Reimagining Landscape Architecture With Isabel Castilla

Reimagining Landscape Architecture With Isabel Castilla

As cities continue to grow and densify, the demand for parks and public open spaces increases; however, available “land” to develop significant green spaces within dense metropolitan areas is scarce. As a result, the field of landscape architecture is shifting focus to transforming challenging, infrastructural sites into lush, sustainable and community focused public spaces.

Isabel Castilla, Principal at James Field Corner Operations, will address these topics by showcasing two Architizer A+Award-winning projects: The Underline, a project that transforms the vacant land underneath Miami’s elevated Metrorail into a lush linear park and Dallas’ West End Square, a project that replaces a former surface parking with a next-generation park focused around smart technologies and sustainability while still honoring the neighborhood’s historic character.

During this talk, you'll learn:

• How to leverage the unique elements of a project site by drawing inspiration from what is already there.
• How to create performative ecological habitats combined with highly programmed public spaces, all set within dense urban environments.
• What does it mean to be a “smart” park and how can “smart” expand beyond the obvious use of technology, addressing sustainable practices, minimizing maintenance and directly contributing to the user’s experience of the site.

About Isabel Castilla

Isabel is a principal at James Corner Field Operations where she has been practicing landscape architecture for over 15 years. Educated in both architecture and landscape architecture, Isabel brings exceptional attention to design creativity, detailing, and construction implementation. Her work concentrates on large-scale, transformative public realm projects. She is passionate about the design of public spaces and their impact on local communities and cities at large.

She is currently the Principal-in-Charge for the High Line x Moynihan Connector — a walkway that will connect the High Line at 30th Street to Moynihan Train Hall through the new Manhattan West public plaza; the High Line’s 18th Street Plaza and the High Line’s Western Railyards renovation. Isabel was previously responsible for phases 1 and 2 of New York’s High Line Section 3; Dallas’ A+Award-winning West End Square, a neighborhood park at the center of the West End Historic District; the Master Plan and renovation of the historic Lincoln Road District in Miami Beach; and the Master Plan and Phase 1 implementation of The Underline in Miami, a 10-mile-long corridor of parkland, trails, and neighborhood connections.

About Hannah Feniak

Hannah Feniak is Architizer’s Architecture Editor. When she’s not leading our talented team of writers and interviewing the industry’s most innovative designers, Hannah is likely to be found exploring the latest exhibition openings. A trained art historian and educator with a focus on architecture and urbanism, Hannah holds degrees from McGill University in Montreal and NYU.