Enabling Synergies: Integrating Ecology with Landscape Architecture in Design Practice

Abstract

In Sasaki’s multidisciplinary design practice, the presence of ecologists who also have landscape architecture degrees enables synergies that might not happen otherwise. Dual‐degree practitioners understand the collaborative design process and realize a design solution does not rest solely on black‐and‐white research and analysis. At the same time, anchoring design in science‐based decisions helps Sasaki project teams promote healthy ecosystems across project types and scales. This article focuses on the landscape architect‐ecologists at Sasaki, highlighting how they leverage their blend of schooling and expertise in practice, how they integrate and educate on ecological thinking to impact project outcomes, and how they view the challenges and opportunities to exert ecological influence in design decision‐making.