About Ystävä
Landscape Design Studio
In Finnish, ystävä / YUS-ta-va / translates to friend. A term reserved for a close, trusted companion with whom you share a deep, meaningful connection. Meaningful connection exists in many forms in my design process. I see landscape design as a collaborative art and science. Great design is rooted in close friendships with the bugs, plants, birds, and the human hands that tend them.
Experience
Education
Master of Landscape Architecture
University of Oregon | College of Design
Bachelor of Science | Business Marketing and Environmental Studies,
Northern Arizona University | Franke College of Business
Select Published Works
Transformational Participatory Urbanism: Making Do as Spatial Practice. Cities and Cultures book series by Routledge ISBN 9789463725484
A Shared Belonging: Designing for Equitable Micromobility in Portland, Oregon. Corpus ID: 197808899
Collaboration
Working with skilled craftspeople, engineers, biologists, historians and landscape architects to realize holistic, carefully executed projects.
Practice
8+ years of experience across residential, public lands, and cultural landscsape projects across the United States.
The Beginning
In the works....
Design Philosophy
Landscape Architecture, at its best, is a dialogue between light, material, and human experience. I believe landscapes should emerge naturally from their context, responding to the land, the climate, and the rhythms of daily life.
My design process begins with listening—to the site, to my clients' aspirations, and to the quiet requirements of function. Only then do forms begin to take shape, guided by principles of simplicity, honesty, and restraint.
I favor natural materials that age gracefully, daylight that changes with the hours, and spaces that encourage contemplation and foster friendship.
My Approach
01
Understanding your vision, needs, and the unique qualities of your site through in-depth conversation and site analysis.
Design
Developing concepts that balance aesthetic ambition with practical requirements, exploring materials, forms, and spatial relationships.
Refine
Build
Iterating through feedback, technical coordination, and detailed development until every element serves the whole.
Overseeing construction with care, ensuring the built reality honors the design intent and your expectations.
Listen
02
04
03
Let's create something connective
Whether you're envisioning a new garden, reimagining a entryway, or transforming an existing space, I'd love to hear about your project.
