Events

Visit the WASLA Event Calendar for more information on events.

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WASLA Board of Directors

President
Nicholas Zurlini, ASLA

Past President
Duane Dietz, ASLA

President Elect

Mike Faulker, ASLA

Trustee
Tim Slazinik, ASLA

Treasurer
Su Wanqin, ASLA

Secretary
Jason Henry, ASLA

Member at Large

Harley Pan

Member at Large, Eastern WA
Michael Sanchez, ASLA

Member at Large, Western WA
Rhiannon Neuville, ASLA

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Dear WASLA Members and Readers,

On cue with World Landscape Architecture Month, Spring (and my allergies) has sprung! Seeing my neighborhood painted with bright flowers, fresh leaves, and yellow pollen is both a sight for sore eyes and a cause of them. Nevertheless, the sun and sneezing are welcome over winter weather.

Besides being allergy season, April has been a busy month for our chapter. On the 18th,\ we held our Annual Awards Reception that celebrated all of the inspiring work that our members have done. Congratulations to all of our awardees! It always brings me joy to see our landscape architecture community come together for events that uplift our profession, and with nearly 90 attendees, our community showed up strong. Events like the Awards are only possible because of our amazing sponsors. Their support for our chapter and members goes a long way to further our message and build our networks. Thank you to all the great sponsors and people who brought the awards to life this year!

On the topic of support for our lovely landscape architecture community, I am once again asking for our members’ support on some meaningful efforts. The first effort is the need for volunteer reviewers for the WASLA Student Awards. The WASLA Student Awards aims to recognize great student work and empower students as they transition into the profession. The WASLA Student Awards will be solely online this year, with the only strict obligation being a group deliberation of submitted work on May 21st.

Additionally, the National Student Awards will occur on May 11th and May 18th and needs more jurors. The National Student Awards recognize exceptional BLA and MLA students who show promise in advancing the profession. Jurors spend part of the day listening to student presentations, interviewing them about their studies, and then reviewing their work. I recall being a student and the positive impact professionals, both in the form of mentors and reviewers, had on my career trajectory, and I hope you all can see the value in volunteering your time as well. If you have the drive and capacity to contribute to either the WASLA Student Awards jury or the National Student Awards jury, please reach out to Maureen Colaizzi at [email protected].

Lastly, April also marks an important time in WASLA’s calendar as we begin to collect nominations for our open Board of Directors positions this year. Soon, an official call out for nominations will go out for the Western Member at Large, Eastern Member at Large, Statewide Member at Large, Treasurer, and Secretary positions. More information will follow, but if you have an interest in running for any of these roles, you can find their responsibilities online here or reach out to [email protected]. Everything WASLA does stems from our dedicated volunteers. If you appreciate what WASLA does or want to improve what WASLA does, then I hope you can give some of your time in support of it!

Allergenically,

Nick Zurlini

WASLA President

Check out all the Award-Winning projects on our website!

Big thank you to everyone who made it out to the event! 

Your feedback is important to us. Please take a quick moment to fill out a very brief survey. Thanks again and we hope to see you next at the WASLA Conference in September!

Seeking Volunteer Remote & Online Jurors

Review of Student Works for WASLA Local Awards and Review Student Presentations for National Award Recognition 

Please email Maureen Colaizzi at [email protected]  with your interest and on which specific juries you can participate.

Juries conducted fully online as follows:

National Student Awards

• Seeking up to Ten (10) Jurors for Student Interviews 
• 4-5 jurors for BLA and 4-5 jurors for MLA candidates 
• Jury Review Student Presentations May 11 and 18 from 9am-2:30pm

WASLA Student Submitted Works Awards 

• Seeking up to 16 Jurors to Review UW and WSU Student Submitted Works
• Four (4) Jurors for each category depending on number of student works submitted.
• Jury Review from Monday, May 13 through deliberation on Tuesday, May 21 (12-2pm) and (4-6pm) if needed

Digital Format

• Review: on Monday, May 13, Jurors receive work for personal review. 
• Deliberation: On Tuesday May 21 jury meets online to deliberate student works received (honor/merit).
• Decisions Due: May 29 with award winner reviewer comments.
• Awards Announced: Friday, May 31   

Categories for Awards

• Introduction/Beginning Studio (4 jurors)
• Advanced/Intermediate/End Studios (4 jurors)
• Technical Course - technical construction documentation course from each program (2-3 jurors)

Students will indicate undergraduate or graduate level; individual or group work (and if UG/Grad group) - Jury can determine if they want to provide UG and Grad awards separately or combined.

The Washington Sea Grant Hershman Fellowship offers a unique educational opportunity for soon-to-graduate or recently finished graduate students engaged in studies pertaining to ocean and coastal policy issues. This one-year, paid marine policy fellowship matches highly motivated, qualified individuals with host agencies, nonprofits or tribes throughout Washington State. The Washington Sea Grant Hershman Fellowship offers students first-hand experiences in crafting marine and natural resource policies and allows them to share their academic expertise with their host offices.

2024 Timeline

An Unforgettable Weekend of Bonsai Bliss 

Saturday, May 11, and Sunday, May 12, Pacific Bonsai Museum welcomes the public to immerse themselves in the beauty and serenity of bonsai culture. Their family-friendly BonsaiFEST! features hundreds of living works of art, three bonsai exhibitions, bonsai-making demonstrations, guided tours, games, food trucks, shopping, and more, with free admission. 

See:

• The opening weekend debut of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s 2024 special exhibitions:
   

Small Talk: All the dirt on growing mini-but-mighty trees brings textbooks to life with 41 living bonsai trees. Through anime-inspired illustrations, emojis, and text-like exchanges, the exhibition bridges the gap between textbook STEM education and real-world fun. From “Thirst Alerts” to “Sunlight Status Updates,” Small Talk answers common, botanically-oriented questions about bonsai in the format of a chat. Visitors can also try their hand at bonsai wiring and sift through the bonsai’s special soil at interactive stations.

Skating the Edge: Exhibitions from Pacific Bonsai Museum’s First Ten Years

A retrospective journey celebrating ten years of innovative exhibitions that have captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. Featuring works from Decked Out: From Scroll to Skateboard (2016), Natives (2017), World War Bonsai: Remembrance & resilience (2020), and Avant-garden (2023).

• The Puget Sound Bonsai Association (PSBA) Spring Show withaisles of diverse bonsai created by local bonsai artists. 

• An incredible Mame(“ma-may”) display of the tiniest bonsai around.

• Azalea, wisteria, and other lovely flowering bonsai likely at ‘peak bloom.’ 

Watch, learn, and share:

• Live bonsai-making demonstrations -- see how the bonsai are created and talk to bonsai artists who reveal the secrets behind their craft. Demos happen Saturday, May 11 at 10–11:30am; 12noon–1:30pm, and 2–3:30pm; and Sunday, May 12 at 10–11:30am and 12noon–1:30pm.

• Docent-led tours of the collection -- ask questions and share insights; Tours start at 12 pm and 1 pm and last approximately 45 minutes, both days; Meet at the Conservatory. No prior sign-up is required.

WHEN:  

Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 from 10 am to 4 pm each day.

WHERE:                    

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is located on the campus of the former Weyerhaeuser headquarters at 2515 S 336th Street, Federal Way, WA 98001. Visitors are advised to search ‘Pacific Bonsai Museum’ on their GPS-enabled devices to navigate to the Museum and should enter Weyerhaeuser Road from the West entry on Weyerhaeuser Way South.

COST:

Admission is free. There is a $12 suggested donation for those who can support the Museum. 

Members now have access to free monthly PDH live webinars and recordings via ASLA Online Learning. | Read More

A very warm welcome to our new and renewing WASLA Members:

Amy Rusho Wolfe | Ashley Langworthy | Connie L. Reckord

Connor J. McCoy | Dakota Keene | David L. Roberts | David Nelson

Elizabeth A. Browning | Emily L. Russell | Emily S. Mills | Emma Stone

Gavin Reese Castaneda | James Davis | Jason Ceralde

Joshua A. Wilcox | Katherine L. Owens | Kristen B. Lundquist

Kurt A. Massey | Laura M. Durgerian | Martina Wirtl | Matthew Porteous

Molly A. Maguire | Olivia Reichert | Qian Gao | Rodney L. Lamb

Shelden Brandt | Thaisa Way | Todd L. Bronk | Tristan Fields

Vittorio Altomare | William M. Sinclair

Interested in becoming a member? 
Learn more  about benefits of membership.
Join today!

• Senior Landscape Architect - Otak
  
• Project Landscape Architect/Designer- Scot Eckley Inc.
• Project Designer - GGN
• Landscape Designer - Site Workshop

• September 12th & 13th - 2024 WASLA Conference

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