[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

Here’s a link to Nancy Montgomery’s web site..  She’s a talented graphic artist from Portland Maine who’s done a lot of work for MaineDOT, NPS, and White Mountain National Forest.  She brings a fresh approach to information display, incorporating photographs, historic documents, and a variety of other graphics.  We worked with her on the interpretive plan for the Kancamagus Scenic Byway in NH, designing over 6 dozen different interpretive panels for installation in 18 sites to help people understand the story behind the National Forest.

 

http://www.nmontgomerydesign.com/Inp_portfolio.html

 

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

Intriguing idea….

One of my favorite lessons from SUNY came from Herb Schaal (now with AECOM in Fort Collins), who emphasized that we are trained designers! It shouldn’t matter what the object is, be it landscapes, or weathervanes, or teacups… since we understand the design process. How we apply our training is up to us as individuals. Here’s a few examples of people that I know to follow Jenny’s thread:

Several years ago Alan Spear (Cornell) left the profession and founded Coffee By Design in Portland, Maine. See their website for the full story:
http://www.coffeebydesign.com/about/key-staff-bios-2

One of my former employees, Bibi Gaston (UVa), left the profession and returned to school to pursue a divinity degree (another form of stewardship, perhaps?). In the meantime, she’s written a successful book about the life and times of her paternal grandmother. Read about her professional work at her website:
http://www.bibigaston.com/home.html

Another former employee, Albert Nickerson (RISD), pursued his passion for flowers and started I Love Flowers, a successful floral design company. Read more about him and ILF at: http://www.ILOVEFLOWERSMAINE.COM/index.shtml

Jennifer Steen Booher (UVa), up in Bar Harbor, ME, started Quercus Design, where she collects, arranges, and photographs the minutae of the Maine coast. See her remarkable work at:
http://quercusdesign.blogspot.com/

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

D~

 

By all means… attend!  You’ll come away with a greater sense of what is going on in the profession, from lectures, tours, walking the streets of San Diego, and face-time with people young and older from all over.  There will be acres of displays in the Expo where you can test products, pick up literature, and speak with reps.  I look forward to seeing old friends, meeting new folks, and catching up on my school’s doings at the alumni reception.   It’s also a unique opportunity to hear from leading practitioners speak on a remarkable variety of topics.  There will be student displays, a bookstore dedicated to LA-related titles, a display of artwork to be auctioned to benefit LAF, and a lot of social activities.  

 

We always come back inspired, with fresh ideas, tons of photographs, and a renewed sense of the importance of the profession.  Hope to see you there!

 

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

Don’t rely too much on the map… use your intuition to see where people are walking (or x-country skiing!). Get a general sense of where you want to go, and then wander!..

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

Wouldn’t it be great if every city had an illustrated listing of non-to-be-missed works of landscape architecture? Anybody up for organizing such a catalogue?

In the meantime, here’s a listing of public art projects in Minneapolis to further enliven you visit:

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/DCA/map.asp

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

There is SO much so see and experience! You may want to start by getting the back issue of Landscape Architecture Magazine when the Annual Meeting was held there a in 2006

http://www.asla.org/nonmembers/lam/lam_index06/lam_m.htm

DOn’t miss Michael Van Valkenburg Minneapolis sculpture garden.

Another firm’s work to explore is Coen + Partners:

http://www.coenpartners.com/work/urban/minneapolis-central-library/

And then there’s NicollettMall… a landmark in urban design that Larry Halprin did in 1967. There’s a description in the AIA Guide:

http://books.google.com/books?id=T9axsT5T8fcC&pg=PA23&lpg=PA23&dq=nicollet+mall+minneapolis+halprin&source=bl&ots=j3LjD-CkXX&sig=Tv7o1vARtOFzld0OkFzZYnQXp20&hl=en&ei=Rh_xTNI-goGUB_q0vIwN&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDAQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=nicollet%20mall%20minneapolis%20halprin&f=false

See M Paul Friedburg’s Peavey Plaza on Nicollet Mall, especially when full of people.

The Federal Reserve Bank plaza has some wonderful public art and 3-D interpretive exhibits.

Enjoy… Dress warmly!!

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

Hey, there Are NO RULES in doing this! One of the best ‘initial marketing samples’ that I ever saw was done on a piece of torn-off yellow lined paper, neatly lettered, with a couple of quick sketches. It showed that the candidate had gumption, self-confidence, and an innate ability to communicate. (He got the job, btw).

For the most part, I’d err on the side of brevity. Think of your portfolio (or IMS’s) as a proposal… the real reason we write them is to get a ticket into an interview…. First impressions are very important (the 3-second rule!). Show your potential employer that you’re well-rounded, versatile, adaptable, flexible, creative… and can leap tall buildings in a single bound…

Tailor you submittal (whatever you want to call it) to the target audience…. If you’re applying for a job with the SCS, then there’s little point in emphasizing your skills at urban design.

By all means, leave something unsaid or unshown… Nothing worse than an interview where the only thing to look at is hard copies of material that you’ve already seen.

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

Hi Tim!

Do you have a separate entity with a separate name that you’ve set up to do free-lance work? I’d be inclined to play it up, since it shows initiative on your part and an understanding of marketing. Definitely show your logo//website/other graphics. Versatility is a highly sought-after quality.

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

Tim~

Since you asked… Here’s a few comments that you may find helpful. I’ve got a 10-person firm in Maine and see a fair number of portfolios.

The overall first impression is quite impressive. Strong layout, good variety in scale and techniques. Good understanding of spatial relationships. However, you know that. I’d like to see the following things addressed in your next iteration:

1. Well-rounded Technical Competency. Include examples of planting plans, grading plans, stormwater management solutions… the proverbial nuts and bolds that are the underpinnings of our profession.

2. Hand graphics. You’re quite accomplished at photoshop and other electronic tools. I’d like to see examples of hand sketching, simple cross-sections, details, etc. An employer will want to have a sense that you can think on your feet..quickly.. since you will not always have to luxury of the time it takes to complete digital renderings. Your Viral Green project has some wonderful pencil sketching… I’d like to see a lot more!

3. Alternative solutions. There should be an example or two that shows how you developed alternative plans for the same program. I totally agree with an earlier responder who stressed the need for process images. Examining a variety of alternatives is an important part of the process of design.

4. References. Include people who know you as an individual and as an office employee. You may want to reduce the number of academic references down to three.

5. Work Listing. Include an address, just to give prospective employers a better sense of where you’ve worked.

6. Resume Pages. Each page should follow the 3-30-3 rule of thumb that is used for interpretive signs… i.e., reviewers will either spend three seconds; 30 seconds; or 3 minutes examining each page. The text and the images should give the reviewer an increasingly greater understanding of your design / intent through attention to captions, typeface, and layout. Many prospective employers will only spend a few seconds on each page… but that should be enough time to let them know that the work is well thought-out and competent.

7. Project descriptions. Read, and re-read each of them. Then have a non-landscape architect friend / colleague do the same with a very critical eye. Avoid run-on sentences, repetitive use of the same phrasing, and jargon!

8. Inspiration for Forms. What is the source of inspiration for the forms that you use? E.g., the Community Gardens, with their flowing leaf-patterns? How do they fit their intended function?

9. Legibility. Some of the text is very difficult to read… e.g., the Garden of Flowing Fragrance. Most reviewers will not print your pdf out, so it needs to create a great first impression. The font size is too small to be legible.

10. Design + Build. Is the top image a photo? It’s a testimony to your earlier work that I ask the question. But it doesn’t really do much for me, with the spotty plantings, block wall, expansive grass panel….

Good luck! You’ve obviously on the right road.

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

This year Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens opened the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, designed by Herb Schaal at EDAW in Fort Collins, CO (now AECOM). It’s an amazing place… Here’s some images: http://www.mainegardens.org/discover/explore-the-gardens/lerner-garden-of-the-five-senses

If you’re interested, I’ve got many more photographs taken this year.

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

Diane: Could you please let us know when the results will be available? Thanks for putting this out there!

[Terry DeWan, FASLA]

Another handy addition to the collection is the Landscape Architect’s Portable Handbook, by Nick Dines and Kyle Brown. While not as full-featured as the basic references, it does offer a wealth of information… and the price is considerably less. Check it out at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Landscape-Architects-Portable-Handbook-Nicholas/dp/0071344225/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259591868&sr=1-1

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