BSLA Fieldbook Issue 8 | Page 68

Buena Vista Urban Wild at Warren Gardens — before improvements Photo | KZLA
Buena Vista Urban Wild at Warren Gardens — after improvements Photo | KZLA that they hoped it would help to stop the drug activity and violenc the neighborhood was , unfortunately , known for .
As Landscape Architects who specialize in designing for and preserving historic landscapes , we find ourselves diving into research and wanting to know every little detail about a place ’ s history and how its community knew and experienced the site . But it is so important for us to talk to the community who uses and loves the space every day . At Warren Gardens , we considered interpreting the multi-layered story of the landscape from its earliest uses all the way through to today ’ s stories , but the community reminded us that was not what they needed . At our final construction meeting on site this past spring , when we reached the summit there were a couple of twenty-somethings sitting on one of the preserved foundation walls having an in-depth conversation . Upon seeing us , the man stopped the conversation and asked “ Are you the Landscape Architect ?” He complimented us on what the space had become . He said he had recently moved to the neighborhood and was so excited about the new park space . Having recently spent some time in Europe , he suggested that , while they may not be as grand or as awe-inspiring , these are our ruins . These are the remnants from generations past that reflect who and what the community was and how it developed into what we have today . His enthusiasm for the place was a thrill for those of us who worked on the project and a reminder of what landscape architecture can do .
Kyle Zick , ASLA , Founder and Principal of Kyle Zick Landscape Architecture , Inc . ( KZLA ), has practiced landscape architecture for over 23 years on project types ranging from historic sites and parks , environmentally sensitive areas , campuses , streetscapes , residences , and commercial properties . Many of his projects have won design awards from BSLA , the LA Society of Landscape Architects and ASLA .
Danielle D . Desilets , RLA is a Senior Associate with KZLA . Her MLA , is from Cornell University and her BLA is from University of Rhode Island . She has focused her career on cultural landscape preservation and has taught at URI . Favorite recent projects include documenting the historic landscapes of the U . S . Embassies in Rome , Delhi , and Prague and developing an extended trail network for Gettysburg National Military Park which will change the way future visitors experience the battlefield .
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