OUR PHILOSOPHY
Every landscape is alive. It breathes, changes, and evolves — just like the communities it serves.
Our design philosophy, the Evolutionary Approach, is rooted in three principles:
Systems Thinking — We see landscapes not as isolated designs, but as interconnected systems of soil, water, plants, and wildlife.
Art & History — We draw from centuries of artistic and architectural traditions, blending timeless aesthetics with contemporary innovation.
Future Care — We anticipate how landscapes will grow, adapt, and sustain themselves over decades — ensuring long-term ecological and cultural value.
This philosophy allows us to design landscapes that are never static. They change, adapt, and evolve — becoming more alive with every passing season.
Southern California Landscape Restoration: Trophic carriers relationship
Southern California Landscape Restoration: Trophic carriers description
Southern California Landscape Restoration: Pollinators, relationship
Southern California Landscape Restoration: Pollinators, description
Our Philosophical Approach
At LASD Studio, our work is guided by principles that shape every design decision. These values connect ecology, culture, and creativity into landscapes that are resilient and alive.
1. Sustainability
Sustainable landscape architecture balances the three pillars of development — environmental protection, social equity, and economic well-being. Every design is approached as a system that must endure and thrive over time.
2. Link to the Past
Landscapes are shaped by history. By respecting the cultural and ecological memory of a place, we create designs that connect past, present, and future in meaningful ways.
3. Holism
A landscape is never a single element but an interconnected system of nature, people, and urban life. A holistic approach ensures that every component — ecological, social, and cultural — works together as one coherent whole.
4. Creativity
No two landscapes are alike. We treat each project as a unique challenge that calls for imagination and originality. Creativity transforms constraints into opportunities and ensures every design is distinctive.
5. Adaptability
The future is uncertain. By integrating time and change into our designs, we create landscapes that are flexible and able to adapt to evolving needs, climates, and social conditions.
6. Formlessness
Landscapes are in constant flux. They evolve through processes that cannot always be predicted. Our designs embrace this formlessness — leaving space for transformation, growth, and future change.
Core Principles of Our Work
A generation of landscape architects, environmental designers, and ecologists have come together to create working principles that aim to develop sustainable life on planet Earth.
1. Design with Nature
Inspired by Ian McHarg, we place natural systems at the heart of every project.
2. Evolutionary Systems
We see landscapes as dynamic, constantly evolving — never finished, always alive.
3. Regeneration & Recovery
Our designs aim to heal and restore ecological processes damaged by human activity.
4. Do No Harm
Materials, methods, and maintenance practices must protect future generations.
5. Integrated Systems
We design as if humans and nature are one — because they are.
6. Simple Aesthetics
Beauty comes from clarity and restraint, allowing natural processes to shape form.
7. Creativity & Innovation
Each site is unique. We combine imagination with advanced tools to find new solutions.
8. Technology with Purpose
Using BIM and our in-house software, we bring precision, cost clarity, and sustainability into every phase of design.
Our aim
To create landscapes that are not only elegant and functional, but ecologically intelligent, restorative, and timeless.