The 2019 ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture in San Diego offers many opportunities to learn and network during the largest gathering of landscape architects in the world. In addition to general sessions, education sessions, deep dives, field sessions, and workshops taking place Friday through Monday, November 15-18, ASLA’s Professional Practice Networks (PPNs) and the EXPO’s Learning Lab offer ways to earn professional development hours (PDH) right on the show floor with:
- Four Professional Practice Network (PPN) sessions for PDH, taking place on the EXPO’s PPN Live stage,
- Ten PPN Explore the Floor sessions, guided walks of the EXPO floor that start from PPN Live, and
- Five exhibitor-led Learning Labs.
Access to these EXPO education offerings are included in your conference registration; only professional registrants are eligible to earn PDH.
PPN Meetings for PDH
Campus Planning & Design PPN Meeting
Saturday, November 16, 9:45 – 10:45 am
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
Campus Resilience in San Diego, from Planning to Operations
Like many places around the globe, San Diego campuses are considering the potential future impacts of climate change and what it means to have resilient campuses in this region. Two perspectives will be explored to illustrate a range of approaches to location-specific considerations for these campus landscapes.
Speakers:
- Krista Van Hove, ASLA, Standford University
- Katharyn Hurd, ASLA, AICP, Urban Designer and Planner, Page
- Michael Zilis, ASLA, Walker Macy
Sustainable Design & Development PPN Meeting
Saturday, November 16, 12:30 – 1:30 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
Marketing the Sustainable SITES Initiative & Return on Investment
The Sustainable SITES Initiative provides an excellent professional framework for landscape architecture design. One implementation stumbling block, however, is getting clients on board. This session presents a “SITES in 10” slideshow for practitioners focusing on the return on investment from the perspectives of the client and end user.
Speakers:
- Theresa Backhus, ASLA, SITES AP, LEED AP BD+C & ND, Sustainable Building Partners
- Brian Maddock, ASLA, SITES AP, Joshua Tree Design Studio
- April Philips, FASLA, April Philips Design Works
- Joshua Sloan, ASLA, AICP, LEED AP ND, SITES AP, VIKA MD, LLC
Environmental Justice PPN Meeting
Sunday, November 17, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
State of Knowledge of EJ in Practice and Action Plans to Move Forward
Landscape architects play an important role in addressing environmental justice. How do practitioners perceive the connection of EJ with our daily practice? How can the EJ PPN assist in integrating EJ principles into the profession? This session examines recent survey results and introduces action plans for the coming year.
Speakers:
- Chingwen Cheng, ASLA, PhD, LEED AP, Arizona State University
- Thomas Martin, Associate ASLA, The Lakota Group
Digital Technology / Education & Practice Joint PPN Meeting
Sunday, November 17, 12:45 – 1:45 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
Digital Technology and Impacts to Education: The Emerging Workforce
Technological advances in design software have opened exciting new avenues to design exploration. Can education keep up with these advances, providing the design industry with technologically savvy graduates who are also proficient design thinkers?
Speakers:
- John Anderson, ASLA, LEED AP, Schirmer Satre Group
- Benjamin George, ASLA, Assistant Professor, Utah State University
- Peter Summerlin, ASLA, Mississippi State University
- Matthew Wilkins, ASLA, LEED Green Associate, Senior Landscape Architect, RRM Design Group
Explore the Floor with the PPNs
With hundreds of go-to experts at your fingertips, make the most of your time on the EXPO floor and meet the needs of your next project by joining an exhibitor-led learning session. During each guided walk of the floor, you will hear from three to four exhibitors who will share updates on industry technology and applications designed to highlight PPN topic areas. Walk the EXPO floor. Learn while you connect with exhibitors. Earn one professional development hour (PDH) for each walking learning session!
Explore the Floor will take place on Saturday and Sunday during EXPO hours. All Explore the Floor learning sessions depart from PPN Live, and will be available to the first 30 participants.
Explore the Floor with the Digital Technology PPN
Saturday, November 16, 9:45-10:45 am
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
The Digital Technology Explore the Floor includes the following exhibitors: Coldspring, PlanIT Impact Inc, Street Furniture Australia, and Vectorworks.
Coldspring
Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology has made its mark on stone design and fabrication, providing numerous benefits to those who take advantage of its capabilities. Advancements in technology such as CNC machines helps designers bring to life inspiring creations with exact precision once thought impossible or too costly to achieve. As a result, designers are expanding their creative limits with CNC.
PlanIT Impact Inc
The presentation will focus on making the case for green infrastructure. Performance benefits, cost savings, maintenance, and other topics will be touched on for green roofs, rain gardens, swales, etc.
Street Furniture Australia
Augmented reality (AR) allows landscape architects to envision and experiment with design elements, such as site furnishings, as three dimensional images overlaid onto the real world. This rapidly developing technology can be a valuable tool for specifiers, to examine the macro view and details of products alongside physical samples. It can also be used to help clients visualize your design vision. Join our AR app workshop to experiment with using drag-and-drop components to configure a seat, select the size, form, materials, finishes and colors, then use photo-realistic AR mode to bring your tailored furniture to life on your screen. Take the app to sites to examine how furniture can be placed for your project, for greatest aesthetic effect and to best suit the needs of the community.
Vectorworks
Todd McCurdy, PLA, FASLA, will share a landscape architect’s BIM workflow on a mixed team where the architects are using REVIT. This specific project is a new restaurant in a pedestrian entertainment zone where planting, steps and ramps, grading and drainage are all part of the landscape architect’s scope. In this case being presented, the quality of the images from the landscape architect’s landscape-specific BIM file, incorporating IFC files from the architect, proved better and as such, were utilized for all the project images submitted for design direction with the owner.
Explore the Floor with the Urban Design PPN
Saturday, November 16, 9:45-10:45 am
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
The Urban Design Explore the Floor includes the following exhibitors: Belgard, Iron Age Designs, Sika Decorative Concrete, and Victor Stanley.
Belgard
We will showcase the use of interlocking, permeable pavers and describe installation methods, colors, sizes, and textures available. We will also discuss rooftop deck projects and how different materials (concrete, porcelain, and wood) and pedestal systems may be used.
Iron Age Designs
Metals are ubiquitous in today’s hardscape and are used in a variety of applications. This presentation will go over the most common materials, their appropriate usage, and the various methods of manufacture. You will also learn more about the process of custom design with the aid of a manufacturer.
Sika Decorative Concrete
Our intent is to provide the design professional with new ideas for enhancing concrete with dramatic results, whether you’re designing flatwork, precast elements, or cast-in-place structures. Architectural concrete can provide a broad palette of colors and finishes, with the beauty and durability of a “Green” building material.
Victor Stanley
Our presentation will educate attendees about the structural and aesthetic qualities and implementation techniques of site furnishings.
Explore the Floor with the Residential Landscape Architecture / Design-Build PPNs
Saturday, November 16, 12:30-1:30 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
The Residential Landscape Architecture / Design-Build Explore the Floor includes the following exhibitors: Auroralight, Country Casual Teak, and the Natural Stone Institute.
Auroralight
We will review lighting fixture material options, serviceability options, and why the specification of risers is so important for lighting in the outdoor environment.
Country Casual Teak
The presentation will be an overview of Teak Wood – all about the wood and its natural properties, the different grades of teak and how to identify each, the benefits of teak and using it for outdoor furniture and how to care for teak.
Natural Stone Institute
Natural Stone is a “Natural” in Landscape Architecture: The potential uses are only limited by the imagination. In a brief discussion, we will try to answer some of the questions that landscape architects commonly ask: How do you identify and specify the right natural stone for your vision? Is natural stone a sustainable material? Is natural stone durable?
Explore the Floor with the Children’s Outdoor Environments PPN
Saturday, November 16, 12:30-1:30 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
The Children’s Outdoor Environments Explore the Floor includes the following exhibitors: Berliner, Earthscape Play Inc., and Freenotes Harmony Park, Inc.
Berliner
The presentation will be on the revitalization of physical risk, the adaptivity of inclusive design, and how this equates to the overall play value for a playground when integrated with rope-based play equipment.
Earthscape Play Inc.
Playgrounds, when thoughtfully designed, can tell unique and important stories. They are opportunities for place-making and the cultivation of community spaces that enhance identity and connection. In the process of designing fun, beautiful custom playgrounds, it is meaningful to work with community stakeholders. This collaboration results in places that tap into site history and context while delighting and inspiring the children who play there. Join us for a first-hand look at our approaches to imbuing playgrounds with meaning through this creative process.
Freenotes Harmony Park, Inc.
Music parks benefits every member of the community, but few communities have a music program available and affordable to everyone. A permanent installation of instruments changes that. A simplified system allows anyone to play and recreate regardless of training or ability, and enhances the landscape of any outdoor environment. Instruments can be designed in different ways and sizes ranging from individual to ensemble play. Music transcends age, gender, ethnicity, and mobility, and is a gathering force that builds better communities, helps make people kinder, and enhances the places where people live.
Explore the Floor with the Parks & Recreation PPN
Sunday, November 17, 10:15-11:15 am
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
The Parks & Recreation Explore the Floor includes the following exhibitors: ANP Lighting, Goric Playgrounds, and Greenfields Outdoor Fitness.
ANP Lighting
Learn some of the basics of LED outdoor lighting. See examples of how LED color temperature changes the look of your surroundings. Get a basic understanding of lumen output of LED sources and how pole height affects the spacing of fixtures and light on the ground. See demonstrations of glare control and learn the basics of backlight, uplight, and glare, along with a quick reference handout.
Goric Playgrounds
Knowingly or not, adults often signal to children how to play (“Go up those stairs, cross that bridge, down that slide”). Playground equipment often echoes these same instructions. This type of directed play inhibits a child’s quest for independence, an instrumental part of growing up. That is why Goric promotes equipment that encourages children to “figure things out” on their own. We believe the more children test themselves, the more they think about cause and effect, the better the play experience, and the more their minds and bodies will grow.
In contrast to open ended play, sports and games promote other types of physical skills and critical thinking, including fairness, good sportsmanship and problem solving. In this brief presentation, we will explore both abstract play and games (non-electronic) in public parks and spaces.
Greenfields Outdoor Fitness
Outdoor Gyms: Designing for Maximum Inclusion
The evolution of outdoor fitness equipment from simple pull-up bars along trails into customizable, multigenerational, and highly inclusive community exercise centers has great potential to positively impact community health outcomes. Some of the demographics that stand to benefit the most from these gyms are seniors and users in wheelchairs, who face steeper challenges than other groups in their efforts to maintain healthy lifestyles. To effectively serve these demographics, key design principles must be followed. Some principles are mandatory and required by the ADA; others are not so obvious but play a large role in making a fitness area not just accessible but truly inclusive. Covering gym location, clearance requirements, unit selection and orientation, surfacing, and more, this session will explore ways to ensure that fitness areas are utilized to the greatest extent by those who need them most.
Explore the Floor with the Water Conservation PPN
Sunday, November 17, 10:15-11:15 am
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
The Water Conservation Explore the Floor includes the following exhibitors: Citygreen Systems, Hunter Industries, and Vectorworks.
Citygreen Systems
This presentation will cover how to get smart trees into our cities, for people’s health, happiness, and well-being, and also for stormwater management, long-term return on investment, and asset protection.
Hunter Industries
Many cities are turning toward landscape performance as a tool to combat climate change. The ecosystem services provided by landscapes offer great benefits for comparably little in return. However, during times of drought, water availability to landscapes is often the first to be cut, which in turn decreases the performance value of landscapes. During this session we’ll explore the value of landscape and methods of efficient water use to help keep water allocations for high-performing landscapes during future drought events.
Vectorworks
With the introduction of new irrigation suites to software, this presentation will share an entirely new workflow to better serve the landscape professionals that design irrigation systems. In addition to the broad set of irrigation design tools and parametric objects, site-specific BIM capabilities also make for a perfect toolkit to help landscape architects design water efficient irrigation systems and meet growing regulatory demands. Eric Berg, Senior Associate at Pacific Coast Land Design, will showcase how landscape architecture firms and irrigation designers can use BIM to help meet growing regulatory demands with an emphasis on designing to meet California’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO).
Explore the Floor with the Planting Design PPN
Sunday, November 17, 11:30 am-12:30 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
The Planting Design Explore the Floor includes the following exhibitors: Citygreen Systems, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. / Northwest Shade Trees, and Mountain States Wholesale Nursery.
Citygreen Systems
This presentation will cover how to get smart trees into our cities, for people’s health, happiness, and well-being, and also for stormwater management, long-term return on investment, and asset protection.
J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. / Northwest Shade Trees
Development of new trees is a multi-generational effort that moves forward according to the seasons and at Nature’s pace. Identifying, testing, and growing trees that will survive and thrive in the face of climate change and extreme weather is an exercise in patience and persistence and vision. Selecting, hybridizing, evaluating, and eventually bringing a new urban tree cultivar to market may take 15-25 years, and another 10-15 years for that tree to gain market acceptance. Presenters will share a sampler of new cultivars, trace their timeline and path to market, and describe why they are a better choice for today’s landscapes. They will discuss the importance of planting a broad mix of native and introduced species and cultivars in order to nurture a vibrant urban forest for healthy, livable communities.
Mountain States Wholesale Nursery
Selecting regionally appropriate plants has never been more important. Climatic changes will force us all to question our choices. Understanding your options will be key in planning and designing for the future.
Explore the Floor with the Sustainable Design & Development PPN
Sunday, November 17, 11:30 am-12:30 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
The Sustainable Design & Development Explore the Floor includes the following exhibitors: ECOncrete, PlanIT Impact Inc, and Vestre.
ECOncrete
With over 60% of the human population concentrated around coastlines experiencing threats of sea level rise and increased storminess, accelerated coastal development replacing rich coastal habitats with unproductive hardened coastlines is inevitable. To date, most coastal infrastructure has been built according to structural and economic considerations, neglecting environmental aspects. Recently, efforts are being made to integrate principles of ecological engineering in coastal projects promoting biodiversity and productivity.
ECOncrete’s presentation will use real case studies and a 6.5’ coastline model to expose landscape architects, engineers, scientists and policy makers to a holistic approach of urban waterfront design that integrates ecological, structural, and social considerations. We present an innovative suite of materials and designs that increases the ecological value of structures like seawalls, piers, and beach stabilization measures while decreasing their ecological footprint. Slight modifications to concrete composition, texture, and design can enhance biological process and facilitate bioprotection.
PlanIT Impact Inc
The presentation will focus on making the case for green infrastructure. Performance benefits, cost savings, maintenance, and other topics will be touched on for green roofs, rain gardens, swales, etc.
Vestre
Vestre is the world’s first manufacturer of climate neutral outdoor furniture, and the makers of the world’s first urban furniture with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. We have delivered furniture to Times Square in New York, King’s Cross in London, and Places des Halles in Paris. Vestre has integrated 9 of the 17 United Nations’ sustainable development goals into our furniture production. We donate at least 10% of our annual profit to sustainable projects worldwide. Our PPN Explore the Floor session will focus on which actions companies can take towards sustainable design.
Explore the Floor with the Environmental Justice PPN
Sunday, November 17, 12:45-1:45 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
The Accessibility / ADA / Environmental Justice Explore the Floor includes the following exhibitors: Berliner, Greenfields Outdoor Fitness, and SavATree.
Berliner
The presentation will be on the revitalization of physical risk, the adaptivity of inclusive design, and how this equates to the overall play value for a playground when integrated with rope-based play equipment.
Greenfields Outdoor Fitness
Outdoor Gyms: Designing for Maximum Inclusion
The evolution of outdoor fitness equipment from simple pull-up bars along trails into customizable, multigenerational, and highly inclusive community exercise centers has great potential to positively impact community health outcomes. Some of the demographics that stand to benefit the most from these gyms are seniors and users in wheelchairs, who face steeper challenges than other groups in their efforts to maintain healthy lifestyles. To effectively serve these demographics, key design principles must be followed. Some principles are mandatory and required by the ADA; others are not so obvious but play a large role in making a fitness area not just accessible but truly inclusive. Covering gym location, clearance requirements, unit selection and orientation, surfacing, and more, this session will explore ways to ensure that fitness areas are utilized to the greatest extent by those who need them most.
SavATree
SavATree Consulting Group and its partners the University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab and the Center for Urban Resilience at Loyola Marymount University were retained by the NGO TreePeople to perform a tree canopy assessment of Los Angeles City and County. Using 2016 data, we mashed up high resolution imagery and LiDAR with other data including CalEnviroScreen, census data, and NASA Landsat data to look at canopy distribution, heat island impacts, and vulnerable populations. We found that the urban areas of LA have sparse tree canopy, high mean and max surface temperatures, and the most vulnerable populations. Similar conditions exist in parts of LA County, but many of those areas have much smaller vulnerable populations. We recommend expansion of efforts to preserve and enhance tree canopy on public and private lands to mitigate adverse effects on vulnerable populations and more equitably distribute green amenities.
Explore the Floor with the Ecology & Restoration PPN
Sunday, November 17, 12:45-1:45 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
The Ecology & Restoration Explore the Floor includes the following exhibitors: BLM Plant Conservation Program, Mountain States Wholesale Nursery, and PaverGuide, Inc.
BLM Plant Conservation Program
Large-scale disturbances and other stressors threaten important plant communities and the ecosystem services they provide. These stressors include the spread of invasive plant species, altered wildfire regimes, habitat modification, land overuse, and natural disasters. Our ability to repair these damaged lands and stem the loss of cultural and economic benefits to society depends upon appropriate seed availability, research, decision tools, and public support for ecological restoration. Through partnerships and collaboration, the BLM Plant Conservation and Restoration Program is developing tools to facilitate the commercial development of native plants and improve restoration outcomes. By conserving and restoring native plant communities, we can more effectively manage public lands and rehabilitate valuable working landscapes.
Mountain States Wholesale Nursery
Selecting regionally appropriate plants has never been more important. Climatic changes will force us all to question our choices. Understanding your options will be key in planning and designing for the future.
PaverGuide, Inc.
Many single family residences have significant drainage issues. Permeable pavement can be a simple and cost effective solution to solve local flooding and drainage issues.
Learning Labs
These one-hour exhibitor-led learning labs on the EXPO floor tap into the knowledge of the people and companies that are transforming the future of our industry through emerging trends and techniques. Discover real world applications that will put your projects above the rest! Earn one professional development hour (PDH) for each session.
Fountain Craft Manufacturing
Saturday, November 16, 9:45-10:45 am
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
This course will provide a foundation of water feature design and functionality to understand how to build a low maintenance fountain.
Scofield
Saturday, November 16, 12:30-1:30 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
Designing with Architectural Concrete
Looking to incorporate architectural concrete into your projects? Join Scofield to learn how to create, design, and specify projects using coloring, texturing, and resurfacing systems. We’ll review the advantages of using architectural concrete as compared to other types of building materials.
ECOncrete
Sunday, November 17, 10:15-11:15 am
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
Bringing Concrete to Life – Applying Principles of Reconciliation Ecology in Urban Waterfronts
This presentation is an innovative approach, of planning and retrofitting coastal infrastructure using ecologically sensitive design and construction technologies that enhance their ability to provide valuable ecosystem services, while also elevating their structural integrity and longevity. In addition, we will present current approaches in sustainable management of urban marine structures, from diverse environments.
NDS, Inc.
Sunday, November 17, 11:30 am-12:30 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
Residential Stormwater BMPs: Trends, Implementation, and Costs
Stormwater management at the residential-site scale is gaining significance at local and regional levels, reflected by expanding regulations, the increased footprint of stormwater utilities, and more frequent and intense rain events due to climate change. Learn about the influence of these current trends on the practice of landscape architecture and the implementation of residential stormwater best management practices. Understand opportunities for utility fee relief and project funding that incentivize reducing runoff and ultimately create a more resilient landscape.
Natural Stone Institute
Sunday, November 17, 12:45-1:45 pm
1.0 PDH LA CES / HSW
Exploring Innovative Natural Stone Landscapes | Sustainable, Versatile, and Resilient
Discover award winning landscape projects that feature natural stone, showcasing its versatility, sustainability, and resilience. Review common and innovative natural stone applications within commercial and residential environments, including relevant standards and drawings, how it is specified and bid, and how to source the stone. Learn what metrics the industry uses to define sustainability and see how they compare with artificial building materials.
Access to EXPO education offerings are included in your conference registration; only professional registrations are eligible to earn PDH. Invite a friend or colleague to join you at the EXPO—they can register for an Exhibit Hall Only pass for Saturday or Sunday.
PPN membership is not required to attend that PPN’s meeting or Explore the Floor session—all are welcome! Already a member of one PPN, but curious about another? Or not sure which PPN to choose (all ASLA members receive one PPN membership for free)? You are welcome to attend as many PPN events as you like!