2026 Professional + Student Chapter Awards
The Maryland Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects recently held its annual Awards Gala to celebrate the exceptional work and accomplishments of its members. This year’s event took place at The Baltimore Museum of Industry in Baltimore City, MD.
This year's award categories included General Design, General Design (Unbuilt), Residential Design (Single and Multi-Family), Analysis & Planning and Institutional. Distinctions included Merit Awards, Honor Awards, and the Presidential Award of Excellence. See this year's winners, below.
Student Awards
University of Maryland, College Park
Nicolaas Adler Drummond
Student ASLA
BLA Candidate
Spencer Craig
Student ASLA
BLA Candidate
Caitlin Garlow
Student ASLA
BLA Candidate
Joseph Eugene Lee Student ASLA
BLA Candidate
Honor Award
Honor Award
Merit Award
Merit Award
Vinita Yoo
Student ASLA
BLA Candidate
Merit Award
Morgan State University
Laura Crocker
Student ASLA
MLA Candidate
Miles Loring-Thomas
Student ASLA
MLA Candidate
Matthew Bell
Student ASLA
MLA Candidate
Merit Award
Honor Award
Merit Award
2026 Student Scholarship Winners
Ellie Dugan, SASLA
2026 BLA Candidate
University of Maryland
Scholarship
Eashana Subamanian, SASLA
2025 BLA Candidate
University of Maryland
Scholarship
Mahan Rykiel Diversity in Landscape Architecture Scholarship
Artemis Maziarski
University of Maryland
Scholarship
Merit Awards
The Gateway Master Plan defines a bold, 30-year plan to transform a low density, auto-oriented business park into a vibrant innovation district and regional economic hub for the Baltimore-Washington corridor.
The Gateway Master Plan defines a bold, 30-year plan to transform a low density, auto-oriented business park into a vibrant innovation district and regional economic hub for the Baltimore-Washington corridor.
Analysis & Planning
Gateway Master Plan
Columbia, MD
HOK
Project Team:
Client: Howard Co. Dept. of Planning and Zoning
Market Research Consultant: Stiletto
Housing & Retail Consultant: Partners for Economic Solutions
Thoughtfully designed to connect people with nature, history, culture, and one another, the 4.5-acre Point Park represents the culmination of more than two decades of master planning and development in partnership with the City of Baltimore and local communities.
Thoughtfully designed to connect people with nature, history, culture, and one another, the 4.5-acre Point Park represents the culmination of more than two decades of master planning and development in partnership with the City of Baltimore and local communities.
General Design
Point Park
Baltimore, MD
iO Studio
Project Team:
Beatty Development
Waterfront Partnership
Caroline Freeland Urban Park is a cherished one-acre green space at the edge of downtown Bethesda, Maryland. Acquired in 1983 and later renamed from Edgemoor Urban Park to honor Caroline Freeland, the first woman to chair the M-NCPPC, the park was originally conceived as a buffer between the quiet Edgemoor neighborhood and the rapidly growing Central Business District. Over time, it evolved into a beloved urban retreat for residents, workers, and visitors alike.
Caroline Freeland Urban Park is a cherished one-acre green space at the edge of downtown Bethesda, Maryland. Acquired in 1983 and later renamed from Edgemoor Urban Park to honor Caroline Freeland, the first woman to chair the M-NCPPC, the park was originally conceived as a buffer between the quiet Edgemoor neighborhood and the rapidly growing Central Business District. Over time, it evolved into a beloved urban retreat for residents, workers, and visitors alike.
General Design
Caroline Freeland Urban Park
Bethesda, MD
HCM
Project Team:
Client: M-NCPPC
General Contractor: CFI Corp
Civil Engineer: WBCM
MEP Engineer: Weigland
Structural Engineer: Ewing Cole
Arborist: WSSI
Located in the heart of downtown Salisbury, UNITY Square was envisioned as more than a public plaza. It was designed to be the city's living room - a civic heart where everyday life and community intersect. At a time when many downtowns struggle to define their identity, UNITY Square re-centers Salisbury around its people and values, transforming a prominent but underused site into a welcoming space to gather, connect, and belong.
Located in the heart of downtown Salisbury, UNITY Square was envisioned as more than a public plaza. It was designed to be the city's living room - a civic heart where everyday life and community intersect. At a time when many downtowns struggle to define their identity, UNITY Square re-centers Salisbury around its people and values, transforming a prominent but underused site into a welcoming space to gather, connect, and belong.
General Design
Unity Square
Salisbury, Maryland
Design Collective, Inc.
Project Team:
Client: City of Salisbury
Civil & Structural Engineers: Becker Morgan Group, Inc.
Lighting Designer: The Lighting Practice
Electrical Engineer: Allen & Shariff Engineering
Fountain Designer: Crystal Fountains
Playground Consultant: Playspace Creative
Environmental Graphics: Design Collective
General Contractor: Harkins Contracting
The Master Plan demonstrates the value of collaborative, context sensitive planning and design. It balances the diverse program needs, while respecting environmental and cultural resources, resulting in an inspiring, healing campus for an under served community that meets the vision of the Inner County Outreach Center.
The Master Plan demonstrates the value of collaborative, context sensitive planning and design. It balances the diverse program needs, while respecting environmental and cultural resources, resulting in an inspiring, healing campus for an under served community that meets the vision of the Inner County Outreach Center.
General Design (Unbuilt)
Inner Country Outreach Campus Master Plan
Aberdeen, MD
Mahan Rykiel Associates
Project Team:
Client: Inner County Outreach
Architect: Jerryn J. McCray
The landscape design shapes the campus experience through outdoor spaces organized to strengthen connectivity, support daily student life, and provide places for gathering, recreation, and reflection. This project stands as a vibrant node for student life, where landscape, architecture, and interpretive elements honoring Justice Thurgood Marshall together signal a transformative, student-centered investment in Morgan State University's future.
The landscape design shapes the campus experience through outdoor spaces organized to strengthen connectivity, support daily student life, and provide places for gathering, recreation, and reflection. This project stands as a vibrant node for student life, where landscape, architecture, and interpretive elements honoring Justice Thurgood Marshall together signal a transformative, student-centered investment in Morgan State University's future.
Institutional Design
Morgan State University, Thurgood Marshall Complex
Baltimore, MD
HCM
Project Team:
Client: Morgan State University, MEDCO
Architect: HCM, Moody Nolan
Civil Engineer: Site Resources
Structural Engineer: Hope Furrer
Electrical Engineer: WFT
Green Roof: Furbish
General Contractor: Gilbrane
Landscape Contractor: Live Green
Black Hill Germantown demonstrates how landscape architects can lead large-scale mixed-use development projects. By structuring the community around open space and integrating distributed stormwater infrastructure as visible landscape amenities, the project elevates the everyday residential experience. The project exemplifies the transformative power of landscape architecture to shape growth responsibly, equitably, and beautifully.
Black Hill Germantown demonstrates how landscape architects can lead large-scale mixed-use development projects. By structuring the community around open space and integrating distributed stormwater infrastructure as visible landscape amenities, the project elevates the everyday residential experience. The project exemplifies the transformative power of landscape architecture to shape growth responsibly, equitably, and beautifully.
Residential Design (Multi-Family)
Black Hill Germantown, Phase 1
Germantown, MD
HCM
Project Team:
Client: Lerner Enterprises
Architect: HCM
Civil Engineer: MHG
Structural Engineer: SK&A
General Contractor: WCS Construction
Landscape Contractor: Ruppert
Fountain Designer: Fountain Craft
Set along a quiet peninsula on The Chesapeake Bay's Eastern Shore, Davis Creek is a 55-acre waterfront property that is mostly wooded. The existing house provided a strong architectural backdrop and inspirational precedent for the new landscape architecture. The contemporary feel of the new landscape architecture works well with the existing building architecture which includes stained wood siding and decking and a patinated copper roof.
Set along a quiet peninsula on The Chesapeake Bay's Eastern Shore, Davis Creek is a 55-acre waterfront property that is mostly wooded. The existing house provided a strong architectural backdrop and inspirational precedent for the new landscape architecture. The contemporary feel of the new landscape architecture works well with the existing building architecture which includes stained wood siding and decking and a patinated copper roof.
Residential Design (Single-Family)
Davis Creek
Rock Hall, MD
South Fork Studio Landscape Architecture, Inc.
Project Team:
This modern retreat is focused on ecological resilience. Surrounded by waters of Eastern Bay and Matapeakes Creek, the design functions as a "living filter" balancing the high performance needs of a family and the surrounding landscape. The landscape establishes a reciprocal relationship between the built environment and the coastline. The result is a contemporary retreat that actively works to heal and protect the waters that defines the land.
This modern retreat is focused on ecological resilience. Surrounded by waters of Eastern Bay and Matapeakes Creek, the design functions as a "living filter" balancing the high performance needs of a family and the surrounding landscape. The landscape establishes a reciprocal relationship between the built environment and the coastline. The result is a contemporary retreat that actively works to heal and protect the waters that defines the land.
Residential Design (Single-Family)
Minimalist Waterfront Retreat
Stevensville, MD
Kimmel Studio
Project Team:
Landscape Architecture: Devin Kimmel, Brian Hjemvik, Victoria Hochuli
This oceanfront residential project demonstrates a holistic approach in which the landscape architecture plays a central role in shaping the lived experience of the site. Positioned between the Atlantic Ocean and a freshwater lake, the property presented a rare opportunity to create an interconnected outdoor environment that responds to the contrasting ecological conditions and viewsheds.
This oceanfront residential project demonstrates a holistic approach in which the landscape architecture plays a central role in shaping the lived experience of the site. Positioned between the Atlantic Ocean and a freshwater lake, the property presented a rare opportunity to create an interconnected outdoor environment that responds to the contrasting ecological conditions and viewsheds.
Residential Design (Single-Family)
Villa Duna
Rehoboth Beach, DE
CHLA Landscape Architects
Project Team:
Patrick Sutton, Kimmel Studio Architects, Cardine Studios, Meredith Beach, Bob Hruby
Situated on a long, hillside property, the project serves as a test case for a reuse-first approach that reduces embodied carbon. By preserving mature trees, reusing site materials, and minimizing earthwork, the design treats the existing landscape as the primary resource, then layers new interventions within a clear framework of sustainable principles. The result is a refined, Colonial Revival garden that performs as an ecological system that is immersive, abundant, and lower in carbon impact.
Situated on a long, hillside property, the project serves as a test case for a reuse-first approach that reduces embodied carbon. By preserving mature trees, reusing site materials, and minimizing earthwork, the design treats the existing landscape as the primary resource, then layers new interventions within a clear framework of sustainable principles. The result is a refined, Colonial Revival garden that performs as an ecological system that is immersive, abundant, and lower in carbon impact.
Residential Design (Single-Family)
Woodbrine Residence
Chevy Chase, MD
Horn & Co.
Project Team:
Landscape Contractor: Fine Earth Landscape
Civil Engineer: Potomac Valley Surveys
Lighting: Outdoor Illumination
Irrigation: Montgomery Irrigation
Photographer: Allen Russ Photography
Honor Awards
The design approach was guided by a deep respect for the course's historic elements, including the original layout, the distinctive masonry framing each hole, and the character that defined the course in its early years. Rather than reinventing the course, the vision was to thoughtfully revive the charm and spirit of the 1930s landscape while ensuring it can be enjoyed for generations to come.
The design approach was guided by a deep respect for the course's historic elements, including the original layout, the distinctive masonry framing each hole, and the character that defined the course in its early years. Rather than reinventing the course, the vision was to thoughtfully revive the charm and spirit of the 1930s landscape while ensuring it can be enjoyed for generations to come.
General Design
East Potomac Miniature Golf
Washington, DC
Moody Graham
Project Team:
Client: National Links Trust & National Park Service
Landscape Contractor: Olson Weaver
Surface Material Contractor: Organic Lock
Arborist: Davey Tree
Turf & Obstacles: Adventure Gold & Sports
Ticket Booth Rehabilitation: Corbett Construction
Strathmore Square reimagines transit-oriented multifamily development as a layered landscape of movement, gathering, discovery, and respite. This project weaves nature, art, and daily life into a welcoming environment where landscape and community intersect.
Strathmore Square reimagines transit-oriented multifamily development as a layered landscape of movement, gathering, discovery, and respite. This project weaves nature, art, and daily life into a welcoming environment where landscape and community intersect.
Residential Design (Multi-Family)
Strathmore Square
North Bethesda, MD
Mahan Rykiel Associates
Project Team:
Client: Fivesquares Development
Architect: TenBerke, Torti Gallas + Partners
Landscape Architect: Hargreaves Jones
Structural Engineer: SK&A
MEP Engineer: Henry Adams, LLC
Civil Engineer: Bowman Consulting Group
Sustainability Consultant: Sustainable Building Partners
Lighting Designer: WSP
The landscape at this project is situated within a constellation of open spaces that form the waterfront district of Harbor Point. Completed in 2024, the project is notable for being constructed entirely on a brownfield site. Beyond creating a campus that is distinctive, functional, and beautiful, the complementary character of the landscape and architecture offers a contemporary interpretation of Baltimore's rich industrial legacy while reconnecting residents with the area's native landscape.
The landscape at this project is situated within a constellation of open spaces that form the waterfront district of Harbor Point. Completed in 2024, the project is notable for being constructed entirely on a brownfield site. Beyond creating a campus that is distinctive, functional, and beautiful, the complementary character of the landscape and architecture offers a contemporary interpretation of Baltimore's rich industrial legacy while reconnecting residents with the area's native landscape.
General Design
T. Rowe Price Corporate Campus
Baltimore, MD
iO Studio
Project Team:
Beatty Development
T. Rowe Price
The Silence Dogood Garden transforms a compact single-family landscape into an immersive, edible tapestry that nourishes, supports recovery, and delivers everyday delight. Shaped by the clients' medical background and their commitment to a productive garden, the landscape is conceived as a living prescription: seasonal, restorative, and generous.
The Silence Dogood Garden transforms a compact single-family landscape into an immersive, edible tapestry that nourishes, supports recovery, and delivers everyday delight. Shaped by the clients' medical background and their commitment to a productive garden, the landscape is conceived as a living prescription: seasonal, restorative, and generous.
Residential Design (Single-Family)
Silence Gogood Garden
Washington, DC
Moody Graham
Project Team:
Architect: Fowlkes Studio
Contractor: Falcon Construction
Landscape Contractor: Evergo Landscaping
In this garden, the landscape architects endeavored to balance owner engagement in sculptural garden spaces with the restoration of a sensitive ecology into a healthier ecosystem. The designers sought out to create a statement of both artful expression and healthy living. This project exemplifies how thoughtful design can harmonize with nature, reduce long-term maintenance. and contribute to broader environmental goals.
In this garden, the landscape architects endeavored to balance owner engagement in sculptural garden spaces with the restoration of a sensitive ecology into a healthier ecosystem. The designers sought out to create a statement of both artful expression and healthy living. This project exemplifies how thoughtful design can harmonize with nature, reduce long-term maintenance. and contribute to broader environmental goals.
Residential Design (Single-Family)
Swinks Mill
McLean, VA
CHLA Landscape Architects
Project Team:
Robert Gurney Architects
Think.Make.Build
Planted Earth
Outdoor Illumination
R.C. Fields & Associates, Inc.
Kevin Campion
Steve Makrinos
White Clay Farm encompasses 29 acres of rolling meadow, mature woodland, and a remarkable collection of specimen trees cultivated over generations by Delaware Valley Quakers and devoted horticulturalists. This design builds upon this cultural and ecological legacy, weaving new garden spaces into the hillside with restraint and intention.
White Clay Farm encompasses 29 acres of rolling meadow, mature woodland, and a remarkable collection of specimen trees cultivated over generations by Delaware Valley Quakers and devoted horticulturalists. This design builds upon this cultural and ecological legacy, weaving new garden spaces into the hillside with restraint and intention.
Residential Design (Single-Family)
White Clay Farm
Newark, DE
Jonathan Ceci Landscape Architects
Project Team:
Pool: RASLA Inc.
Presidential Award
General Design
National Aquarium Harbor Wetland
Baltimore, MD
Ayers Saint Gross
Project Team: Contractor: Oldetown Landscape Architects; Civil Engineer: GJB Engineering, Inc. - Greg Budnick, P.E.; Photographer: Kate Wichlinski/ Architectural Photography; Garden Maintenance: Hedge Garden Care.
The Harbor Wetland is a sustainable and high-performing floating wetland designed to reimagine the
Inner Harbor waterfront while seamlessly integrating natural ecosystems. Located between Piers 3 and 4,
the wetland and attached learning dock serve as a welcoming civic space where visitors observe and
learn about the natural systems and habitats of the Chesapeake Bay.
A culmination of years of collaborative planning and research, the wetland is designed with systems to
address the challenges of previous floating wetland installations, including water quality, long-term
buoyancy, and habitat creation. These improved systems were first tested in 2017, with the 200-square-
foot Floating Wetland Prototype. Building upon that prototype’s success, the design team worked in close
collaboration with the National Aquarium to adapt the same technology for this immersive setting.
Harbor Wetland utilizes native grasses and shrubs, replicating the natural salt marsh wetlands that once
defined the regional shoreline. A pontoon structure keeps the wetland afloat while navigating several feet
of daily tidal fluctuations and periodic weather events. Aeration devices installed at regular intervals
address water quality when oxygen levels are compromised in degrading water events.
This green infrastructure project promotes healthy clean waters, attracts native species, and supports a
strong ecosystem. Cordgrasses and native shrubs filter excess nitrogen in the water resulting from
stormwater runoff discharged upstream in the waterway. The wetland has attracted numerous species of
fish, reptiles, crustaceans, mollusks, and birds, including Northern river otters, which had not been
regularly seen in the Inner Harbor for over 100 years.
A natural oasis in the center of the Inner Harbor, Harbor Wetland also serves as a free outdoor landmark
and park where visitors can foster a connection to nature and the iconic Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. By
integrating natural systems into the urban fabric, Harbor Wetland represents a new paradigm for urban
development – restoring ecological balance in a densely developed area while also creating space for
education, recreation, and community engagement.
Spencer Ellis Award
Ben Cardin
United States Senator from Maryland (2007-2025)
Senator Cardin’s career in public service has been defined by an enduring commitment to the environment, public health, and stewardship of Maryland’s natural resources. From his earliest days in the Maryland House of Delegates through nearly four decades in Congress, he’s been one of the nation’s most consistent voices for clean water, conservation, and science-based environmental policy. Throughout that career, the Chesapeake Bay has remained at the center of his environmental advocacy has championed restoration of the Bay and its tributaries, advanced critical investments in water and wastewater infrastructure, supported environmental education and habitat protection, and worked to address the long-term impacts of climate change on our communities and landscapes.
He understands that environmental stewardship is not separate from economic vitality or quality of life, but rather, fundamental to both. His leadership helped to shape federal water infrastructure legislation, strengthen support for the Chesapeake Bay Program, improve management of stormwater runoff, and expand access to clean water for vulnerable
communities.
His work has earned recognition from organizations across the environmental community, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Ecological Society of America, and numerous conservation and wildlife organizations. Perhaps more importantly, his legacy can be seen here in Maryland - in healthier waterways, stronger environmental protections, and a broader public understanding of the Chesapeake Bay – our treasured natural resource.
Emerging Professional Award
Stephanie Cavanaugh, Assoc. ASLA
Landscape Designer at Campion Hruby Landscape Architects
This award recognizes and celebrates an individual who has demonstrated extraordinary passion and commitment to the profession of landscape architecture, the community, and/or a firm in the State of Maryland; in the early stage of their professional life.
Stephanie is an associate ASLA member, a Landscape Designer at Campion Hruby, and a remarkable member of the landscape architecture community.
Stephanie began her landscape architecture career in 2019 at a small firm in Greenville, South Carolina, without initially knowing the profession existed. Drawn to its blend of artistic design and nature, she went on to pursue a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland in 2022. Her thesis explored the relationship between private and public spaces, encouraging homeowners to consider the long-term ecological impacts of their gardens. During her studies, she served as the first Graduate Student President of Student ASLA, earned two Outstanding Graduate Assistant Awards, and received the 2025 MD ASLA Honor Award. She now works at Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, contributing to a range of projects. Stephanie is also a graduate of Anne Arundel County’s Watershed Steward Academy and serves as the Associate Member Representative for Maryland ASLA, where she supports DEI initiatives, including developing resources to help professionals navigate emerging challenges in the field.
Mid-Career Professional Award
Claire Agre, ASLA
Partner and Cofounder of Unknown Studio
To recognize and celebrate an individual who has demonstrated extraordinary passion and commitment to the profession of landscape architecture, the community, and/or a firm in the State of Maryland; in the middle stage of their professional life.
Claire is a perfect example of exactly this.
Claire Agre, ASLA, is a licensed Professional Landscape Architect (MD, NC, TX, NY, ME and PA) and a Partner and Cofounder with Nick Glase of Unknown Studio in Baltimore, her hometown. Claire turned to landscape architecture after studying tropical ecology at the renowned Roberto Burle Marx-designed Wilson Botanical Garden and Las Cruces Research Station. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Duke University. Broadening landscape practice with a background in painting and ecology, Claire seeks to link care, beauty, and collective action, in the hope of leaving our world better than we found it. Across all scales, Claire’s work puts physical and social connectivity at the forefront. She has led design and implementation for a diverse portfolio of projects, including Governors Island, Druid Lake, North Meadow on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, Master Planning for Baltimore's Harborplace, the Competition-winning Portland Museum of Art, multiple Plans for Longwood Gardens and its award-winning Main Fountain Garden Revitalization, The Nasher Haemisegger Family Sculpture Garden at Duke University, The Houston Botanic Garden, Naples Botanical Garden, planning at The Land and Garden Preserve on Mount Desert Island, Maine, and at the largest scale, the winning entry for Changing Course—an interdisciplinary, international design competition seeking solutions for the disappearing Lower Mississippi Delta. A clear and compelling speaker, she has lectured and taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, University of Virginia, University of Pennsylvania, University of Toronto, University of Texas, University of Oregon, University of British Columbia and the Rhode Island School of Design.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Brenda Iraola
Landscape Architect Supervisor, MNCPPC
Maryland ASLA's Lifetime Achievement Award was created to recognize outstanding contributions to the field of landscape architecture by our long-standing and dedicated members. The award can be for service, knowledge, research or any other related subject that the MDASLA executive committee chooses to honor.
Brenda is more than deserving of this award.
For more than three decades, Brenda has shaped parks and public spaces throughout the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan area through leadership in landscape architecture and public service. As Design and Construction Manager for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, she oversaw major public investment while advancing people-centered design. Brenda’s work expanded access to recreation, strengthened environmental stewardship, and transformed underserved communities through parks, trails, transit-oriented planning, and nationally recognized public spaces. Her leadership helped establish M-NCPPC as a national model for public park design and programming, earning numerous regional and national awards. A mentor and advocate for the profession, Brenda’s career reflects the lasting impact of landscape architecture on communities and future generations. From the nationally recognized “Imagination Playground” initiative and Transforming Neighborhoods program to regional trail systems and historic park revitalization, Brenda’s work combines creativity, inclusion, and public impact. Her projects expanded access to parks and open space, advanced environmental conservation, and strengthened community connections to the public realm. Through her leadership, projects such as Watkins Regional Park’s Wizard of Oz playground and regional greenway systems became lasting civic assets serving millions of residents and visitors. Through mentorship, public engagement, and advocacy, Brenda’s influence extends well beyond built work. Her career demonstrates how thoughtful design leadership can leave a lasting legacy across parks, communities, and generations.
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