Purdue landscape architecture students Kinzie Carr, Elizabeth Hyzik, and Kate Burris received this year’s national ASLA Honor Award in the Research Category for their project “Reimagining Residential Landscapes in the Pacific Palisades.” https://www.asla.org/2025studentawards/12775.html
This project was part of the final studio deliverables in Yiwei Huang’s Spring 2025 course, LA 32600: Community Design and Planning. The studio explored bold new possibilities for the future of community design and planning practices in the aftermath of the January 2025 California wildfire. Grounded in extensive analysis of California’s fire history, vegetation, climate, and residential vulnerabilities, the project produced site-specific toolkits and planting palettes tailored to local architecture. This work represents a timely response to climate-driven disasters, an integration of science and design, and a valuable contribution to guiding resilient rebuilding in fire-prone communities across the state.
The ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) Student Awards recognize exceptional student projects and are widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and competitive academic recognitions in the field of landscape architecture. This year, ASLA received 394 eligible entries, of which 34 received awards. The official awards ceremony will take place at the Conference on Landscape Architecture in New Orleans on Saturday, October 11, 2025.
