John Ormsbee Simonds

John Ormsbee Simonds, who died in May 2005, was one of the 20th century's most important figures in landscape architecture and environmental planning. He was recognized worldwide for his visionary thinking and innovative spirit. Mr. Simonds' work and career spanned over 70 years, bridging an era during which the profession of landscape architecture expanded from a small number of individuals in the early 1900s to today's more than 30,000 of the most important land use and environmental planners...See more

John Ormsbee Simonds, who died in May 2005, was one of the 20th century's most important figures in landscape architecture and environmental planning. He was recognized worldwide for his visionary thinking and innovative spirit. Mr. Simonds' work and career spanned over 70 years, bridging an era during which the profession of landscape architecture expanded from a small number of individuals in the early 1900s to today's more than 30,000 of the most important land use and environmental planners in the United States. His many contributions, including "Landscape Architecture", helped lay the groundwork for the focus on the environmentally responsible planning and design of today. Mr. Simonds was President and a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, which awarded him its highest honor, the ASLA Medal, and its one-time Centennial President's Medal. He was a member of the President's Task Force on the Environment and the Florida Governor's Task Force on Natural Resources, and was a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Design in Great Britain. Barry W. Starke has been a leader in the profession of landscape architecture for over 30 years. He graduated with a degree in landscape architecture from the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1967. While at Berkeley, he was introduced to the first edition of "Landscape Architecture", which became a major influence on his career. In 1974, he co-founded the award-winning, multidisciplinary landscape architecture and environmental design firm Earth Design Associates, Inc., and continues to serve as President. In 1988, he was elected to the faculty of the University of Virginia School of Architecture, where he taught Professional Practice. Mr. Starke served as the Centennial President of the American Society of Landscape Architects in 1999, leading ASLA's 100th-anniversary celebration. He is a Fellow of the ASLA, is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and currently serves as vice-chair of the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation. In 2003, Mr. Starke received the inaugural M. Meade Palmer Medal from the Virginia Chapter of the ASLA for outstanding contributions to landscape architecture. See less