Nov. 2, 2011

Two alumni of the SNRE Landscape Architecture program were honored with their industry's highest professional honor: being named a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Honored were Carol Macht (M.L.A. '75) and Martha Schwartz (M.L.A. '78), who were recognized Tuesday at the ASLA Council of Fellows Investiture Dinner in San Diego during the ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting & Expo.

Elevation to the ASLA Council of Fellows is among the highest honors a landscape architect may receive.  The designation of Fellow is conferred upon individuals in recognition of exceptional accomplishments over a sustained period of time.  Members of the Council of Fellows may use the suffix "FASLA" to denote this high honor.

Carol Macht was nominated by the Maryland Chapter in the Works Category. She is with Hord Coplan Macht in Baltimore, Md. A dynamic force within the greater Baltimore design community for more than 30 years, she is an extraordinary landscape architect who possesses the rare blend of design sensitivity and political savvy necessary to shepherd public landscape visions into real places for real people. Her primary design focus is on public open spaces, campus landscapes and residential gardens, which she ably delivers in historically traditional, modern or contemporary styles. In her capacity as a public speaker and community volunteer, she is a vocal advocate for creating livable and sustainable neighborhood spaces. She is also a generous mentor for emerging professionals and students alike. She earned her B.A. in architecture from Washington University and M.L.A. from the University of Michigan.

Martha Schwartz (M.L.A. '78), principal at Martha Schwartz Partners, was nominated by the Boston Society of Landscape Architects in the Works Category. With ultimate hands-on responsibility for all design work her firm undertakes, and with projects in more than 20 countries, the impact of her readily recognizable design style is worldwide. Her background in landscape architecture and the fine arts is reflected in her designs for city plazas, waterfronts, streetscapes, and city branding. Her early and iconic Bagel Garden introduced her love for color, unusual materials, and wit. She is a strong advocate of the ASLA and women in the profession and has a unique narrative design. Her distinct public presence has opened up new directions and united art and design at the highest level of elegance. She received her M.L.A. from the University of Michigan.

In September, Schwartz gave the annual JJR Lecture, one of two endowed lectures focused on landscape architecture themes within SNRE.

ASLA website: http://asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=32010