The Urban Design Professional Practice Network (PPN) welcomes all to take part in tomorrow's webinar spotlighting the Professional Awards program's Urban Design category.   

Date: Wednesday, January 29, 2025   

Time: 12:00 p.m. EST  

Register Now   

This moderated panel will focus on the ASLA Professional Awards' Urban Design category and selection criteria, highlighting the Atlanta BeltLine, the 2024 Award of Excellence winning project, and discussing the important role of landscape architects in urban design. 

Panelists: 

Jennifer Nitzky, FASLA, PLA, ISA 

Design Principal, Studio HIP 

Jury Chair for the 2024 ASLA Professional Awards for General Design, Residential Design, Urban Design, and the Landmark Award 

Jennifer Nitzky is a landscape architect and certified arborist with over 20 years of experience in urban planning and design, parks and recreational design, playgrounds, green roofs, and campus design, working in both small landscape architecture firms and large multidisciplinary offices. Jennifer is an active member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and serves on both the Fine Arts Federation of New York and Manhattan Community Board 7. 

Leo Alvarez, FASLA, AIA, LEEP AP 

Principal, Landscape Architecture, Perkins&Will 

Lead Designer of the 2024 ASLA Urban Design Award of Excellence winner, the Atlanta BeltLine 

Leonardo Alvarez, FASLA, is Design Principal and Vice President for Perkins&Will. He joined the firm in 2007 and served as its inaugural Landscape Architecture and Urban Design Discipline Leader for over a decade. From 2000-2007, as Managing Principal, he led the Miami Beach and Atlanta offices of EDAW (now AECOM). He holds an MLA from Harvard University and a BS in Architecture from Florida International University and is a registered landscape architect and architect. In addition to practicing for over 40 years, Mr. Alvarez was a tenured faculty member at both FIU and UGA. A firm believer in the power of interdisciplinary design and collaboration, his work across many project types, scales and locations has received over 80 regional, national and international design awards, including three National ASLA awards.  

ASLA is accepting submissions for the 2025 Professional Awards program. Register by February 14, 2025, 11:59 p.m. PST, for the Professional Awards and April 25, 2025, 11:59 p.m. PST, for the Student Awards. All Professional and Landmark Award submissions are due March 7, 2025. For more details, visit the ASLA 2025 Call for Entries. 

In case you missed last week's informational webinar, Unlock the Secrets to Winning an ASLA Award, the video is now available. Hear from a panel of seasoned ASLA Professional Awards jury members who have reviewed some of the industry’s most prestigious submissions. Whether you’re a first-time applicant or an experienced pro, this webinar provides the tools you need to craft a compelling application that showcases your project’s brilliance.

To explore all upcoming ASLA webinars and virtual events, please visit asla.org/onlinelearning.