Landscape Architecture Awards Received

Two recent alumni and one current student from K-State’s landscape architecture program received awards at the 2007 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Central States Conference held in Kansas City.

Aaron Ross, a May 2006 Bachelor of Landscape Architecture graduate, received an Award of Excellence in the Student Unbuilt Design category for “Connecting the Core: The Minneapolis City Center.” The project proposed a pedestrian-oriented city center for Minneapolis, Minnesota. His design connects the downtown’s second floor skywalk system to the street level with a soaring glass structure, creating year round gardens.

Christopher Johnson, also a May 2006 Bachelor of Landscape Architecture graduate, received an Honor Award in the Professional Unbuilt Design category for Laurameier Park Phase II Improvements. Johnson’s project created a master plan for the Laurameier Sculpture Park in St. Louis. His design enhances the interactive experience of contemporary sculptural pieces through all four seasons of the year.

The projects by Ross and Johnson, completed during their fifth year of studies as capstone projects demonstrating their cumulative knowledge and skills, were begun in their fall semester under the supervision of Professor Rick Forsyth and completed the next spring under Professors Stephanie Rolley, Tim Keane and Lee Skabelund.

Current second-year graduate student Brett Tagtmeyer received an Honor Award in the Student Unbuilt Design category for “Confluence,” a study of Sullivan’s Cove, located in Southern Tasmania, in the River Derwent Estuary. His design solution centered around returning a water drainage channel to its original path and creating wetlands that filter urban runoff. Professor Melanie Klein was his studio instructor.

Tagtmeyer is from Emporia. He is working this summer at EDSA in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Ross is employed at BNIM in Kansas City, and Johnson works at Curtis and Roger Design Studio in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

The master and bachelor of landscape architecture programs in K-State’s College of Architecture, Planning and Design are ranked second and third, respectively, in the 2007 nation-wide survey of leading firms across the United States.

For more information, contact:
Dan Donelin, 785.532.5961
Stephanie Rolley, 785.532.2444
Diane Potts, 785.532.1090