I spent this summer working for a landscape architecture firm located in the East Village neighborhood, just east of downtown Des Monies.
It was so refreshing to have the opportunity to work in an environment where design is still allowed to take its own form, guided by unfiltered inspiration. In an industry where design is so readily diluted by complicated politics, client bureaucracies, and lowest-common denominator mentalities, it was inspiring to experience a practice that seems to strike a balance between creativity and feasibility.
We all have been there--workplaces can be hit or miss. It is difficult to predict whether a position will be a good fit. Even though I was there only for a handful of months, the staff welcomed me as part of the team. For me, the people at this office made working there the luckiest catch of the summer.
Foul ball, autographed by the Genus Summer 2014 design team.
Concept sketch for a planting design at a public park in Waukee, IA.