The Landscape Nerd

In this episode of The Landscape Nerd Podcast, Maci chats with Malena Grigoli and Jennifer Lumpkin about Project Sophia—a creative, community-driven effort rethinking what it means to take buildings apart. They dig into the difference between deconstruction and demolition, the power of art and cultural legacy, and how sustainability and reuse can shape a more connected, mindful city.Keywords:#deconstruction #communityengagement #cleveland #landscapearchitecture #cle #sustainablearchitecture #urbanwaste #culturallegacy #biocycling #environmentaljustice #artinarchitecture #ecologicalhistory #transformativeartsfundReferences made in the episode:Chris Mauer-Redhouse StudioIndigo BishopRobin Brown- CCOAL Collective Citizens Against LeadTransformative Arts FundGordon Matta- ClarkThe Revolt of the Objects Tsukumogamimygrowconnect.org malenagrigoli.com

In this episode, we celebrate World Landscape Architecture Month and Autism Acceptance Month with a conversation about connection! Maci and guest Caressa Joyce explore the deep connections humans have with the land and how practices help connect us to our understanding of nature and community. This interdisciplinary conversation is guided by the following questions:What is the overarching theme of your work and philosophy?What is your origin story?Who/what is part of your lineage?What are some of the earth-based things you do?What do you wish everyone knew/practiced to help humanity and Mother Earth? About Caressa:www.caressajoycenteredlife.com A Yoga-Massage-Energy Therapist, A Life Cycles Celebrant, Artist, Activist, Mama, Life Partner, Oracle Card Reader, Mystic, Healer, Teacher, Friend, Sacred Circle Leader, Writer, Earth and Moon Lover. Upcoming Events:Landscape Lore with the Landscape Nerd April 24th- Get your tickets!Seasonal Tea Ceremony: Bellatierra April 27th -Get your tickets!Guided Meditation and Tea Blending May 9th - SOLD OUTTakeaways:The interconnection between self-care and caring for the earth is vital.Nature serves as a profound teacher in understanding life's complexities.land connection, rituals, personal journey, lineage, earth-based practices, community, self-care, environmental awareness, landscape architecture, mindfulness

Vulnerability in EntrepreneurshipMaci and Divine explore the complexities of entrepreneurship, focusing on the intertwining of personal identity and professional life. They discuss the challenges of vulnerability, community support, and the emotional facets of being an entrepreneur. The conversation continued beyond the intended end time, so please enjoy 2 extra bonus clips! ⁠Remesha Design Lab⁠@design_unmuted⁠The Landscape Nerd⁠@thelandscapenerdTranscript for EpisodeKey ThemesEntrepreneurship requires navigating personal and professional identities.Community support is crucial for sustaining entrepreneurial journeys.Building a multi-passionate business is possible and fulfilling.Chapters00:59 Reflecting on Five Years of The Landscape Nerd04:27 The Intersection of Personal Life and Professional Identity19:04 The Importance of Community and Support24:52 The Intertwining of Life and Work29:49 Unexpected Ease in Public Speaking30:52 Embracing AI in Entrepreneurship41:51 The Importance of Emotional Expression51:49 The Challenge of Sharing Personal Stories56:06 Setting Accountability and Challenges for GrowthKeywords for the algorithm Landscape architecture, podcast, entrepreneurship, vulnerability, personal growth, community support, emotional intelligence, AI in business, multi-passionate, work-life balance, authenticity, design

In this episode of Landscapes Unmuted, Divine and Maci explore the concept of success, and redefining it. They discuss the traditional stereotypes of success and the challenges they present to keeping people in the field. The conversation emphasizes the need to redefine success to include personal well-being, work-life balance, and community impact. Then they close out the episode by sharing their definitions of success, celebrating achievements, and sharing their dreams for the future.⁠Remesha Design Lab⁠@design_unmuted⁠The Landscape Nerd⁠@thelandscapenerdKey ThemesRedefining success is essential for more diverse perspectives in Landscape Architecture.Exploitation in the industry begins during education, where students are expected to prioritize work over well-being.The narrative of needing decades of experience to be considered good is limiting and harmful. Redefining success involves finding balance and joy.Dream big.Success is a personal journey that evolves.Chapters08:11 Challenging Stereotypes of Success14:38 The Impact of Gender Dynamics on Success19:55 Understanding Exploitation in the Field30:40 Personal Redefinitions of Success39:01 The Shift from Production to Impact45:05 CenteringJoy and Balance49:52 Collaboration and Self-Knowledge in Success57:20 Celebrating Achievements and Community01:01:47 Dreaming Big: Personal Aspirations and GoalsKeywords for the algorithm success, landscape architecture, International Women's Day, gender dynamics, exploitation, redefining success, personal growth, career challenges, work-life balance, community impact, creative work, emotional toll, redefining success, joy, balance, collaboration, self-knowledge, self-discovery, community, personal aspirations

Let's all talk about advocacy! This episode is a recording from the 2024 New Jersey Chapter ASLA Annual Meeting! The session you will hear today was a panel titled Future Forum: The Journey From Advocacy to Leadership. I've gotten a lot of questions and have had amazing conversations about this topic and I am really glad there was an opportunity to share one of them with you! The panel: Gina Ford, co founder Agency and WxLA. Marc Miller, former president of BlackLAN, and pofessor at Penn State University Su Lin Kotowicz, ASLA President Music Music by raspberrymusic from Pixabay

Hello Nerds! Today, we are discussing what it means to be a person of color in outdoor spaces. We can’t cover everything but we sure give it a try! Please join me in speaking with Kimberly Young and Bronlynn Thurman, the creators of Black Women Explore a community in Akron, Ohio promoting women and femme-identifying people of color to enjoy outdoor spaces together. Please rate and/or leave a review, it helps the show a lot! Also, Thank you to Prigidia for the awesome song “Picture Frames”. You’ll hear a bit throughout the episode. If you wish to learn more about BWE you can send them an email:Blackwomenexplore@gmail.com Find them on IG @blackwomenexplore Articles Mentioned in the episode- not formatted:1. Nature Gap: Why Outdoor Spaces Lack Diversity and Inclusion https://cnr.ncsu.edu/news/2020/12/nature-gap-why-outdoor-spaces-lack-diversity-and-inclusion/#:~:text=At%20NC%20State's%20College%20of,agencies%2C%20organizations%20and%20advisory%20boards. 2. Outdoor Recreation has historically excluded people of color. That’s beginning to change by Leah Asmelash, CNN https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/14/us/national-parks-history-racism-wellness-cec/index.html 3.US Forest Service on Benefits of Being Outdoors (https://www.fs.usda.gov/features/wellness-benefits-great-outdoors#:~:text=Studies%20also%20show%20that%20being,risk%20factors%20for%20cardiovascular%20disease.) 4. Out of California Statue University San Bernadino, There was a social work dissertation that looked at the impacts that outdoor rec had on self-esteem in adolescent girls of color- spoiler, so far, it seemed positive. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/1673/ 5. The Urban Mobility & Equity Center out of Morgan State University Investigated the walking and biking activities of low-income African Americans https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/66721 6. The International Journal of Mental Health Nursing is calling for more access to something called Nature Nursing! https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/inm.13109 7. And lastly, the book I mentioned is To Stand And Stare: How to Garden While Doing Next to Nothing by Andrew Timothy O'Brien

Oh the ominous LARE. The Landscape Architecture Registration Exam is something that everyone in the profession knows about. Yet, despite its popularity, the exam remains a mystery in many ways. Today we are going to talk to Claire Kern, founder of Pass the LARE, a new study resource. We are discussing the challenges of the exam and new ways to approach studying to make the exam more accessible. passthelare.com thelandscapenerd.com

Encouraging a conversation about designing for the autistic experience. Get ready to get real nerdy with the upcoming dungeons and dragons episode!!

Wrapping up the Best Book Ever conversation with a reflection on how important stories are to the way we see landscape.

Nerd Notes are short episodes between longer episode releases to wrap up the previous topic! This Note is a quick checklist and guided meditation to help in moments of imposter syndrome. Enjoy!

For the last episode of 2022, we are speaking with Melissa Pompili about her research in creating a public art walking tour for University Circle in Cleveland Ohio. We discuss the motivations to create something that the public can use and how to have fun doing it. Also, we discuss how quickly public art information can disappear and where to look for it! Contact our guest at melissa.pompili@gmail.com

In this episode, we are speaking with Chris Landau, the principal of LANDAU Design + Technology. He is an artist who has found himself immersed in the world of landscape architecture. In addition to computational design and visualization, the firm developed an innovative design tool called Land Kit. It is an algorithmic design tool that helps improve landscape designers’ workflows and assist in complex design situations. We discuss integrating technology into the design process, the importance of small risks, and how improving processes gives designers more time to be themselves, which is ultimately great for the profession. The newest version of Land Kit (1.1) is available now! For more information, please check out the links below! https://www.landkit.design/ https://www.landau.design/ https://www.thelandscapenerd.com/