Project Implementation

THUR-B08: Maintenance as Motion: Designing Landscapes That Evolve and Endure

Thursday, September 17, 2026

10:45 AM - 12:00 PM PT

1.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Speaker(s)

Ashley Langworthy, ASLA, PLA, AICP, LEED AP

Principal + Founder
Miasto
Seattle, Washington
John Lambert Pearson, ASLA, PLA

Senior Landscape Architect
RIOS
Los Angeles, CA
Maxwell A. Kanter (he/him/his)

Founder
Saturate and Test Plot
Los Angeles, California

Landscapes are never finished—they are a work in progress. This session explores how early maintenance planning, stewardship models, and adaptive experimentation shape landscapes that endure beyond opening day. Discover how to design for imperfect care, evolving ecologies, and community partnership without sacrificing beauty or ambition.

Learning Outcomes:

Identify key design decisions that influence long-term maintenance performance and integrate maintenance considerations into early project phases.
Evaluate how governance structures, operational capacity, and funding models shape the long-term success of landscapes.
Apply stewardship-based strategies that support adaptive management, community participation, and landscape evolution over time.
Develop practical tools such as maintenance alignment meetings, documentation frameworks, and success metrics to align design intent with long-term care.