Professional Practice Networks
Community Design
ASLA’s Community Design Professional Practice Network (PPN) is the forum for landscape architecture issues in housing and community design, policy, planning, and design. This forum is dedicated to sharing information and building awareness of how landscape architects contribute to the development of livable, walkable, sustainable, and inclusive communities.
Landscape architects serve a vital role in the creation of strong, vibrant communities by placing emphasis on the importance of the public realm while fostering environmentally sustainable patterns and methods. Whether the context is rural or urban, the landscape architect is uniquely qualified to design the built environment to respond to natural processes and patterns. Our voice and experience in context sensitive design during the community planning process is key to providing the link between our colleges in planning and engineering. We have created policies to support livable communities, developed sustainable stormwater systems, designed and constructed parks and recreation areas, supported native ecosystems habitat and led public involvement processes to support sound decision-making.
What are Opportunities for Landscape Architects in Community Planning?
Policy Development
- Strategic planning
- Design guidelines
- Performance metrics
Public Outreach
- Community workshops and design charrettes
- Design renderings
- Public education campaigns
- Social media and blogging
- Work with federal, state and local elected officials
Planning
- Sustainable practices
- Affordable housing
- Master planning
- Community impact analysis
- Cultural, generational, and ability inclusion
- Access to nature
- Opportunities for movement to increase positive mental and physical health outcomes
Design
- Streetscape design
- Greenway and trail design
- Green infrastructure and stormwater management design
- Soil conservation and erosion and sediment control
- Reforestation
- Wetland and stream restoration
- Land use planning
Construction
- Landscape inspection
- Permit compliance monitoring
- Performance assessment
Education
- Public and community
- Peers in design
- Sustainable SITES Initiative® (SITES®)
- Academic (see ASLA's Education & Practice PPN)
Our goal is to empower landscape architects to establish stronger roles as community design leaders.
Strategies
- Promote and support collaborative partnerships between landscape architects and other community design and research professionals;
- Encourage members to develop Online Learning presentations, submit proposals for ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture education sessions, submit projects for design awards, and post content through The Field;
- Share current news, case studies, and guidelines to keep members informed of emerging trends and issues;
- Explore best practices and issues related to the design of healthy, sustainable, inclusive communities through education, research, and practice;
- Identify training, conferences, and continuing education opportunities related to community policy, planning, and design;
- Support and advise ASLA’s advocacy efforts related to community planning legislation, policies, and funding;
- Share information via The Field and the Community Planning LinkedIn group;
- Offer webinars through ASLA’s Online Learning series; and
- Provide networking for our members at the Community Planning PPN meeting at the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture.
To join the Community Design PPN, please complete this form or contact ASLA Member Services at 888-999-ASLA or membership@asla.org.
If you are interested in becoming more active in the PPN, please contact the PPN Chair using the email address listed on the Leadership page.
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