Asakura Robinson

We are thrilled to share that AR’s very own Jessica Young and Kyle Anderson will be speaking at the 2024 Lone Star Sustainability Forum, August 6-8. They will be discussing the barriers climate leaders face, what it looks like to be a climate champion, and how to make transformative change in the sustainability space. Join us as we explore innovative solutions, share insights, and learn about the latest trends and best practices. Registration is still open until July 26th. To learn more about the event and snag your spot today use the link below - all are welcome! https://buff.ly/4d9mmIi

Did you know that parks and green spaces can be used to nurture a love and appreciation of nature? Double tap if you did! In our community-led work on the award-winning Central Williamson Creek Greenway Vision Plan, we provided urban ecology, landscape architecture, planning, and public engagement services to bring healthy park amenities to a locale that previously did not have access to designated green space. The collaborative model, involving local neighbors and a City Working Group of department representatives from the Watershed Protection Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Public Works, and more, put community members and City of Austin stakeholders on equal footing: in both resources to support their time, and power in making decisions that balance community priorities and environmental sustainability for the health of the greater community. Additionally, Asakura Robinson promoted vital ecological benefits, such as flood control, habitat for wildlife, carbon sequestration, and more, all while providing opportunities to develop ways that residents can connect with nature and use the green spaces for recreation, relaxation, and social gathering. Our continuous engagement with the City of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Watershed Protection Department led to the plan being accepted by the City of Austin’s Parks board in August 2022. This effort exemplifies how plans that are not municipally driven can be a grassroots effort that provides the framework for implementation in the future. With projects like Central Williamson Creek, we connect more community members with the outdoors every day! To learn more about our work and get in touch with us for your next project, visit our website (link in bio). Special thanks to: City of Austin, @austintexasgov Austin Parks and Recreation, @austincityparks The Nature Conservancy, @nature_org Community Powered Workshop, @communitypoweredworkshop @National Recreation and Park Association / @nrpa

⚾ Sports are for everyone! Through thoughtful design and material selection, we can create inclusive and accessible spaces for people of all abilities. The Lake Air and Challenger Little League Ballpark, for example, features wheelchair-accessible dugouts and rubberized surfaces at baselines, pitcher's mounds, and plates for those with mobility devices. Clear visual and tonal contrast is used to define these spaces, with no raised obstacles, making it a beautiful and accessible place for players and families to enjoy baseball and softball games! Tag someone you'd like to take here in the comments! Special thanks to: @lan.engineering (Prime) @wacoparksandrec (Client) @National Recreation and Park Association

We are thrilled to be facilitating our second public engagement event to gather community input for the design of Gilbert Garza Park in San Antonio. Join us next Monday, July 22nd at 6 pm at Sul Ross Middle School (3630 Callaghan Road San Antonio, TX 78228) to share your thoughts and input for the park. Visit the link below for more information on the project and the event, we look forward to seeing you all there! https://buff.ly/3LAmCUQ Special thanks to: City of San Antonio, @cosagov City of San Antonio Public Works City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation, @saparksandrec Council District Office 7 SASpeakUp, @saspeakup

Parks promote positive mental health by providing access to nature and encouraging recreational and sporting activities. Are you looking for a shady spot to play in Austin? Look no further than Little Stacy Park! 🌳 This park dates back to the early 1930s when its six acres were set aside during the original development of the Travis Heights neighborhood. In 2019, the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department worked with our team to update the park and address growing accessibility and stormwater concerns. The park now features two restored tennis courts, upgraded play areas, and a series of rain gardens that mitigate runoff and erosion. We also looked at circulation and use patterns throughout the park and made targeted improvements to walking paths and the visual cohesion of the existing design language. Come visit Little Stacy Park as we celebrate #whereyoubelong with @nrpa and let us know what you think of the park's upgrades in the comments! Special thanks to: @austincityparks @Architectural-Engineers-Collaborative @altura-solutions-l.p. Jose Guerra, Inc @mccannadamsstudio Nature Playscapes

Over 200 million people in the United States live within a 10-minute walk of a park or trail. In 2021, our team collaborated with the Pasadena Parks and Recreation Department to develop the Pasadena Healthy Parks Plan. This plan aimed to identify necessary improvements and prioritize investments in new parks. Our process involved evaluating existing park amenities, designing for water management and storm resilience, and promoting community health and well-being. We conducted a comprehensive mapping analysis considering 60 different variables across 4 indices: environmental vulnerability, socioeconomic vulnerability, community health, and park access. We also performed a financial feasibility assessment, devised a maintenance plan, and provided recommendations for the park system as a whole. Our belief is that not only is it important to identify where to invest, but there is substantial scientific evidence showing that specific investments in infrastructure and programming directly impact health. Curious to learn more? Check out the full plan using the link below: https://buff.ly/3Y692A8 Special thanks to: @pasadenatxgov @pasadenatxparksandrec

I can't wait to connect with my fellow AEC professionals at Amplify A|E|C next week! I look forward to this event every year for the engaging sessions and networking opportunities. The lineup looks incredible. Comment or DM me (Amanda Retallack Wheeless) if you're attending - I'd love to meet up in beautiful Salt Lake City!  Special thanks to: SMPS—Society for Marketing Professional Services

Director of Administrative Operations Hayley Pallister & Administrative Operations Specialist Lauren Doiron recently attended Asheville, North Carolina's ASLA. Three people asked them, "Why are Admin staff at an ASLA conference?" to which they responded, "Why wouldn't we be? We love learning about what our firm and industry do! We both enjoy expanding our knowledge, and seeing things from the technical perspective." At the vendor booths, Hayley and Lauren met an old AR friend, Wei Zhang Wei Zhang of TreeDiaper , who gave a great presentation called, "The Amazing Soil Genomics". They also met new local friends, including an Asheville PLA, Lauren Arledge, PLA. Hayley's favorite session was the presentation by Drake Fowler, ED for NC Arboretum. All 300+ attendees gathered for a close look at the historic correspondence between Olmsted and his client, George Vanderbilt, regarding FLO's ideas for the design of the NC Arboretum. Lauren's favorite session was "An architect, an engineer, and a landscape architect walk into a bar... How Collaboration improves Project Designs", where each industry discussed its strengths and weaknesses, and how we all work well together. The speakers shared personal experiences of being the lead in a project and working with each other to form a great team. Lauren's key takeaways were that each spokesperson stressed the importance of making mistakes faster, not shying away from innovation, and challenging yourself to find the spark of joy in each project. Being a key trait of Asakura Robinson, it was reaffirming to hear the Landscape Architect be the most in touch with resiliency in the work. Landscape Architecture firms like us are thinking years ahead in our designs and encouraging other disciplines to do the same. Hayley and Lauren also attended the South Slope to South Side walking tour, which featured lots of tactical urbanism and a stop at Pritchard Park in Downtown Asheville where the infamous drum circle takes place each Friday. After attending their local ASLA, these gals are committed to attending more conferences and diving deeper into the AEC community! Do you have a favorite AEC event? Tell us in the comments!

When people see themselves — their cultures, languages, and identities — reflected in a park, they are more likely to keep coming back. In our work for the Austin Parks and Recreation Department at the Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin Texas, we strove to foster a sense of belonging for the Mexican American community. With extensive input from the community (shown on slides 2-4), we created more spaces for art, connections to the trail system, a community garden, and shaded areas in the zócalo (plaza). Our team also designed a highly visible "Grand Entrada" promenade to improve vehicular mobility and provide pedestrian enhancements at the entry and walkways, including a sculpture garden. Curious to know more about this project? DM us with your questions! Special thanks to: City of Austin Austin Parks and Recreation Department CasaBella Architects Urban Design Group, LLC Cultural Strategies National Recreation and Park Association

Today we're kicking off our celebration of Park and Recreation Month! Join us and the National Recreation and Park Association in honoring #WhereYouBelong this month by exploring your local parks, playgrounds, open spaces, or recreation centers. We'll also be showcasing some of our favorite Park and Recreation projects during July, so be sure to follow us to see more!