2025 ASLA Utah Merit Award Winner – Nine Rails Creative District
We’re honored to share that the Nine Rails Creative District, including the District Master Plan, Dumke Arts Plaza, Corner Plaza, and the 25th Street improvements between Washington Blvd and Adams Ave, has received a Merit Award in Urban Design from ASLA Utah. We’ve collaborated with many on this project over the years, and prepared this […]
Get to Know Emma Bevevino
Get to know Emma Bevevino, our Marketing Director and Communications Specialist. Emma leads our marketing, communications, and business development efforts, and can always be reached via our contact us form for any project inquiries. Additionally, with a Bachelors in English (concentration) and Urban Studies (certificate), Emma brings expertise in researching and writing about historic landscapes. […]
Seasonal Maintenance Guide: Fall
We’ve crafted a seasonal maintenance guide, which is available as a free resource on our resources page. Below, I’ve compiled a few key directions for fall maintenance for your landscape. Perennials & Grasses DON’T cut back perennials and grasses! The dried flower stalks add winter interest to the landscape. Many beneficial insects lay their eggs […]
Takeaways from Studying for SITES
Our studio manager, Lauren Colunga, recently received her SITES AP certification. In this post, she shares her top takeaways from studying for the exam. A Process, not a Checklist SITES is a process, not a checklist. This is how all design should be – integrated from the start. Interdisciplinary communication – between planners, architects, landscape […]
Creative Crossroads: Unpacking the Power of Arts Districts in Your Community
Arts districts, often bustling with vibrant energy and creativity, have become integral to cultural and economic development in cities around the world. These defined geographical areas, rich in public art, galleries, performance venues, and creative workspaces, are not just places; they’re ecosystems that nurture artists and entertain communities. But what exactly drives the establishment of […]
Perpetual Perfection? The Truth About Landscape Maintenance
Warning, you aren’t going to like what I’m about to tell you about landscape maintenance… There’s a popular myth floating around out there, a fantasy that suggests if you set up your landscape a certain way, that you can simply walk away, expecting it to remain perpetually perfect and beautiful—a veritable fairy tale ending. Unfortunately, […]
Don’t Wait to Plant the Trees: The Long-Term Joy of Starting Today
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” — Modern Proverb Even as a landscape architect, I have to admit — I missed the mark on this one. When my family moved into our historic home in 2017, we had a toddler in tow and another […]
Reflections on NYC’s Public Landscape: Sustainable and Essential
Exploring NYC’s public landscapes has deepened my appreciation for their critical role in urban living. These spaces, though beautifully designed, face constant pressure from intense foot traffic, clearly demonstrated by widespread fencing protecting planted areas and winter grass cover. This protective approach underscores the reality that beloved public spaces are indeed “loved to death,” highlighting […]
Central Park as a Timeless Urban Refuge
Central Park is a true testament to timeless design and enduring relevance. During the peak of the Industrial Revolution, city officials astutely recognized the critical need for green space amid the dense urban core of New York City. Constructed between 1858 and 1873, Central Park was intended to provide a natural refuge and spaces for […]
An Architectural Gem with Complex Spaces: Little Island
Welcome back to our six-part blog series exploring some of New York City’s most notable public spaces through the eyes of a Utah Landscape Architect. In our previous posts, we’ve journeyed through the bustling plazas and serene parks that make up the city’s urban fabric. Today, we explore Little Island, a unique addition to the […]
Reimagining Urban Infrastructure with The High Line
When I first learned about The High Line, I was absolutely enthralled. This iconic linear park exemplifies everything I dream of in landscape architecture: adaptive reuse, integrated recreation, vibrant culture through public art, biomimetic design principles, and thoughtful adaptation of native plants and ecological associations. Originally constructed in the 1930’s as an elevated freight railway, […]
Connecting and Disconnecting at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Join me, a Utah landscape architect, as I continue my journey through New York City, exploring its public spaces through the lens of culture, nature, and place. In this post, I’ll discuss Brooklyn Bridge Park. A prime example of urban redevelopment, the park attempts to merge bustling city life with tranquil natural settings. An Example […]
Domino Park as a Case Study for Transforming Industrial Landscapes
One of the things I love most about landscape architecture is the creative ways we can breathe new life into spaces that once served entirely different purposes. Domino Park, located along the East River in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, exemplifies this. A beautifully executed example of adaptive reuse, industrial heritage merges gracefully with contemporary urban life in […]
Utah Landscape Architect Visits New York City: A Multi-Part Blog Series on Culture, Nature, and Place
As a landscape architect, I am deeply invested in the intersection of culture, nature, and urban places. Particularly, I’m fascinated by how distinct regional identities emerge when communities interact with their unique environments over time. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit New York City as part of the integrated site studio class I’m teaching […]
Opening Doors & Creating Opportunities: 2025 ASLA UT Conference
Shalae Larsen, ASLA, PLA joined Daniella Hirschfeld and Nancy Monteith for a panel discussion entitled: “Opening Doors and Creating Opportunities” on April 11th at the ASLA Utah conference. Together, they facilitated a conversation around the experience of being a woman in landscape architecture. In turn, this uncovered some insights into how we might create more […]
Nurturing Nature Connections: Intermountain Sustainability Summit
Last month, Shalae moderated a discussion titled Nurturing Nature Connections at the 2025 Intermountain Sustainability Summit. The conversation provided a hopeful perspective on actionable steps to increase ecological engagement. Moderated by Shalae Larsen of Io LandArch, the panel included Kat Andra from Salt Lake City Public Lands, Troy Callantine of the GOAL Foundation, Andrea Nelson […]
Get to Know the Io LandArch Team: Sydney Olech
For Women’s History Month, we are introducing you to the amazing women on the Io LandArch design team. Get to know Sydney, landscape designer for both our community design and residential studios. Sydney brings a unique blend of interpersonal finesse and design acumen to her role as a designer and project manager at Io LandArch. […]
Get to Know the Io LandArch Team: Shalae Larsen
For Women’s History Month, we are introducing you to the amazing women on the Io LandArch design team. Get to know Shalae Larsen, co-founder of Io LandArch and landscape architecture principal. Shalae Larsen weaves culture and nature to create meaningful and sustainable places. With over two decades of experience as a landscape architect, her expertise […]