A Landscape Architecture Program for Hawaii

After decades of anticipation and conversations in the local professional community—at long last—the State of Hawaii has its first-ever professional landscape architecture program. The new Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) degree, located in the School of Architecture at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, will begin in fall 2018.

The MLA will enrich the scope of built environment design education in the state and position its graduates to make essential professional contributions needed to maintain a beautiful and resilient Hawaii within its complex global context. Its focus on contemporary ecological urban landscape design in (sub)tropical, Hawaiian, and Asia-Pacific environments distinguishes UH’s MLA from other North American landscape architecture programs. Hawaii, with its rich natural and cultural history and manifold environmental and social challenges, provides a unique place of learning and opportunity for cutting-edge landscape architectural research, teaching, and practice. UH’s shared value of malama aina, caring for living in harmony with the land—expressed in land stewardship and sustainable environmental design—lies at the core of the landscape architecture discipline. There is no other place in the United States where the aspirations of twenty-first century practice converge so seamlessly with the philosophy and culture of the local ancient, indigenous community.

The School of Architecture website contains additional information about the three MLA degree tracks and admissions requirements. Those interested in finding out more should contact MLA Program Director & Associate Professor Judith Stilgenbauer at jstilg@hawaii.edu.

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