From October 10 to 14, I was in attendance at the America Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) annual conference, which took place in New Orleans this year. The conference was both professional and student oriented, featuring several companies involved in software development that makes landscape rendering and modeling far easier, presentations by students on research they’ve conducted for landscape, and seminars hosted by professionals who have done deep dives into specific fields of work within landscape architecture. There were also a few other universities in attendance such as Virginia Tech who’s attendees we were able to meet during the two major networking events hosted by the Land F/X and Land8. Though my favorite experience during this entire trip was the daytrip I took to the Crosby Arboretum in Picayune, Mississippi with my professor Ron Henderson!
The professional aspect of this conference was very interesting to say the least, as it was a blend of lectures, tutorials, product showcases, and even recruiting opportunities. The most interesting lecture I saw was presented by Annette Contreras as part of a lecture series in the conference called “Game Changer”. This lecture by Contreras was on the topic of Landscape Architecture for Environmental Justice, which spoke to the part that landscape design plays in environmental justice as well as social justice within cities. This topic directly ties with one of the products I got to see from a company, BKT Street Furniture, which creates concrete furniture products for outdoor usage which are explicitly created to be welcoming to those who use them. The company is based in Mexico City, but has contracts started in Texas, as well as future expansions to other states planned.
During this trip, I also got to have amazing conversations with other students from different institutions and industry professionals. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Ernie Wong who is a Chicago native, founder and Principal of Site Design Group, and Chair of the Chicago Landmarks Commission. Wong is a staunch supporter of Chicago’s historical preservation and a strong advocate for the expansion of landscape design influence in urban settings. I also got to speak with undergraduate students from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) who were conducting their own specific studies within landscape design such as studies into bees, urban landscape design, and various other topics.
One of my favorite parts of this trip was the Crosby Arboretum just across Lake Pontchartrain in Mississippi. For those who don’t know, an Arboretum is kind of nature park meant specifically to preserve species of plants in an area where they grow naturally. The arboretum features all natural species of pine, oak, ash, and grasses. My favorite though is the Pitcher Plant (Sarraceniaceae), which are growing naturally in the pitcher wetlands of the arboretum. The Arboretum is run and maintained by the Mississippi State University and is a high recommendation to visit when you are in New Orleans.
Overall, the experiences I had in New Orleans will be those I will never forget, and I look forward to meeting more folks in Los Angeles next year when ASLA hosts its conference for 2026. Many people on this campus have the opportunity to attend such conferences, but always pass up the opportunity. My recommendation is to never miss out on a professional development conference. You not only get to walk away with merch from companies, but you also get to expand your network with individuals you thought you would never meet, and get to have amazing experiences with the people you meet and go with.