Brent Jacobsen

Hi Ryan –

This post is bit late in the game for your discussion but I just noticed it. I just graduated from MLA program at the U of A this May and can recommend the new College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture building on campus next time you are in Tucson. The outdoor lab / garden was designed by Ten Eyck Associates and is a great…[Read more]

I definitely agree a lot with the comments about trying to over-intellectualize design (I am guilty of that myself), and loved these projects because they blended an intellectual component (addressing global concerns, public space, human behavior) with great, fun, creative ideas. Seemed like a nice vision of the role for designers as well – that…[Read more]

Hi Jess – I am a little late replying to this conversation,but I also just graduated with an MLA from the University of Arizona, and will second the plug of an MLA as a viable option.

I have a previous degree in Fine Art, but had never worked before in the field and was a typical career-shift student. I interned with a firm last summer, and was…[Read more]

Some good comments, especially about the issue of public landscapes in LA and the importance of the image in marketing projects. The issue of public land is a big challenge in many western cities, so large-scale, notable public projects are few and far in between. And, western cities present an interesting design challenge because of their…[Read more]

Spurlock/Poirier is a very good firm, as are some other design firms in both San Diego and LA. I guess the question is what is “hot” design, and is that necessary good design? Being “hot” is usually associated with being more avant garde or leading edge, which tends to be represented by bolder or flashier designs. However, the Cal Polys and many…[Read more]

Interesting question Emily – I am curious to hear people’s answers as I am about to move to Los Angeles. I know that there are some excellent firms in both cities, and that firms like Mia Lehrer and ah’be have won awards on the national scale for some forward thinking and comprehensive projects. I don’t know if there is less cutting-edge work or…[Read more]