We’re thrilled to announce two of our recent projects have won Texas ASLA awards for their innovative approaches to sustainability. The Tree Manual & Toolkit developed for the City of Austin’s Corridor Program Office has been recognized with a Merit Award and the Climate Action Green Ribbon Award, and St. John Encampment Commons earned an Honor Award.

Our urban forest has the potential to provide a variety of economic and environmental benefits, however many urban trees fail to reach maturity and provide these benefits. The CPO Tree Manual & Toolkit utilizes recent advances in urban arboriculture to establish improved standards for the entire lifecycle of the city’s street trees. The manual‘s interactive tools, details, and specifications promote a holistic approach, proposing solutions to problems across all phases of development to ensure the long-term success of our urban forest.

Demonstrating the potential for adaptive reuse to reinvigorate a site, St. John Encampment Commons at Austin Community College’s Highland Campus emphasizes sustainability, education, and community. On what was an expanse of asphalt, the park transformed a former mall parking lot into a vibrant open space that functions as front yard, classroom, and event space for the new flagship campus. The design preserves mature trees, highlights native planting, thoughtfully manages stormwater, and achieves an 89% reduction in impervious cover.