People

Announcements

Amy Chesterton, ASLA, has joined Hamilton Anderson Associates, a Detroit-based design firm, as a new associate. Lori Singleton, ASLA has also Hamilton Anderson as a lead site designer with extensive expertise in urban design, higher education, residential planning, campus/plaza design, park and site design.

Darian Copiz, ASLA, and Jiang Qian, ASLA, have joined the SmithGroup/JJR studio, a new joint studio dedicated to urban design, planning and landscape architecture. Copiz is a landscape architect and urban designer, and Qian is an urban designer. Located at SmithGroup’s Washington, DC office, the SmithGroup/JJR Urban Design, Planning + Landscape Architecture Studio is staffed by a select group of experts from both firms.

In Appreciation

Barbara King, Hon. ASLA, passed away March 4, 2008, at home with her family, after a courageous seven-month battle with cancer. She was 61.

For more than 30 years, King had been an active advocate at the local, state and national levels for enhancing the lives of all people, especially children and families. King co-founded Landscape Structures with her husband, Steven King, FASLA in 1971. Since that time, the family-owned company has introduced many playground innovations that changed the playground industry. Barbara headed up the sales and marketing area, oversaw the manufacturing operations of the company and worked closely with staff on a day-to-day basis.

Born in Illinois, King graduated from Iowa State University in 1968, with a degree in Food Science. She had a life-long passion for healthy living, better nutrition and creating healthy and sustainable lifestyles for children, families and communities.

King served on several boards of directors, including Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Landscape Architecture Foundation, National Association of Women Business Owners, and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Board of Trustees. King received numerous state and national awards during her career. She was selected Woman Business Owner of the Year for the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She was inducted as an honorary member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) in 2004. King was also nominated and awarded membership on the “Committee of 200” Professional Women’s Organization. In 2005, Barbara, along with her husband Steve King, received the Christian Petersen Design Award from Iowa State University's College of Design.

One of King’s proudest achievements was founding the Säjai Foundation in 2006. This national non-profit organization promotes healthy lifestyles and healthy futures for children and families. She served on the board and was a primary benefactor.

Barb enjoyed and respected all aspects of the natural world and had a strong connection with the outdoors. She loved spending time at her north woods cabin with husband Steve, her children Erin with husband Mark, son Adam with wife Tara and granddaughters, Isabelle and Charlotte. She also enjoyed relaxing at her home in Florida and traveling to new places. Barb was a very spiritual person and she believed in the healing power of nature. She respected a wide variety of cultures and traditions, and saw the goodness in all people. She positively influenced many, both directly and indirectly through her work and on a personal level. She was a truly unique individual, and will leave an empty space in the world.

Memorials may be made to Säjai Foundation. The address is
Sajai Foundation
6458 Vagabond Lane, North
Maple Grove, MN  55311
http://www.sajaifoundation.org/

Messages of condolence may be sent to:

Steve King, FASLA
Landscape Structures, Inc.
601 7th Street, South
P.O. Box 198
Delano, MN  55328