What makes LASD Studio one of the leading landscape architecture studios in San Diego?

LASD Studio blends landscape architecture with artistic vision and ecological intelligence. Our projects unite architecture, nature and careful planning — creating living landscapes that evolve over time across San Diego, California and Spain.

Do you offer landscape architecture and design services in La Jolla, Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe?

Yes. LASD Studio designs high-end coastal landscapes in La Jolla, Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe, integrating architecture, ecology and aesthetics tailored to each site’s microclimate.

How is a landscape architect different from a landscape designer?

Landscape architects integrate artistic design with technical, ecological and legal expertise — including grading, irrigation and permitting. Landscape designers focus primarily on aesthetic composition. LASD Studio bridges both worlds.

Do you collaborate with licensed landscape architects in California?

Yes. LASD Studio collaborates with licensed California landscape architects to ensure all technical, regulatory and permitting standards are fulfilled for projects requiring a licensed professional of record.

Do you handle HOA and city submittals in San Diego County?

Yes. We prepare detailed submittal packages for HOAs, city permits and fire departments — including planting plans, water-use calculations, irrigation layouts and fuel modification zones.

Do you design both private gardens and large-scale public or ecological projects?

Yes. LASD Studio works across scales — from intimate private estates and HOAs to cultural parks and ecological restoration projects — each guided by the same ecological, long-term approach.

Do you design coastal landscapes for oceanfront or hillside properties?

Yes. Our coastal designs address salt air, drainage and erosion control — balancing water-wise planting with refined aesthetics for oceanfront and hillside estates.

What defines Spanish Revival landscape architecture in California?

Spanish Revival gardens blend Mediterranean and Moorish influences — courtyards, tiles, stucco, water features and aromatic drought-tolerant plants. LASD Studio reinterprets these traditions with contemporary ecological sensibility.

How does Mid-Century Modern landscape design differ from contemporary gardens?

Mid-Century Modern landscapes extend architectural lines outdoors using clean geometry, low walls and sculptural plants — while contemporary design often blends organic forms with sustainability-driven materials.

What is Bohemian Minimalism in landscape design?

Bohemian Minimalism is LASD Studio’s signature approach — combining minimal architectural form with expressive textures, layered plant palettes and an atmosphere of calm, soulful simplicity.

Can you blend historic and modern styles in the same property?

Absolutely. We specialize in fusing classical symmetry and modern ecology — reinterpreting heritage aesthetics through sustainable materials and plant communities.

How do you match garden design with architectural style?

Each design begins with the property’s architecture, materials and spirit of place. We translate those cues into landscape form — ensuring coherence between house and garden.

What is regenerative landscape architecture?

Regenerative landscape architecture restores and strengthens natural systems — improving biodiversity, soil health and water cycles. LASD Studio designs living frameworks that can evolve and adapt over time.

Do you design drought-tolerant or xeriscape gardens in San Diego?

Yes. Every design prioritizes water efficiency and beauty. We calculate estimated annual irrigation needs, select drought-tolerant species and often help clients secure available rebates.

How do you calculate and optimize irrigation water use?

We use in-house digital systems that compute MAWA and ETWU — estimating annual water usage for each zone. These calculations support sustainability targets and rebate compliance.

What is the rewilding approach in landscape design?

Rewilding restores ecological balance by reintroducing native plant communities that support pollinators and wildlife. LASD Studio integrates rewilding principles even within high-end private estates.

Do you work internationally outside the U.S. and Spain?

Yes. We have designed projects in Europe and North America. Our workflow easily adapts to metric and imperial systems using digital collaboration and site coordination.

Can you provide 3D renderings before construction?

Yes. We use advanced 3D visualization so clients can experience the garden virtually — understanding form, space and material before construction begins.

Can projects be built in phases over time?

Yes. Many clients prefer phased implementation. We design each project to evolve naturally — allowing flexibility in budgeting and scheduling while maintaining design integrity.

How do we begin working with LASD Studio?

Start by submitting the consultation form on our website. We’ll review your site and schedule a conversation to discuss goals, approach and next steps.

~ LASD Studio Research ~

LASD Studio’s research runs parallel to practice and informs long-term thinking rather than day-to-day client deliverables.

We study landscapes as living works shaped by time — where Art, architectural style, and cultural landscape tradition meet ecological conditions such as soil, water, vegetation structure, and habitat dynamics. We translate that understanding into methods that improve design clarity, authorship, and long-horizon performance.

This work bridges theory and built reality: frameworks that can be applied on real sites, observed over time, and refined through feedback.

Research Focus

Styles and Epochs of Art

Our Styles & Epochs of Art work supports research by clarifying the cultural language of landscapes - how proportion, material, and historical context shape perception and meaning.

Evolutionary Landscape Systems

Landscapes understood as open systems shaped by time, uncertainty, feedback, and adaptation rather than fixed aesthetic outcomes.

Wildlife & Biodiversity Restoration

Designing landscapes that actively support ecological processes, species diversity, habitat continuity, and resilience under climatic and anthropogenic pressure.

Landscape Intelligence & Metrics

Developing quantitative and process-based methods to evaluate ecological performance across soil, vegetation, and fauna—allowing landscapes to be assessed, compared, and tracked over time.

Selected Research & Long-Term Exploration

Styles and Epochs of Art that Influenced Landscape Architecture

A studio series exploring how cultural eras shape landscape language: proportion, material, spatial rhythm, and the atmosphere of place and time.
Link: Explore the series

Southern California Wildlife and Biodiversity Landscape Restoration

A process-oriented framework for restoring ecological performance and resilience in fragmented landscapes. The research separates design principles from operational layers: soil, flora, and fauna, and introduces time as a critical dimension of landscape evaluation.
Link: View research

Landscape Ecosystem Integrity as Preventive Infrastructure

A research paper reframing landscapes as preventive infrastructure rather than amenities, and introducing Landscape Ecosystem Integrity as a landscape-scale condition defined by trophic completeness, connectivity, and adaptive capacity over time. The framework consolidates established concepts from landscape ecology into a coherent structure suitable for design, governance, and long-term performance assessment.

Link: View research

Designing Landscapes as Evolutionary Systems

A foundational thesis exploring landscape architecture as a dynamic, adaptive system shaped by processes rather than static form. This work establishes the theoretical grounding for LASD Studio’s approach to landscape design.
Link: View research

Designing Landscapes as Evolving Systems v2.0 (in development)

An advanced framework introducing time-based ecological metrics, adaptive biotic feedback structures, and quantitative landscape intelligence models.
Status: In development

Research in Practice

Research at LASD Studio is not separated from practice.
Each framework informs real projects, guides design decisions, and evolves through application, monitoring, and reflection.

Landscapes are understood not as finished objects, but as systems capable of learning, improving, and supporting life over time.

Note: Selected essays, books, and public articles related to this research are available in Publications.