Equity and Inclusion

WED-A07: Designing for Belonging: Advancing Engagement in Landscape Architecture

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

8:30 AM - 9:45 AM PT

1.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Speaker(s)

Joy Kuebler, FASLA, PLA

President/ Founder
PLAYCE Studio
North Tonawanda, New York
Ujijji Davis Williams, ASLA, PLA

Principal
JIMA Studio
Detroit, Michigan
Andrew W. Wickham, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP (he/him/his)

Project Designer
LPA Design Studios
Sacramento, California

Contemporary practice demands engagement that builds agency, not simply consensus. This session presents play-based tools that help landscape architects design for belonging as an intentional outcome, fostering shared authorship, empowering communities, and guiding values-based decision-making grounded in empathy and meaningful participation.

Learning Outcomes:

Identify how play-based engagement tools help landscape architects uncover community goals, values, and priorities beyond specific design solutions.
Through a hands-on exercise, discover how play-based engagement practices strengthen trust, belonging, and long-term project success across public and private projects.
Apply adaptable engagement techniques that scale from small projects to complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives using structured play.
Recognize strategies for integrating play-based engagement into professional practice to build long-term capacity.