American Society of Landscape Architects
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2004 Olmstead Medal


 

The Honorable Joseph P. Riley Jr., Honorary ASLA

The Olmsted Medal was instituted in 1990 to recognize individuals, organizations, agencies, or programs outside the profession of landscape architecture for environmental leadership, vision, and stewardship. The Medal honors Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the founder of the American landscape architecture profession and steward of the environment.

In nearly 30 years as Mayor of the City of Charleston, South Carolina, Joe Riley has earned national acclaim for revitalizing the city’s downtown area and restoring the city’s rich design heritage for generations to come. At the same time, he has carefully planned for future development to ensure protection of the built and natural environments. Mayor Riley has worked tirelessly to restore public access to the water’s edge, linking new projects such as the South Carolina Aquarium, the Charleston Maritime Center, Waterfront Park, Ashley River Walk, and the new baseball stadium, to draw the public to the waterfront. He has also restored existing parks, including the historic 54-acre Hampton Park and Marion Square Park, and used abandoned railroad rights-of-way to create the West Ashley Bikeway and the West Ashley Greenway. But Mayor Riley’s design advocacy reaches far beyond his own city’s borders. As president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, he created the Mayor’s Institute for City Design, recognizing that a city’s mayor is really its chief arbiter of design and construction. Today, the Mayor’s Institute provides basic design education for mayors and shows them how to work with landscape architects and other designers in order to shape and protect the public realm.

Read the nomination letter by The South Carolina Chapter of ASLA, and endorsements by Stuart O. Dawson, FASLA, Sasaki Associates, Inc., Norman L. Koonce, FAIA, The American Institute of Architects, Richard Moe, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Christine Saum, AIA, National Capital Planning Commission, Michael Van Valkenburgh, FASLA, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.

Public Spaces in Charleston, SC


Waterfront Park
Charleston, SC
Photo: Sasaki Associates, Inc

 


East Bay Garage
Charleston, SC
Photo: Sasaki Associates, Inc.

 


Family Circle Cup Stadium
Charleston, SC
Photo: City of Charleston Department of Parks

 


White Point Gardens
Charleston, SC
Photo: City of Charleston Department of Parks

 


Marion Square Park
Charleston, SC
Photo: Paula Illingworth

 


Waterfront Park
Charleston, SC
Photo: City of Charleston Department of Parks

 
     

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