DH Landscape Architecture provides landscape architecture services to people and communities that have fewer resources and less representation. My clients often struggle to find funding for their projects, and my skill set and interests lay in providing the best possible outdoor spaces for the least cost and effort. Given budgetary, scheduling, and buildability constraints, I focus on low-cost, long-lasting solutions to answer design and construction challenges. I work closely with each client to understand their unique vision and objectives, ensuring that landscape designs reflect their aspirations while also meeting practical requirements.

HISTORY

I have been practicing landscape architecture in Washington State since 2003 and have been a licensed professional landscape architect since 2012. In my time in the landscape architecture field, I have worked on hundreds of landscape projects on my own and in four different design offices in the Seattle area. Coming from University of Oregon with masters degrees in landscape architecture and art history, I quickly fell in love with Washington and the Seattle area, and happily call it home. On the side, I am an avid mushroom forager and am active in the Puget Sound Mycological Society.

I perform a full range of landscape architectural services, from feasibility through construction. My current work focuses on western Washington projects. These are the primary sectors of my practice:

SERVICES

Affordable and Supportive Housing projects led by partner architects

Play Areas for childcare facilities

Community Facilities including community centers, schools, and other public landscapes

Tiny House Villages

DESIGN APPROACH

Balance In the design field, we often talk about opportunities v constraints, budgets v goals, detail v simplicty, and natural v man-made. The best result for a project is usually a thoughtful balance between poles on influence, not a fight between two priorities or a laser beam focus on just one priority. Carrying all of these influences and priorities to the finish line helps the design to reflect everyone's input and create community-derived and -owned places.

Low Impact Low-impact design reduces project costs, promotes sustainability, reduces maintenance needs, and helps a project to identify its most critical elements. In landscape design, low-impact design can focus on nature's own forms and functions, including use of native and adaptive plants, on-site stormwater detention, green roofs, and proper soil management.

Collaboration Every project is a chance to imagine something better, celebrate people and place, learn, and grow. From client to community members to consultant to contractor to end user, each contributor adds something special. It is essential to support and listen to each collaborator to make the design process a truly shared journey.

Dignity of User Everyone deserves a high-quality outdoor space that enriches and enhances their lives. End users in my projects can be low-income residents or those without homes, children and caregivers, community members, facility staff and maintenance consultants, and so many more. A successful project incorporates the input of these different groups of people, and responds in form and function to improve their lives.