IamDeanHjerpyn,astudentoflandscapearchitectureinColumbus,Ohio.Withoneyearleftofmymaster's,Iventuretouploadandsharethework/ideasI(+sometimesacollaboratorortwo)havemadeandhad.IaminterestedinaL.A.thatisslow,ecologicallydriven,site-conscious,andfun.Iechomypeers,mentors,andthelikesofJulianRaxworthy,GillesClément,orJuliaWatson,inmydesiretocreateanddesigninwaysthatrootthedisciplineasIhavecometoknowitinthepracticesofgardeningandart-makingandtouchingdirt,whichareoftenthrowntothewaysidedespitetheirintegralrolesintheactualdesignandrealizationoftheprojectfrompaper.Asapractice,landscapearchitectureoftenemphasizesthedistinctionsandhierarchiesbuiltintoourassumptionsaboutdesign.Iamconcernedbyandinterestedinthefield'sreificationofthedistinctionsandseparationsbetween"thehuman"andthenaturalworld.Growthandchangeovertimeareunpredictable(toadegreebeyondwhichhasvitalimplicationsforlandscapearchitecturaldesign).Itonlymakessensethentodesigninrealtimedirectlyinresponsetochangesintheplant'sphysicalitythroughanembodiedregimeofcareandmaintenance.BorrowingfromGillesClément,aculturalshiftmustmaterializeforusas“planetarygardeners,”bestowinghumanstheroleofagentsofstewardshiptobegintoclosethegapbetweenusandeverythingthatexistsinthenaturalworld.ItisthroughthesephilosophiesthatIseeaflatteningoftheprofessionoflandscapearchitecturetoincludeambiguousplacemakingwithfallowlandscapes,andagrowingappreciationbyushumansforwildurbanplants.Growthisagency,maintenanceisdesign,andtheboundarybetweenthehumanandthenaturalworldisonewehavedrawnourselvesandcanchoosetoredraw.
Columbus, Ohio / Landscape Architecture
Practice
Site, soil, water, plants, time, maintenance, and human use are treated as one connected design language.
About
Dean Hjerpyn is a landscape designer working across planted spaces, ecological systems, and site-specific environments.
Her work explores the relationship between people, plants, material, maintenance, and time. This portfolio gathers selected projects, field observations, design studies, and landscape research.