Plant Matters

Designing with plants beyond the superficial  is something we constantly explore at Assemblage. Plants are unique from all other materials in the design palette because they are alive; they breathe, absorb, produce and reproduce. They grow and change throughout seasons and evolve over time. They may thrive, wither, or adapt. Plants compete and consume. They might whisper or rustle or crack in the wind. And they speak volumes about air, water, and soil. How can we as landscape architects capture the dynamic qualities of plants  more insightfully, and how do we better educate ourselves to design successfully for plants in urban spaces?

With this question in mind, Assemblage has spearheaded a plant research initiative to study plants on site. For the past two years, we have conducted monthly plant research walks together with ASLA-NY, Nancy Seaton, Michael Spina, and Morgan Mangelsen. With 65 members and growing, the plant research group visits designed landscapes in NYC to learn from the successes and challenges of plants after they have had time to mature in place. We have already visited 13 sites, and these visits have enabled us to gather knowledge in ways that cannot be found in a plant catalog or website. We are developing methods for recording our findings so they can benefit the profession at large.

We believe that plant research walks are effective research that will benefit our design work and profession. Beyond the value of identification and observing individual species, designers can  see and experience plants in action, not at the desk.  Designed landscapes are dynamic, and plants reflect this dynamism effectively.

As we enter year three of the ASLA-NY plant walks, we invite you to join us in this space of collaborative knowledge-sharing. If you are a landscape architect interested in expanding your understanding of plants through the plant research walks, please email me or use the contact page on the Assemblage website!