philosophy

At oslund.and.assoc. the idea of shaping a landscape entails not only providing a place for social, physical, and intellectual interaction, but it is also about sculpting open space into an artful form that acts as a breath within its given context. We feel that through design, there exists the possibility of discovery - a discovery that comes from gracefully combining an attuned observation of contextual considerations, cultural understandings and economic realities within a deliberate programmatic focus. This is the basis for all creative expression, and the cornerstone of our design philosophy.

Because our work and process tends toward non-traditional forms, it could be said that the creative expression present in places we create resonates more strongly with art than with the traditional ideologies of landscape architecture. But for us, there has never been a distinction. We consciously practice landscape architecture as an art form. The creation of simple, artistic and profoundly beautiful spaces is a very complex process. It is more than graphic patterns; rather it's about creating simplicity through spatial means. Our experience allows us to achieve a detailed understanding of the complexities of making things simple. This multifaceted process entails making exterior rooms and defining place, engaging the idea of movement, of compression and release, proportion and scale, light and horizon. It's about the pure physicality of shaping the land to create engaging space. We are inspired by the possibilities and are motivated by the challenge of transforming indifferent space into simple places that will shape our collective memories and emotions.

Each project offers us a new opportunity to define "place." Our intent is to affect each place in expressing the values and impressions of what it inherently possesses and encouraging what it can become in the future. We are poised to dedicate our energy, imagination, and attention to your design opportunity.