Since she founded Ten Eyck Landscape Architects (TELA) nearly thirty years ago, Christine Ten Eyck has been dedicated to the creation of ecologically restorative outdoor spaces that foster community healing. Rooted in Austin with origins in Phoenix, the studio takes a regional approach to landscapes of the American southwest, leading conversations around pressing ecological issues through people and place-based design. Working closely with architects, engineers, ecologists, and clients, TELA draws from extensive experience and intimate environmental knowledge to transform overlooked and ordinary outdoor spaces into authentic, vibrant landscapes that stimulate the senses and unify communities. The studio prioritizes native plant species, water harvesting technologies, and durable materials, artfully expressed through form, color, and texture. The studio’s approach evaluates landscape through a holistic lens, creating environments that are historically and ecologically sensitive while fostering a resilient and accessible future for all who inhabit them.
Grounded in a deep understanding of geography, TELA believes landscape architecture must develop community-shaping solutions on vital issues including water as both an essential resource and a powerful force - one that has shaped their ethos from the very beginning. TELA values accessibility, inclusivity, environmental stewardship, and fun. With a focus on underrepresented geographies and overlooked communities, Ten Eyck has seen how sustained, place-based investment can yield broad and lasting impact. Its award-winning projects include those for the Phoenix Art Museum, San Antonio Childrens’ Hospital, South Congress Hotel, UT El Paso Transformation, San Antonio Botanical Gardens, and in Dallas, Parkland Hospital and the recently completed Harwood Park.
