April is World Landscape Architecture Month, which is centered on Landscape Architecture in Action – through design, practice, learning, and impact. To bring that theme to life, we connected with three RVi leaders to hear their insights and perspectives.

Brett Anderson, PLA, ASLA – Landscape Architecture in Action through design

We asked Vice President, Brett Anderson to share one design decision he made that had a big impact on a project. “It is hard to point to one decision that made a big impact,” he stated. “It is more a series of small decisions that cumulate into overall project success.” That mindset shapes how he approaches every project, with a clear personal standard: “This has to be the best project I have ever done.”

Rather than seeing constraints as limitations, Brett leans into them as part of the creative process. “Take all of the parameters, restrictions, budgets – things that you could look at as roadblocks – and incorporate them into a creative solution without sacrificing the overall outcome,” he says. “Project restrictions should not be deal-breakers, but challenges to be more creative in our solutions.” It’s a perspective that turns problem-solving into design opportunity and keeps the work both grounded and innovative.

For Brett, a project becomes tangible in the earliest moments of design. “I love to draw and sketch. Design is the language that I use to get out my ideas and thoughts.” That act of sketching is where ideas begin to take shape, where abstract concepts start becoming real places.

Inspiration is “everywhere, constant, and all around,” says Brett. As a keen observer of public spaces, he studies how people move through and interact with their environments—how circulation, materials, and the natural context influence behavior and define the character of a place. He’s especially drawn to the energy and complexity of cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Chicago, where design is constantly on display in how people gather, connect, and experience the built environment.

Andy Howard, PLA, CPSI – Landscape Architecture in Action through practice and learning

For Andy Howard, Senior Landscape Architect, the most important parts of a project are often the ones no one ever sees.

“People rarely see the depth of the design process,” says Andy.  “The rough sketches, iterative concepts, and team discussions all shape a project long before anything is built. What they experience is the final space, but behind it are layers of ideas, testing, and refinement.”

That process is anything but linear. Using Bellaboo’s Imagination Garden as an example, Andy describes the work as an “onion” of design thinking, where ideas are built up, tested, and sometimes intentionally peeled back to create a stronger outcome. Ongoing collaboration plays a key role, especially with play equipment vendors and manufacturers. Through shared sketches and multiple rounds of iteration, concepts evolve into something both imaginative and buildable.

Early in a project, success comes down to alignment. “Strong collaboration with clients, stakeholders, and the community is critical,” Andy explains. “Establishing a clear vision and continually reminding ourselves of the end user helps ground each design decision in purpose from the start.”

But some of the most meaningful lessons come after a space is in use. Watching how families and communities actually engage with parks and play environments has shifted how Andy approaches design. “You can’t fully predict the creative and unexpected ways children play and learn,” he says. “Seeing those interactions firsthand reinforces the importance of designing flexible, layered environments that invite discovery.”

That perspective is shaped by experiences beyond the office, too. Travel and time in nature—whether backpacking through Europe or hiking with family in state and national parks—continue to influence his work. “Nature offers endless inspiration. Its forms, systems, and sense of wonder all inform how I approach creating meaningful, people-centered spaces.”

At the core of it all is a belief that design should bring people together. As Andy puts it, “Families and friends that play together, stay together.”

Joemy Buschur, Sites AP, LEED Green Associate – Landscape Architecture in Action through impact

For Joemy Buschur, Associate Project Manager, landscape architecture is rooted in growth—expanding how we think about design and understanding its long-term impact. Her perspective has evolved alongside the challenges shaping today’s built environment.

“The acceleration of climate change and the increased need for resiliency have changed the implications and responsibilities of design and construction,” she explains. With a background in adaptive reuse, Joemy approaches projects with a systems-based mindset—looking beyond individual elements to understand how landscapes, infrastructure, and communities work together. “It gives me the tools to take a broader view, analyze existing systems, and work collaboratively to address immediate challenges in both the urban environment and natural systems.”

That approach is grounded in continuous learning, often found outside the office. Time spent observing native plant communities has been especially influential in shaping how she thinks about design. “Spending time in natural settings has deepened my understanding of plant design,” she says. “Mimicking natural plant groupings in designed landscapes creates a true sense of place and a plant palette that’s made to thrive.”

For Joemy, impact isn’t defined by a finished project; it’s revealed over time. “I know a project is successful when I see it evolve with use,” she shares. “Adoption and adaptation by communities is the mark of a project infused with life.”

Through Joemy’s lens, Landscape Architecture in Action is both a learning process and a lasting commitment—one that connects people, ecology, and places in ways that continue to unfold over time. “I see my work as a framework for co-creation with communities for many years to come.”

From process to place

At its core, Landscape Architecture in Action is a continuous process shaped by people, perspective, and purpose. From Brett’s iterative decision-making to Andy’s behind-the-scenes collaboration and learning, to Joemy’s long-term view of impact, a common thread emerges; meaningful design evolves, adapts, and ultimately belongs to the communities who use it.