality of future urban development,?EUR??,,????'?? Bressler says. ?EUR??,,????'??I?EUR??,,????'???ve only been in Raleigh six months, but I am quickly discovering its remarkable ?EUR??,,????'??can-do spirit?EUR??,,????'??. I?EUR??,,????'???m settling in and getting to work.?EUR??,,????'??

Thoughts on being elected to Council of Fellows: I am grateful to my student, faculty, and practitioner colleagues in Colorado, Oregon, and North Carolina for all their support, encouragement and hard work over the years. Their successes have made me look good. I hope to continue setting the stage that positions and enables landscape architects to deal with the important imperatives of the day.