NEWS/EVENT: 2010 ILASLA Awards
The Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects -
2010 Awards Call for Entries

What projects will you submit for the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architect's 2010 Awards?

Each year the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ILASLA) recognizes outstanding projects completedby individuals or organizations located in the State of Illinois. These awards are given in an effort to raise standards of excellence, heighten public appreciation of quality landscape architecture, and expand public awareness of the profession and ASLA. The award winners will be recognized in an annual banquet, be published in the highly distributed folio awards book, as well as have the projects spotlighted on the ILASLA website. Nominees must be individuals or organizations that have significantly enhanced the Illinois landscape or promoted the profession of landscape architecture in the State of Illinois.

This year's award categories include:

Category I Design: Constructed Projects
Category II Design: Unrealized Projects
Category III: Memorable Landscapes
Category IV: Planning and Analysis
Category V: Landscape Architectural Research
Category VI: Communications
Category VII: Burnham Award
Category VIII: Jensen Award
Category IX: Environmental Stewardship

Entries are due no later than Friday, October 15, 2010 and winners will be announced in December. - Awards Entry Form 2010 - Awards Template 2010

NEWS: ILASLA Welcomes Steven Halberg as the next President-Elect
During his nearly thirty-five year career as a landscape architect in Illinois, Steven has served as Superintendent of Parks and Planning with the Elk Grove Park District; Director of Planning and Development with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County; President and Principal Designer with David Gill/Steven Halberg Limited - Golf Course Architects; and most recently as Landscape Architecture Manager for Bonestroo's Chicago office, based in Libertyville.

As Steven serves the Chapter over the next three years, his focus will be on engaging and promoting the profession, continuing educational efforts, and strengthening the LARE support system.

Thank you to members who participated in the 2010 ILASLA Executive Committee election process, and to those who volunteered for this leadership role. ILASLA is not possible without the support and voluntarism of its members!

EVENT: Jens Jensen Birthday Celebration Tour of Chicago Parks
Saturday, August 28th and September 25th from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Danish immigrant Jens Jensen (1860 – 1951) created the Prairie style of landscape architecture and led a movement to conserve natural areas throughout the Midwest.  Between the 1880s and 1920, Chicago’s parks served as living laboratories for Jensen’s ideas and evolving style.  Chicago Park District historian, Julia S. Bachrach, guides this tour highlighting many examples of Jensen’s work including the Humboldt Park prairie river, Douglas Park’s formal garden, and his masterpiece, ColumbusPark.

Presented by the Chicago Park District and Parkways Foundation, the tour honors what would have been Jensen’s 150th birthday.  Held twice, August 28 and September 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m the day-long bus tour costs $30 and includes lunch in a beautiful park setting.

Sign Up Now! To reserve a space, call Teishetta Daniels at (312) 742-4947 or email her. Click here to learn more about a whole series of Jens Jensen events!

EVENT: PechaKucha
Tuesday, September 7th at 8:20 p.m. - doors and conversation starts at 6 p.m. 
at Martyrs' - 3855 N Lincoln Avenue; Chicago
PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace. PechaKucha Nights are informal and fun gatherings where creative people get together and share their ideas, works, thoughts - just about anything really, in the PechaKucha 20x20 format.

NOTE! Peter Schaudt and Site Design Group are participating!

EVENT: ILASLA/ILCA Golf Outing / Social
Friday, September 10th at the Indian Lakes in Bloomingdale, IL
The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA) and the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ILASLA) are teaming up again in 2010 to bring you a bigger/better golf outing. And not JUST a golf outing, but an opportunity to socialize! If you don't golf, come and join other non-golfers and enjoy the recreation amenities (tennis, sand volleyball, horseshoes, miniature golf, spa discounts, and swimming) offered by Indian Lakes Resort!

To REGISTER &/or SPONSOR click here.

NEWS: ILASLA 2009 Annual Report & ILASLA 2009 Financial Overview

FOR PURCHASE - Commemorative Poster:
The Illinois Chapter of ASLA is offering for sale a poster entitled "Iconic Landscapes of Chicago" commemorating the 2009 ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO. Designed and painted in watercolor by Chapter member Craig Farnsworth of Hitchcock Design Group, the poster features vignettes of many of Chicago's most beloved parks including Lincoln, Grant, Millennium, and Jackson by such noted designers as Olmsted, Jensen, and Burnham. The poster, suitable for framing, measures 24" x 36" and is printed on 80 pound cover stock with soy inks. Click here for the artist's notes on the inspiration for the design.

Poster is available:
- Here by mail for $10 (+ $10 P&H to recieve by mail, please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery, or free delivery if pre-arranged for pick-up an ILASLA event).
 



FOR PURCHASE - Commemorative T-Shirts:
Limited sizes are available for $5 each, please email the Chapter to place an order.



T-Shirt Reads - "ilasla 2k9: burnham down the house"



T-Shirt Reads - "rollin' with my olmie"

NEWS: Chicago Invasive Species Ordinance
Last Spring 2009, the City of Chicago added 14 land-based invasive plant species to its Invasive Species Ordinance, which includes 26 aquatic species. Species that appear on the regulated list are illegal to import, sell and possess in the City of Chicago. The list was compiled in collaboration with an advisory group of industry leaders and ecology experts. It includes species that are not already prevalent in the region, but if established, have the potential to cause serious damage to our natural areas by out-competing native species for resources and altering the ecology. In 2010, the City will continue to reach out to stakeholders and the public with information about why these species are prohibited and recommended alternative non-invasive species.

NEWS: Sustainable Sites Initiative
On Thursday, November 5th, the Sustainable Sites Initiative released the nation’s first rating system for the design, construction and maintenance of sustainable landscapes, with or without buildings. A partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the U.S. Botanic Garden, the Initiative’s rating system represents four years of work by dozens of the country’s leading sustainability experts, scientists and design professionals, as well as public input from hundreds of individuals and dozens of organizations to create this essential missing link in green design. The announcement took place at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington.

The rating system works on a 250-point scale, with levels of achievement for obtaining 40, 50, 60 or 80 percent of available points, recognized with one through four stars, respectively. If prerequisites are met, points are awarded through the 51 credits covering areas such as the use of greenfields, brownfields or greyfields; materials; soils and vegetation; construction and maintenance. These credits can apply to projects ranging from corporate campuses, transportation corridors, public parks and single-family residences. The rating system is part of two new reports issued from the Initiative, The Case for Sustainable Landscapes and Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009, both available for download at www.sustainablesites.org.

EVENT: The Chicago Trees Initiative (CTI) is an exciting new opportunity for the City of Chicago to help improve quality of life by increasing public awareness about the value and importance of trees. By preserving and planting trees, we increase our urban forest - one of the most valuable environmental assets on the planet. In order to be successful, we need the support and enthusiasm of everyone, in both public and private sectors. The CTI web site (see link above) contains the information and resources that are keys to our success. Take a few minutes to learn about the impact that trees have on our City, and how you can help. It's easier than you think.

EVENT: Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) Initiative - A way for designers to both participate in this year’s celebration of the Plan of Chicago and build upon its legacy.

CMAP has launched GO TO 2040, our region's first truly comprehensive plan, which will guide the region’s growth for years to come. Scheduled for completion in 2010 by CMAP, the plan will shape our region’s transportation system and land-use patterns, while addressing the natural environment, economic housing, education, human services, and other quality-of-life issues.

Taking place over the next several months, CMAP has announced the GO TO 2040 Community Design Workshops. The aim of the workshops is to visualize four different regional scenarios being considered for the GO TO 2040 plan. In a variety of communities — large and small, urban, suburban, and rural — they seek to visually answer the following: If we choose this path over the coming decades, what might this community look like in 2040?

CMAP is currently recruiting urban design-oriented designers to serve on the design teams that will make these scenarios real to the people of the region. They are especially interested in designers with strong rendering and visualization skills who also have training and experience with urban design and planning. CMAP encourage you to share their invitation, for more information or to participate, contact Stephen Ostrander.

Click here to submit an event to the calendar

Click here to see the ILASLA video