Voices of Women in Landscape Architecture, Part 20

Left to right: Han Zhang, ASLA. Janice Parker, ASLA / Photographer Brittany Ambridge. Shachi Patel, Student ASLA / image: Ana Maria

The calendar may have turned from Women’s History Month to World Landscape Architecture Month, but this series will keep going for as long as the submissions keep coming in! ASLA’s Women in Landscape Architecture Professional Practice Network (WILA PPN) is sharing the next set of profiles of women in the profession (see the previous installment right here). If you’d like to be featured, the PPN’s call for submissions will remain open, with profiles being shared on an ongoing basis.

Submit a WILA profile!

These profiles will appear on the PPN’s LinkedIn group, Facebook group, and here on The Field. This post includes: Han Zhang, ASLA, Janice Parker, ASLA, and Shachi Patel, Student ASLA.

Han Zhang, ASLA

What inspired you to pursue a career in landscape architecture?

My upbringing in a dysfunctional family during China’s rapid urbanization and the diminishing natural environment planted the seed for me to seek meaningful landscapes for healing. My early experience of finding belonging through communal storytelling and emotional connection in nature inspired me to pursue landscape architecture. I am passionate about pioneering work at the intersection of landscape architecture, art, and psychology to shape a more just, united, and inspired future.

Who are the female role models who have influenced your career?

I have had great male mentors, including Thomas Oslund, FASLA, at O2 Design, Matthew Tucker and Joe Favour, ASLA, at the University of Minnesota, and Lili Liu and Nannan Dong at Tongji University. They see me for who I am, not just my gender, recognizing my potential even before I realize it or have the confidence to claim it. I also admire the work of female landscape architects such as Andrea Cochran, FASLA, and Mikyoung Kim, FASLA. Additionally, I appreciate the trailblazing work Maura Rockcastle, PLA, has done locally to uplift the women in the landscape architecture community.

What advice do you have for other women pursuing a career in landscape architecture?

Embrace your diversity, but always stay humble and grateful for the opportunities that come your way. Your unique personality and design philosophy are what set you apart—continue defining your path and carving out your role within your design team, firm, and career. Seek out a community where you truly belong, and support fellow designers along the way.

University of Dubuque / image: Charlie Vaughan and O2 Design

Can you share with us a project you are particularly proud of and why?

At the University of Dubuque in Iowa, I transformed overlooked spaces into cherished gathering spots at the heart of campus. Over seven years, I created a series of welcoming, flexible areas that capture the warmth of the Midwest. These spaces foster a safe and inviting atmosphere through environmental and cultural significance, universal access, and human-scaled lighting and landscaping. During a post-project visit, a student from Mexico shared how he felt a sense of belonging on campus, far from home. These public green spaces have deeply influenced campus culture and continue to support the university’s mission of lifelong learning.

What advice would you give your younger self?

You are more than capable, and no dream is too big to pursue.

Every designer has their own unique process, and yours, based on paradoxical thinking—where contrasting and seemingly opposing ideas coexist—reflects a holistic mindset. This approach fosters creativity, adaptability, and innovative problem-solving. By balancing the pragmatic with the visionary, you can turn conflict into collaboration, a valuable skill for solving real-world problems. Embrace it, and you’ll thrive.

Janice Parker, ASLA

What inspired you to pursue a career in landscape architecture?

My first memory is of a flower. I was instinctively connected to the natural world and that has been my North Star. I am grateful that I have been able listen to and follow my intuition.

Who are the female role models who have influenced your career?

In America, our profession has a history of brave and talented women who have paved the way for all of us. Beatrix Farrand, Ellen Biddle Shipman, and Marjorie Sewell Cautley are influences, as well as the legendary Cornelia Hahn Oberlander.

Janice Parker Landscape Architects / image: Photographer Neil Landino Jr.

I studied in England with John Brookes and he introduced me to the great work of plantswoman Beth Chatto. My fondest wish has always been to be a great architect’s ‘Aunt Bumps’—as Gertrude Jekyll was to Lutyens.

What advice do you have for other women pursuing a career in landscape architecture?

Study the current innovative and powerful women practitioners.

My advice would be the same to men and women: training, training, training.

And as Henry James famously said, “Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”

Janice Parker Landscape Architects / image: Durston Saylor

Can you share with us a project you are particularly proud of and why?

The work I have done over the last 30 years with New York Restoration Project (NYRP) has deep meaning for me. I always wanted to make my city and people’s lives better—and then there it was! My professional skills could improve people’s lives. This has been a wonderful opportunity to blend my skills and my heart.

Janice Parker Landscape Architects / image: Eric Piasecki

What advice would you give your younger self?

Take the exams as soon as you can! I took them in my fifties and it was not a good plan.

And for women, take it one step at a time. If you want children, plan realistically for your career path.

Fight hard for the things you believe in—you can do it, a step at a time. There is no career track that you have to follow; make your own.

Just make sure you are prepared to work and train. Excellence and mastery take time and will serve you well.

Shachi Patel, Student ASLA

What inspired you to pursue a career in landscape architecture?

My inspiration for pursuing landscape architecture stems from a deep appreciation for the built environment and its relationship with nature. Growing up in India, I was surrounded by a rich tapestry of landscapes, historic gardens, bustling urban spaces, and serene rural settings, all of which shaped my understanding of how people interact with their surroundings.

My undergraduate studies in architecture introduced me to the fundamentals of design, but I always felt drawn to the spaces in between rather than just the structures themselves. I realized that well-designed outdoor environments could enhance everyday life, offering respite, functionality, and cultural significance, and combining both professions can be more effective and powerful in understanding the environment.

Photography has also played a crucial role in my journey. Capturing landscapes through a lens allowed me to observe patterns, textures, and the way light interacts with natural and built elements. It made me more aware of how spaces evolve over time and how people engage with them. This curiosity about my surroundings, combined with my architectural background, led me to explore landscape architecture as a field where I could merge design, nature, and human experience into meaningful spaces.

Who are the female role models who have influenced your career?

Anuradha Mathur, an India-born landscape architect, architect, and educator known for her innovative and interdisciplinary approach to landscape design, particularly in relation to water systems, climate resilience, and urban ecologies.

What advice do you have for other women pursuing a career in landscape architecture?

I would say be proud of what you do and find your niche! It is a vast field which offers diverse opportunities.

Can you share with us a project you are particularly proud of and why?

I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Landscape Architecture and I am extremely grateful to be doing a representation project of Delaware River inspired by Anuradha Mathur and Dilip da Cuhna. The project is titled Mapping Movement/ Erasing the Line.

I am particularly proud of it as it allows me to explore innovative ways of representing landscapes and movement, drawing inspiration from Mathur / da Cunha. The project also reflects my engagement with the dynamic relationship between nature and human intervention, and it demonstrates the ability to push boundaries in the field.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Embrace curiosity. Don’t be afraid to explore different interests and take risks, especially early on. Every experience, even the ones that seem unrelated, will shape the future.

Submit a WILA profile!

2025 WILA Profiles:

Voices of Women in Landscape Architecture, Part 15