Noted Guest Joins LAEP Series at Utah State University

Over the past several years, the department of landscape architecture and environmental planning at Utah State University has hosted a list of distinguished guest speakers. The tradition continues March 8, when guest speaker Kathryn Gustafson, a landscape architect and artist, visits campus for a series of events.

Gustafson’s visit is part of the Visiting Landscape Architect Artist Speaker Series, funded by a grant from the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation. The foundation has supported the series since 2002.

 

According to LAEP faculty member John Ellsworth, Gustafson will be featured in three separate activities during the day. She first meets for an informal discussion with students and faculty at 8:30 a.m. in the Fine Arts Visual building room 150.

 

“Kathryn Gustafson is one of the most accomplished landscape architects practicing in the world today,” Ellsworth said. “She is renowned for her artistic vision of landscape and her ability to transform that vision into reality.”

 

The major event of the day begins at 2:30 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center auditorium (room 130), where Gustafson will present “Moving Horizons,” an illustrated discussion of her landscape architectural design work — past and current — with an emphasis on recent works.

 

Finally, Gustafson is available from 3:30-4 p.m. for a book signing of the new book “Moving Horizons: The Landscape Architecture of Kathryn Gustafson and Partners.” Facilitated by the USU Bookstore, books will be available for purchase. The book signing takes place at the Eccles Science Learning Center auditorium.

 

All activities are free and open to the public.

 

“We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to share time with such an accomplished professional,” Ellsworth said. “We look forward to having people from USU, as well as the local and regional communities, attend this outstanding presentation. We will all learn about the great works of landscape architecture and art that Ms. Gustafson produces.”

 

Gustafson brings more than 25 years of distinguished practice to the firm of Gustafson Guthrie Nichol. Her work includes a widely known series of land-sculpture projects in France, and prominent works throughout Europe, North America and the Middle East. She is an honorary fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architecture, and is a medalist of the French Academy of Architecture. She is the recipient of the Chrysler Design Award and of London’s Jane Drew Prize.

 

Gustafson is a senior design partner in two offices - Gustafson Guthrie Nichol in Seattle, Wash., and Gustafson Porter in London, England. For her work in multiple regions, she is a part-time resident of Seattle, London and Paris

 

A review of her portfolio shows her designs range in scale from one to 150 acres. Her recent North American projects (with Gustafson Guthrie Nichol) include the Lurie Garden in Chicago, the Seattle Civic Center, and the ASLA 2005 Award of Excellence winner Kreielsheimer Promenade at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle. In the Middle East (with Gustafson Porter), she is currently designing the Garden of Forgiveness in Beirut, Lebanon.

 

“Kathryn Gustafson has practiced landscape architecture design on several continents and at an amazing variety of scales, from intimate gardens to civic center master plans,” said Justin Kmetzsch, a senior in the LAEP program and president of the student chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. “Her range of professional skills is unmatched. USU students are incredibly fortunate to have this time to spend with her. It will add tremendously to our education as future landscape architects.”

 

The LAEP department has developed a Web site that provides more detail on Gustafson and her visit.