LABash Celebrates 50 Years of
Inspiring Future Generations
of Landscape Architects
Every year since 1970,
landscape architecture students and industry professionals have joined forces at LABash for a weekend of
networking, mutual inspiration, and inspired discussion about the future of the industry. Held at a
different university each year, LABash is an entirely student-run conference offering the next
generation of landscape architects the unique opportunity to meet with like-minded individuals, learn
new skills from industry leaders, and build the professional relationships that are foundational to
starting a career in landscape architecture.
Caption: Entitled “Rise
Above Run,” the LAbash conference theme draws inspiration from Libe Slope at Cornell University.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, LABash will take place at Cornell University in
April of 2021 (having been postponed one year due to health concerns relating to the COVID-19 virus). This
marks the first time the event will take place in New York. Entitled “Rise Above Run,” the conference theme
draws inspiration from Libe Slope, a distinct landscape feature of the Cornell campus, to make a profound
statement about the future challenges and responsibilities faced by landscape architects.
Caption: Students attend a
range of sessions from sketch sessions to workshops and lectures to continue their learning in landscape
architecture.
LABash Co-Executive Director and senior Landscape Architecture student at Cornell,
Molly Davis explains, "As emerging landscape architecture professionals, we’re constantly challenged to
'rise above' the issues that our society is facing and create landscapes that not only acknowledge, but
embrace these obstacles through the power of design. Through this year’s LABash, we want to challenge
designers to ask how landscape architecture can be used as a medium to rise above climate change, rising sea
levels, and a multitude of other issues related to social justice and the environment."
Caption: The 2019 conference
was held at University of Georgia and was entitled “Find Your Roots.”
As long-time supporter of LABash, Landscape Forms is honored to again participate in
the conference as a foundational sponsor. "We believe strongly in the idea that landscape architects play a
leading role in shaping the way that society impacts and interacts with the environment. Our continued
support of LABash is both a way of empowering and investing in the future generations of our profession and
a way of furthering the informed, responsible, and sustainable approach to landscape architecture that we
believe is instrumental in confronting current social and environmental challenges,” describes Landscape
Forms CEO, Marjorie Simmons.