Exploring Environmental Design Through Landscape Architecture

This summer, Logan teacher Amber Rudeen traveled to Washington, D.C. for a professional development workshop, Teaching Environmental Design through Landscape Architecture. Hosted by the American Society of Landscape Architects, the 3-day immersive experience brought together twenty teachers from across the U.S. to dive into the intersections of design, sustainability, and civic responsibility.

Participants engaged in educational sessions with practicing landscape architects, exploring how history, culture, and storytelling shape both built and natural environments. Guided site visits to iconic urban landscapes and cultural landmarks around Washington, D.C., offered firsthand examples of design excellence, ecological awareness, and the ways in which design decisions impact civic life.

The workshop themes—sustainable design, climate resiliency, environmental humanities, and green building design—highlighted the connections between environmental stewardship and civic responsibility, ideas that resonate deeply with Logan’s approach to student-driven learning. Stepping into the role of a gifted learner, Amber said she gained fresh perspective on the collaborative nature of landscape architecture, along with a deeper appreciation for the design process itself.

Looking ahead, Amber is eager to bring this knowledge back to the classroom in their OOBEE role, helping students see how their own curiosities about the environment can connect to broader questions of community and responsibility.

Sites and site designers at the workshop included:

• Franklin Park with David Rubin, FASLA, PLA, FAAR​
• City Center Plaza​ with Rodrigo Abela, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP BD+C​
• Georgetown Day School Playground​ with Nathan Schleicher​
• Howard University​ with Glenn LaRue Smith, FASLA​ and Marc Massay, ASLA​
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library Modernization Green Roof Project​ with Sara Downing, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP BD+C​
• Smithsonian Institution Gardens​ with Matthew Sellers