Architecture students awarded for landscape designs

Written by Julie Walsh/ Contributing writer

Each year, the American Society of Landscape Architects Professional Awards honors the best landscape architecture around the world, while the ASLA Student Awards honors the students of the field.

This year, three students in the University’s College of Architecture + The Arts received the awards. The award presentation took place on Friday, July 31 in Orlando, Florida.

“I think it is great that our students are consistently receiving awards for ASLA design awards,” said Ebru Ozer, assistant professor of the landscape architecture program in the CARTA. “We have been increasing our department’s visibility for five years in a row now.”

Andrea Sandoval, Malone Matson and Alexis Alvey, studying landscape architecture and environmental and urban design were awarded for their landscape designs in the Florida chapter of the ASLA’s annual design awards presentation.

The awards were presented to the students in Orlando, Fla. Professionals were also awarded throughout the event.

“Students get the opportunity to meet professionals and become informed about internships that will help make really important connections for their later official job search,” said Ozer.

Ozer said that having the University’s name up on the screen at the venue provides recognition and elevates the program value among professionals.

The student recipients were featured in ASLA’s  Landscape Architecture Magazine, while the full award list is featured on their website.

Students are only allowed to enter their projects into ASLA if they’re enrolled in a landscape architecture program at a Florida college or university during the academic year.

“It’s one thing to have an idea, but you need to produce many diagrams showing research,” said Matson. “It takes a lot of research, analysis and ‘pen-to-paper’ design to express what might seem like a simple idea.”

In the University’s architecture program, faculty advisors meet with students on a weekly basis for one-on-one discussions about their designs.

Sandoval, now working on her masters, started her project on symbiotic adaptation in April 2013.

“The studio class lasted about three months and after graduation, I kept working on the project to improve it and complete the storyline,” said Sandoval. “In total I’ve probably worked on it for more than 5 months.

The architecture school has a full print studio where students can 3-D print, or laser-cut, material to make models for a design.

According to Ozer, after a student’s design is finished, it takes several days to format, edit and submit their work.

“I really appreciate the students who take their time to do that,” she said.

Students may enter projects as individuals, teams or student/faculty collaborations. For collaboration or team entries, each individual must distinguish their contribution.

Ozer says the high reputation of the ASLA awards program is partially due to the juries that are put together each year to review submissions sent by students and professionals.

“Students submit their work without including their personal information, so their identity is basically hidden,” said Ozer.

The ASLA seeks to put together juries that represent different types of people in the profession. This ranges from private, public and institutional practices to diversity in professional experience, geography, gender and ethnicity.

“The jury panel who judge the project is very respected,” said Ozer.

Matson said being awarded by ASLA and its jury panel is an asset for an aspiring young landscape architect’s portfolio and resume.

“The reward makes all those hours of hard work feel recognized and appreciated. It makes it feel worth it,” she said.

-news@fiu.edu

Photo Courtesy of CARTA at FIU.