San Diego ASLA Chapter

Photos and report by Delle Willett, freelance marketer/publicist

To celebrate Landscape Architecture Month, ASLA SD offered four free guided walking tours throughout the county. The walks attracted over 120 people and media attention. One of the walks was in historic Balboa Park. The park was dedicated to public recreational use in 1835, making it one of the oldest U.S. park sites. Many of the park's original trees were planted by American landscape designer/botanist Kate Sessions, an early advocate of drought-tolerant native plants.

ASLA SD completed and celebrated the opening of the HABITaft Legacy Garden, the 2011 Legacy Project that partnered with the Friends of Ruffin Canyon and the ACE Mentor Program to design and implement an educational and native garden for William H. Taft Middle School in San Diego. Again this year the association invited local nonprofits to apply for its annual grant of up to $5,000 to design or construct landscape architectural improvements in locations such as parks, schools and neighborhoods. ASLA SD's community grant has helped many community groups see their projects become reality. The 2013 grant was awarded to the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead at San Dieguito River Park.

To fund the grant program, ASLA SD held its annual golf tournament in August. The tournament attracted 80 players and 30 sponsors and raised $5,000.

ASLA SD completed and celebrated the opening of the HABITaft Legacy Garden for William H. Taft Middle School in San Diego. The chapter partnered with the Friends of Ruffin Canyon and the ACE Mentor Program to design and implement an educational and native garden.

To celebrate Landscape Architecture Month ASLA SD offered four, free, guided walking tours throughout the county. The walks attracted over 120 people and considerable media attention as well.

The Stewardship Committee is putting together a matrix indicating issues that landscape architects should be aware of when selecting materials, and questions they should ask of sales representatives regarding their "green" products. The committee recently organized a one-day design charette with landscape architects, civil engineers, landscape contractors, and students to develop five unique sustainable designs for an 11-acre business park. A Return-On-Investment study will be prepared and published so that local landscape architects will be able to use meaningful cost numbers when promoting sustainable design solutions to clients/owners.

In April ASLA SD formed a Residential Practitioner's Committee that covers topics such as business development, technical issues, design, client issues, insurance, employees and project issues. Depending on the group's interests, the group could be used as a "pooling of resources," available to each group member upon agreement of each member.

ASLA SD invited local nonprofits to apply for its annual grant of up to $5,000 to design or construct landscape architectural improvements. The grant has helped many community groups realize their projects. The 2013 grant was awarded to the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead at San Dieguito River Park.

Two lectures were offered this year: Christine Ten Eyck, Ten Eyck Landscape, Arizona; and Ana Valderrama, professor at the State University, Rosario, Argentina, and chief of the Rosario Urban-Development Department. Lectures are open to ASLA members, students, non-members and the public. Due to successful fundraising, the chapter hosted approximately 200 member, sponsor and student attendees.

Jim Kulkhen, principal-in-charge of the Landscape Architecture Division at Rick Engineering Company, passed the presidential torch to Tim Jachlewski, Jr. of In-Site Landscape Architecture, Inc. Late this year, the chapter initiated a new Emerging Professionals Group that will target the interests and needs of students, recent graduates, and professionals who are beginning their careers in landscape architecture.

ASLA SD also conducted the 2012 Design Awards Program that recognizes professional excellence for outstanding works of landscape architecture and environmental planning that promote an enhanced quality of life in San Diego County and beyond.

The Awards Jury members included distinguished jurors Rob Wellington-Quigley (FAIA"?uArchitecture and Planning) and Phyllis Van Doren (Senior Editor, San Diego Home & Garden Lifestyles) and other design professionals. Awards recipients will be recognized on December 6 at the ASLA Design Awards program.

To view more chapter reports click here.