Join us in celebrating Professional Landscape Architects on PLA Day, Wednesday April 3rd!
Landscape architects bring science and design together to make our communities better places to live, work, and play. In education spaces, this is incredibly important as it promotes health, well-being and connection with nature for students.
In honor of PLA Day, let’s get to know RTA Senior Landscape Architect: Kevin McCalla!
Kevin is committed to creating outdoor environments that are functional, attractive and serve as an extension of the buildings they surround. A passionate designer with 20 years of experience creating outdoor learning spaces, Kevin’s ability to seamlessly integrate the external environment into educational facilities of widely varied types enriches the projects on which he works and blurs the lines between indoors and outdoors.
Q. Where are you from and how did you end up in landscape architecture?
A. I was born in Birmingham, AL grew up in Franklin, TN. I was drawn to Landscape Architecture by a desire to blend my interests in science and design. I love learning about the natural world and thinking about how we can design solutions that improve communities’ quality of life.
Q. What is your favorite part of your job?
A. I love working with young professionals, helping them discover their own design ideas and execute their own design visions.
Q. When you’re not designing beautiful outdoor spaces, what do you like to do in your free time?
A. You will probably find me out on a run, hanging with my cats, or dreaming about my next adventure with my wife.
Q. Do you have a specific project you have worked on in your time at RTA that has stood out to you?
A. Kentucky Proud Park at the University of Kentucky is a project that really stands out. It exemplifies the way I like to work as a collaborative team and uses design to create a unique fan experience and nature to blend it into the adjacent environment.
Q. Why would you encourage a student to get into landscape architecture for their future career?
A. Landscape Architecture is a wonderful career that is filled with so many unique paths. I would encourage students to explore this profession because it adapts and grows along with you. From a love of nature and plants, to design and construction, to research, to communication and art, everyday is a unique opportunity to learn something new.
Professional Landscape Architects Day is also a part of World Landscape Architecture Month! PLAs across the U.S. have made a commitment to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of our built and natural environments. Let’s raise awareness about the importance of being a PLA, recognize licensed PLAs, and show appreciation for the work they do.
Learn more about the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) as well as World Landscape Architecture Month (WLAM) here.
