Insights

Landscape Architect

What inspired you to become a landscape architect? I kept falling asleep in my engineering classes so I decided to switch to design college. A week before the program applications were due, I found out that landscape architecture existed. The professors told me I would get to travel a lot as part of the course work which sounded like fun, so I gave it a shot. It's been ten years and I think I may have made a good decision.

Tell us about your favorite project you've worked on at Wight and why. I loved working on the Ralph E. Tredup Park OSLAD grant application with the South Elgin Parks Department. It was one of my first experiences with the grant application process and it was rewarding to work with our client to create a strong narrative for how the park would benefit the community. We held two meetings at the park in 90+ degree weather but still managed to have higher than normal turnout. It was a lot of fun to interact with those who are directly impacted by the proposed project and hear their excitement about what we were showing them.

What's one piece of advice you'd give to aspiring landscape architects? Explore as many of the career paths a landscape architect can take as possible. There are so many different markets that landscape architects work in and too often they get themselves stuck in the first one that crosses their path. From small residential back yards to national parks, there are landscape architects that provide their professional input and perspective to improve the lives around us.

Landscape Architect

What inspired you to become a landscape architect? This is my favorite story to tell! I stumbled upon Landscape Architecture as a college student. I was originally going to be a veterinarian and after a year of studying in college, I was not feeling joy with that major. Luck would have it that my advisor in college was a Landscape Architect and she introduced me to the program. After the first class the following semester, it felt like this is what I was meant to do and it brings me joy each day I get to wake up and be a landscape architect!

What do you find most challenging yet rewarding about your work? This would hands down have to be working with community members. When we have community meetings, we get to listen to everyone's thoughts and concerns. Some communities come out and share everything they have with us and others are more of a struggle to get community feedback. Regardless we take any and all information back to the office and create a project that fulfills most of their wishes and addresses their concerns. Then when we present the concepts and seeing the community buy into the design and watch them get as excited as we are makes all of it worth it!

Where do you see the role of landscape architecture evolving in the future? I can see the role of landscape architecture continuing to evolve and grow into a field that pushes sustainable developments and re-developments sites, that will increase the amount of public green space within cities and suburbs that not only benefit human users, but also provides habitat for a variety of animals, birds, insects, etc.

Tell us about your favorite project you've worked on at Wight and why? If I had to pick only one project to call my favorite, I would have to select the Intergenerational Inclusive Playground in Emricson Park for the City of Woodstock. This project provides a massive accessible playground for children and adults of all ages and mobility needs. We were able to create a space that anyone can go to and enjoy, the playground is not only inclusive but has levels of risk for children who are more able body to play and be with their friend who might use the assistance of a mobility device. We have created a variety of seating options for people to sit together and socialize or if they would like to be alone, those spaces exist as well! It is a project that I am will always talk about and in a few years when my nephew and niece are big enough I will be taking them up to that playground!

Director of Parks & Recreation

What inspired you to become a landscape architect? Growing up, I was always drawn to outdoor spaces—whether it was camping, hiking, playing sports, or creating art. I’ve always felt a deep connection to nature, and the idea of blending natural elements with human needs really resonated with me. Landscape Architecture became the perfect way to combine my love for nature, my passion for design, and my desire to create functional spaces that enhance people's lives.

What do you find most challenging yet rewarding about your work? I find it both challenging and rewarding to build long-term relationships with clients while crafting unique solutions that are not only creative but also aligned with their budget. It’s fulfilling to see those solutions come to life in a way that truly benefits the client and meets their goals.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring landscape architects? My biggest piece of advice would be to build and nurture your professional network. Strong connections with colleagues, mentors, and clients can open doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and insights that are invaluable throughout your career.

Associate Principal/Senior Landscape Architect

What inspired you to become a landscape architect? As a child, I was always outside playing in the natural areas, building forts in the woods, catching frogs down at the creek, and exploring my environment. We always had a large vegetable garden we tended every summer, and yard work wasn’t always a chore, it was something I grew up enjoying. The funny thing is, I always wanted to be a veterinarian, but when I was in high school, I developed an allergy to pet hair/fur which made me shift gears. Originally, I went to college for architecture with a back up major in graphic design. Fortunately, I attended Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana where I learned about landscape architecture and ultimately selected this as my major. I graduated with a BLA and a minor in Biology. 31 years later and I still absolutely love the outdoors and creating spaces for people to foster an appreciation for the natural systems around us.

Tell us about your favorite project you’ve worked on at Wight and why. It’s hard to pick just one project as a favorite! The Village of South Elgin’s Park and Recreation Department has been a client of Wight’s for many years. We were hired to help redevelop Panton Mill Park, which is a riverfront park and festival space for the Village. Events like Riverfest, weekly farmers market, concerts, and car shows are held. This park is the front yard for the Police department and Village Hall, it is truly the heart of the community. We were able to transform the space into a fully functional community park, complete with a new bandshell, oversized picnic pavilion, splash pad, streetscape improvements, decorative crosswalk pavement designs, concessions/restroom/storage building and a beautiful rain garden. The trickiest part of this project was land ownership. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources owned the riverfront, but the Village owned the right of way for the streets surrounding the area, some of which divided the IDNR property. The building placement was critical as we designed the new festival space, as the permanent improvements could only be on the Village’s property. Additionally, most of the site was in a floodplain, and over half was in the floodway, adding to the technical difficulties in getting the design just right. Now that the project is complete, the Village programs this space 200+ days a year. Panton Mill Park redefined the heart of the Village and created a destination for the community to enjoy for years to come.

What do you find most challenging yet rewarding about your work? The most rewarding part of being a landscape architect is the ability to help our clients develop a vision for their projects and then bring them to fruition. Grand openings for parks and recreation facilities are amazing, because the children and families are so excited to enjoy their new place to play. I love having the skills to bring an idea to life for our clients and their community.

If you could work on any type of landscape project in the world, what would it be and why? I would love to work on another large urban park like Maggie Daley Park in Chicago. I thrive on the complexity of the large-scale projects and find the impact they create on the community and visitors quite fascinating. Working at such a large scale allows for bigger design ideas, creates a variety of spaces to enjoy and explore, and can transform a community once complete. They are powerful agents of change and create many opportunities to play, learn and relax.