ASLA is proud to announce the winners of the Emerging Professionals Design Competition, which recognizes outstanding creativity, innovation, and design excellence from emerging voices in landscape architecture.

The competition invited participants to respond to a site in New Orleans, Harmony Circle, exploring its layered cultural, ecological, and urban context. The jury was deeply impressed with the vision, rigor, and sensitivity demonstrated across all submissions.

This exciting new competition was created by the ASLA Associate Advisory Committee, dedicated to serving and representing emerging professionals nationally. We’d like to extend a special thanks to Estello Raganit, ASLA, PLA, and Richard Asirifi, Associate ASLA, for their leadership in bringing this initiative to life.

The jury for this inaugural competition included 

• Austin Allen, ASLA, Ph.D. (Design Jones LLC);
• Elen Deming, FASLA (NC State University);
• Wes Michaels, ASLA, PLA (SMM);
• Stephanie Onwenu, ASLA (JIMA Studio);
• SuLin Kotowicz, FASLA, PLA, ASLA Immediate Past President (Viridis Design Group); and
• Daniel McElmurray, ASLA, PLA (City of Slidell).

Their expertise and thoughtful feedback were invaluable in selecting the winners.

First Place: From Separation to Ambiguity

By Jiewen Hu, Assoc. ASLA; Kwan Yu Chung, Assoc. ASLA; and Zicheng Zhao, Assoc. ASLA
The jury awarded first place to From Separation to Ambiguity for its poetic yet pragmatic approach to New Orleans’ relationship with land and water. The project captures the city’s essence by embracing fluid boundaries rather than imposing rigid separations. Jurors praised the team’s compelling narrative, refined material studies, and deep contextual analysis. While modest in scale, the design’s strength lies in its elegant material palette and seamless integration with the broader city fabric. The project stood out as both imaginative and highly buildable—an exemplary model of grounded design excellence.

Second Place:From Boundary to Bond

By Xi Sun, Assoc. ASLA and Ruijie Liu, Assoc. ASLA
The second-place winner, From Boundary to Bond, impressed the jury with its conceptual clarity and adaptability. The design reimagines boundaries as opportunities for connection, offering spaces that are flexible, programmable, and capable of supporting diverse contemporary uses. Jurors highlighted the project’s strong grasp of urban systems, generous use of space, and engaging, imaginative elements. Its simplicity, creativity, and outside-the-box thinking showcase how design can both inspire and remain practical for real-world application.

Third Place:Beyond the Pedestal

By Kaitlin Craig, ASLA and Katie Roberson, ASLA
Beyond the Pedestal received third place for its innovative reinterpretation of urban monuments and public space. Through data, infographics, and carbon capture analysis, the team demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability and resilience. The project evokes the spirit of New Orleans while incorporating a futuristic sensibility that enhances walkability and the pedestrian experience. Jurors commended the balance between imaginative vision and technical rigor, particularly the integration of sustainability metrics into the design process.

Honorable Mentions

Two additional projects received honorable mentions:

Weathered Authority
by Liwen Shi, Assoc. ASLA and Shuyi Hao, Assoc. ASLA

Clearing for a Hush Harbor
by Dongtian "Oliver" Shi, Assoc. ASLA

The Emerging Professionals Design Competition provides an invaluable platform for early-career professionals to showcase their creativity and contribute to critical conversations about the future of landscape architecture. As the jury emphasized, these projects reflect the brilliance, passion, and design thinking of the next generation of leaders in the field.