UF Landscape Architecture Seniors Present Capstone Projects

Senior landscape architecture students at the University of Florida presented their capstone projects in a two-day final review held April 24–25, 2025 marking the culmination of a rigorous year-long design project that blended research, analysis, and creative problem-solving.

Under the guidance of faculty advisors Dr. Yi Luo (Assistant Professor, Landscape Architecture) and Andrea Galinski (Assistant Professor, Landscape Architecture), students tackled topics ranging from sustainable development to adaptive waterfront design, habitat restoration, urban re-use, cultural landscapes, and ecological conservation. Each student was responsible for developing a project from initial concept to detailed design, and to demonstrate advanced graphic, analytical, and communication skills.

“This studio encourages students to take ownership of their design process and apply all the skills they’ve developed over their academic careers,” said Dr. Luo. “The breadth and depth of the work this year was impressive.”

During the Fall semester, capstone students were paired with project partners who provided a project scope of work, which enabled students to tackle real-world design challenges and learn from other professionals. Partners included: Army Aviation Museum Foundation, Applied Sciences, Catalyst Design Group, CD Urban Design, CHW, Inc., Cotleur & Hearing, Craig Reynolds Landscape Architects, Dr. Gail Hansen, GAI Consultants, Haskell, Jupiter Narrows Conservation Alliance, Kimley-Horn, Lucindo & Associates, Perez Planning + Design, Perry Becker Design, UF Center for Landscape Conservation Planning, and the Vanguard School in Lake Wales.

Working with professors Dr. Jules Bruck and Aishwarya Shankar, students conducted thorough site analyses and examined site context and stakeholder needs. With this research, they framed their projects with clear project goals that guided their design process throughout the Spring semester.

Projects addressed a range of diverse contemporary issues—from habitat restoration to climate adaptation and public space design. Students were required to produce a comprehensive project report alongside their oral presentation, with the written work archived in the university’s digital library.

“The capstone studio is where students can truly come into their own as designers,” said Professor Galinski. “It allows them to synthesize what they’ve learned, but also to explore the issues and places they care about most. It’s a space for them to define their professional identity and leave school with a strong sense of purpose as they enter practice.”

The final reviews were supported by an engaged panel of jurors, including faculty and practicing landscape architects from across Florida. Their expertise offered students critical insight and professional perspectives on their work.

Reviewers who generously shared their time included Joe Blazina (Clearview Land Design), Brian Cook (Applied Sciences), Sally Coyle (Coylen & Carol), Carly Delay (Dix.Hite), Elijah George (West King Studio), Meghan Mick (Florida State University), Craig Reynolds (Craig Reynolds Landscape Architecture), Tad Templeton (Corta Development), Alex Thommes (Craig Reynolds Landscape Architecture), and Caeli Tolar (Marquis, Latimer, & Halback).

The capstone experience is not only a milestone in each student’s education—it also prepares them to enter the profession with a clear voice, technical competency, and a strong understanding of how to creatively solve problems and create more sustainable landscapes in Florida and across the country.

Learn more about the capstone students’ work by clicking the link below.

Student Projects

Isa Aguilar – Preserving Nature, Enhancing Play (UF Center for Landscape Conservation)

Victor Anderson – The Vanguard School Reimagined (The Vanguard School)

Hayden Bertone – The Mayport Project: Reimagining the Development of North Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway (Haskell, Ocearch)

Lily Crawford – Landscape Rooted in Experiential Learning: 4-H Camp Cherrylake (Kimley-Horn)

Colson Cronk – Unifying Brooklyn (CD Urban Design Studio)

Audrey Foster – Restoring a Ranch: Preserving Legacy Through Agritourism (Dr. Gail Hansen)

Gunnar Gierschke – Design Against Division: Urban Segregation and Urban Form (Dr. Yi Luo)

Gabriella Gilliam – Suni Sands: Revitalizing Historic Shorelines (Cotleur & Hearing)

Erick Gomez – Bradco Farms: Stormwater + Wetland Restoration Park (Catalyst Design Group)

Caroline Gordon – Complementary Design: Strategies for Urban River Restoration through Linear Park Design (Perez Planning + Design)

Sky Henderson – Loved to Death: Restoring Seagrass Beds and Mangrove Islands to a Growing Destination (Jupiter Narrows Conservation Alliance)

Megan Laffey – One Trail at a Time: Increasing Conservation Lands Within the Florida Wildlife Corridor Through Nature-Based Recreation (UF Center for Landscape Conservation)

Holly Lohman – Finding the Way: Preserving Ecological Connectivity & Wildlife Through Rural Landscapes and Agritourism (Craig Reynolds Landscape Architects, UF Center for Landscape Conservation Planning)

William Marshall – Florida’s Lawn: Reviving A University’s Iconic Front Yard (CHW, Inc.)

Eliana Menendez – Revitalizing Twiggs Street: A Corridor for Connection (Applied Sciences)

Ifrit Miah – LECOM Park Masterplan: Growing Community Through Design (Applied Sciences)

Nicholas Motl – JU Ocearch Seascape Mayport (Haskell, Ocearch)

Elizabeth Myers – The Beeline: Foraging for Habitat Within the Margins of Urban Life (Kimley-Horn)

Andrew Pinsky – Newfield: An Active Lifestyle (Lucido & Associates)

Ansel Sickler – Greentop Park: The City of Decatur’s Backyard (Perez Planning + Design)

Austin Stella – Downtown Leesburg Revitalization Project (GAI Consultants)

Spencer Wishart – Living Threshold: Indian River Lagoon (Perry Becker Design)

Cassidy Zyllis – A Reimagined Landscape for Preserving Aviation History (Army Aviation Museum Foundation)