An individual treasure hunt: students are to locate, visually document and orally defend their treasured finds. The finds are experiences of places and need to be documented and understood for their specific qualities of place affecting experience. Each treasure is an interpretation, which must be clear in the documentation. (in essence, what makes each treasure a treasure?)

For the last several years, the ASLA-VT developed a DIY parklet to demonstrate the value of small urban parks to the social and environmental health of an urban area. The VT parklet is also a valued opportunity to bring visibility to landscape architecture. But things are different on campus this year. There’s a stronger need for rethinking the design of public open spaces for socializing and community building. This in a time of physical distancing while trying to continue and to build community relationships and a sense of belonging to the larger society.

Community-based design principles used to develop landscape site plans for Yaupon Place through interactive community meetings. While this privately-held, publicly accessible park provides needed green space and sanctuary to the Ginter Neighborhood, the community saw more possibilities.

Creation of a new environmental center at Virginia Tech. This center is for the study and education of environmental issues by K-12 visitors and local guests. Each student will define a mission for an environmental center proposal set this particular location. The environmental center is to host study, independent exploration, and relaxation. Final proposals will integrate an overarching vision and intentions for this site planning and design project with a landform and stormwater management strategies that are technically feasible and results in a compelling landscape design.

interpreting social resilience in Barriada As a socially engaged artist and designer, Mr. Rodriguez focuses on community narratives and non-conventional analysis as the driver for equity in design.

SHEEMA LAGUERRE, NAK Design, will give a talk regarding landscape design works in Central Florida by showing their own projects.

Steve Lettau, Onyx Group, will have a presentation and give some tips to students about how to be successful in the industry.

John Boyer TERROIR the complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced, including factors such as the soil, topography, and climate. • (also goût de terroir | ɡo͞o də | ) the characteristic taste and flavor imparted to a wine by the environment in which it is produced.

Peter Sforza: director Center for Geospatial Information Technology

Tim Stromberg, landscape architect, will present on resilient recreation design projects that SGA (Stromberg/Garrigan & Associates) has worked on in Norfolk and outside of Norfolk that have used practices like: Living Shoreline, Creek Restoration/Day Lighting, and flood/stormwater linear park designs in passive recreational settings.

PJ Scully (City of Virginia Beach Planning Administration) and Billy Almond (PLA; WPL in Norfolk) will introduce a studio project that will ask students to study the impacts of forest and tree preservation on stormwater management site design.

Mary-Carson Stiff (Wetlands Watch) & John Hasher (Living River Trust) – Chesapeake Managed Retreat Project Site The speakers from non-profit organizations will provide background about another studio project site, their project issues and concerns, and allowed uses for FEMA acquired properties. This presentation will be about the policy, regulations, and insurance issues around coastal area planning and design.

Introduction to use of Adobe software for landscape architectural illustration

A few more sweet (Adobe) treats to follow last week's session

This week’s Friday at 1 event will be A Conversation on Gather guided by Kelley Oklesson, founder of Groundsmith Collective and adjunct professor at the University of Maryland. “Gather is an intimate portrait of a growing movement amongst Indigenous Americans to reclaim their spiritual and cultural identities through obtaining sovereignty over their ancestral food systems, while battling against the historical trauma brought on by centuries of genocide.” The conversation on Friday will be a follow up to ASLA-VT’s outdoor screening event of the film on Thursday, November 5th from 4:30-6 PM. If you are able, please join us at the amphitheatre outside of the Moss Arts Center at 4:30 PM for a socially distanced viewing of Gather. In addition to an outdoor screening of the film, we have provided a virtual option for all students and faculty. Just use the link and password below to access the documentary any time during the month of November. We do highly encourage watching this before Friday’s conversation, but the link will be active for this whole month.

Rob Holmes (MLA-VT), an Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at Auburn University, will discuss his work with the DRC (Dredge Research Collaborative).

Discussion of individual senior's work-to-date including questions under exploration, intentions and place.

Formal presentation of Senior Project studies. Individual presentation and discussion to mark work-to-date and to propel design explorations through spring semester.