Portfolio Spring 2024

Hello, I’m Landon Lazzaro, a fourth-year student passionately pursuing a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA) at the University of Florida. Originating from the lively city of Tallahassee, my journey into landscape architecture began with a detour from an architecture degree. Enthralled by the transformative power of landscapes, I redirected my academic path, discovering a profound love for creating environments that resonate with people and their unique contexts.

My design philosophy is an exploration of crafting spaces that go beyond the physical, emphasizing user-focused experiences deeply rooted in the surroundings. These spaces serve as uplifting sanctuaries, blending individuals with nature and instilling joy in their surroundings. Inspired by nature as the ultimate landscape architect, my designs harmonize with local ecosystems, championing sustainability and contributing positively to the environment.

As a Navy veteran with four years of service aboard the USS Harry S Truman, I bring discipline, teamwork, and an unwavering commitment to excellence to my work. Beyond my dedication to landscape architecture, I find joy in gardening and hiking with my two dogs Denver and Zeppelin. I am excited about the prospect of contributing my creativity and technical skills to your team, and I invite you to explore my portfolio – a visual narrative of my journey, design philosophy, and dedication to creating meaningful spaces.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

ALACHUA CULINARY INSTITUTE

PARK

Gainesville, Florida

PROJECT SIZE: 1 acre

SKILLS: AutoCAD, Hand Drafting, Laser Cutting, & Diagraming

TIMEFRAME: Four weeks

TYPE: Individual

CLASS: Principles of Landscape Architecture SPRING 2022

This project is a campus for a Culinary Arts Institute on a 1-acre lot in Gainesville, Florida. The campus park is designed to showcase a tenable way of growing what we eat and why we should deviate from monocrop agriculture whenever possible.

DESIGN GOALS

Highlight the purpose of the institute

Focus the campus around the building

Connect features to the culinary process

Replicate natural beauty

Design based on North Central Florida

Use native plantings

Showcase sustainable agriculture

Demonstrate healthy growing practices

Offer culinary creations grown sustainably

CONCEPT

The concept of this design was to demonstrate the disruption of the natural systems that monocrop agriculture causes.

INSPIRATION IMAGES

PERSPECTIVES

A vine clad tunnel jutting off of the institute represents a plant’s roots reaching out, looking for nutrients not found in a monocrop field.

Crops planted on site that minimize water waste, don’t disrupt natural systems, and replace chemical use in a North Florida Setting.

Above: A large sign and fountain on the street side welcomes visitors to the Institute. Left: The institute’s accessible rooftop offers an outdoor meeting space and overhead view of the field. Right: The east end features a planted hill, where agriculture and native landscape coexist harmoniously.

MASTER PLAN

1. Park Entry Feature

2. Retention Pond

3. Culinary Building

4. Picnic Area

5. Groves

6. Main Courtyard

7. Root Trellis

8. Lookout

9. Monocrop Fields

10. Serving Area

11. Cultivation Zones

12. Water Feature

PROJECT SIZE: 1.2 acre

SKILLS: AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, Rhino, ArcGIS

TIME FRAME: Eight weeks

TYPE: Group (Juan Perez)

CLASS: Urban Design Studio

PROJECT OVERVIEW

This community outreach project aims to identify and address the needs of an underserved community in Gainesville. The proposed Urban Design is dedicated to empowering and collectively celebrating the Hispanic population, fostering inclusivity, and enriching the entire Gainesville community.

PRESERVE

To determine the site’s location, it was crucial to identify community members in greatest need and the resources that would best serve them. Proximity to schools, businesses, and clinics guided the decision for this lot, situated across the street from several extended-stay motels, just south of the university.

ISSUES TO PROGRAM CAUSES

ISSUES

To benefit the community most, it was important to understand what issues they were facing and what was causing them. From there, the design’s programmatic elements can be focused on making the greatest impact possible and finding positive solutions.

Above: The Community Center overlooks a spacious, sloping lawn that leads to a small event stage. Positioned behind the stage is a walkable rain garden

Below: An adaptable marketplace unfolds with convertible stands, supporting local growing businesses under the shade of vibrant Tabebuia trees.

MASTER PLAN

1. On-Street Parking

2. Main Building

3. Seating Planter

4. Courtyard Oak

5. Market Space

6. Mural Wall/ Covered Market

7. Banner

8. Open Field

9. Stage

10. Walking Gardens

11. Rain Garden

CURRIE PARK

NEW IMPROVED

PROJECT SIZE: 8 acres

SKILLS: AutoCAD, Hand Drafting, Photoshop, Rhino, ArcGIS

TIMEFRAME: One week

TYPE: Group (Elizabeth Myers, Michael Valenti)

SPRING 2023

PROJECT OVERVIEW

This design was part of a weeklong competition aimed at redesigning Currie Park in West Palm Beach. The designs approach was focused on exploring the site’s history and significance to the community while enhancing the integrity of the existing ecological systems.

HISTORY COMMUNITY ECOLOGY

The site was historically used as a seaplane harbor and now hosts a memorial for MLK Jr.

CONCEPT

The redesign aims to boost park attendance and foster community involvement.

Strengthening the coastline and planning for sea-level rise are essential design goals.

The design drew inspiration from the natural forms of mangrove beds along the lagoon, emphasizing a connection between the land and the organic shapes of the marsh beds. Below is a plan in collage -style, allowing work on different sections at the same time.

MASTER PLAN

The new design uses an extensive boardwalk system and network of mangrove plantings to strengthen the coastline. A formation of Royal Palms that historically aligned seaplanes ties the site to its history.

SIMPLIFIED GRADING

PERSPECTIVES

1. Boat-trailer Parking

2. Boat Launch

3. Sports and Fitness Zone

4. Waterfront Cafe

5. Resiliency Hub

6. Beach Volleyball Court

7. Stormwater Garden

8. Playground

9. Fishing Pier

10. Royal Palms Runway

11. Event Stage

12. MLK Jr. Memorial

13. Kayak Launch

Above: The sports and fitness zone brings outdoor recreation to West Palm with a track, courts, and outdoor gym. Below: an elevated view from the water shows the cafe, resiliency center, and volleyball court.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

COUNCELING AND WELLNESS CENTER

GARDENS

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

PROJECT SIZE: 1.4 acres

SKILLS: AutoCAD, Hand Drafting, Photoshop, ArcGIS

TIMEFRAME: Three weeks

TYPE: Group (Cameron Gerrard)

CLASS: Site Design and Planning Studio

The site, bordered by Radio Road, a Motor Pool, Campus Facilities, and a football tailgating lot, features a live wall with a koi pond. This creates a buffered ‘private’ space, reducing noise transferred to and from the site.

This project involves a redesign for the Counseling and Wellness Center at the University of Florida. The clients seek a welcoming landscape that facilitates outdoor counseling and relaxation, prioritizing privacy. The design aims to draw attention to the CWC and its services while ensuring privacy and comfort for its users.

LIVE WALL/ KOI POND CWC

SPRING 2023

PERSPECTIVES

CONCEPTUAL PLAN

Left: A seating cut-out, sun knoll, and bollards discourage tailgaters from driving onto the site from the Northeast lot. Right: A view towards the back of the site, illustrating sightlines and areas of color. A conceptual plan utilizes a curved path to slow foot traffic and create viewpoints. Due to concerns about altering the existing path, undulating vegetation buffers aim to achieve the same goals.

Groundcover Highlight Planting Live Wall

Secondary Paving Bio-Retention Water Feature

Buffer Planting

Primary Path Hammock Area

1. Live Wall

2. Koi Pond

3. Group Therapy Spaces

4. Detention Basin

5. Butterfly Garden

6. Sun Knoll

7. Rock Garden

8. Wind Sculpture

9. Hammock Area

10. Bird Observation Area

11. Bus Stop

12. Picnic Area

PROJECT OVERVIEW

RIBAULT RIVER PERSERVE PARKS

and

Jacksonville, Florida

PROJECT SIZE: 48.4 acres

SKILLS: AutoCAD, Hand Drafting, Photoshop, Illustrator, ArcGIS, Procreate

TIMEFRAME: Six weeks

TYPE: Group (Isabelle Hoppes, Caroline Gordon, Elizabeth Myers)

CLASS: Site Design and Planning Studio

SPRING 2023

This project involved a real-world charrette proposing a renovation design for the Ribault River Preserve located in Jacksonville. The redesign aims to enhance the ecological environment by mitigating pollutants, controlling flooding, and involving the local community in recreational and educational opportunities. The redesign includes the preserve, a 4.5acre lot, and a scenic park.

PERSPECTIVES

Right: Overlooking the preserve from the Ribault shows the raised pathway to minimize disturbance. Below: Visitors to the southeast park enjoy the prime preserve view and ample amenities for leisure and relaxation.

Left: A complete street with on-street parking enhances accessibility to the preserve and contributes to the safety of the local neighborhood Below: The northwest park brings the community together with large flexible spaces and activities for all ages.

NORTHWEST PARK

The vacant lot, west of the preserve becomes the most active location offering a track that surrounds a flexible event space. It also includes an educational marsh, overflow parking and an outdoor gym.

SOUTHEAST PARK

This park emphasizes learning with educational play areas, weir systems, and information on safe practices for fishing the river. It also provides the best view of the preserve.

RESIDENTIAL PRESERVE

Demonstrative residential plans were created to give community members helpful tips on mitigating flooding and controlling their runoff. This allows residents to make their own impact and feel connected.

A raised pathway over the preserve’s marshes offers opportunities for observation while minimizing contact with the ecosystem, while walking and biking trails provide passive recreation, fostering a connection with nature. A redesigned streetscape provides a buffer from pollutants while making travel safer.

MASTER PLAN

Program Typology

Preservation

Passive Recreation

Amenities

Green/Blue Infrastructure

Active Recreation

Educational Interventions

Community Engagement

Program Elements

Preservation Efforts

Fishing Station

Trail System

Kayak Launch

Boat Connectivity

Viewpoints

Boardwalks

Complete Streets

Residential Demonstrative Design

Rainwater Management

Quarter Mile Track

Outdoor Gym

Nature Play

Formal Park Space

Educational Attributes

Large Community Gathering

Flexible Outdoor Market Space

Opportunities for Economic Growth

PROJECT OVERVIEW

This project won a design competition, to redesign Temple Shir Shalom’s landscape. The Temple’s former landscape has aged past its design and members were looking for a refresh. In a client walkthrough, they referenced their desire for a more accessible entry, more pollinators on site, and Florida Friendly planting for easier maintenace. The required deliverables were a planting plann and a plant list.

Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville, Florida

ALACHUA

PROJECT SIZE: 0.7 acres

SKILLS: AutoCAD, Hand Drafting, Photoshop

TIMEFRAME: Two weeks

TYPE: Individual

CLASS: Planting Design Studio

GRAPHICS

Above: Proposed retention wall to mitigate erosion on site, integrated into their current sign.

Bottom Left: Client friendly plant list, that is over 70 percent natives, highlights pollinators, and offers Florida Friendly sukkot substitute plants.

Bottom Right: Meadow path on the south entry.

PLANTING AND ILLUSTRATIVE PLAN

The new plan widens and pulls the entry path out, making room for formal handicap spaces. On the west side of the site an outdoor gathering space overlooks a planted drainage basin. A sukkah and tri-colored meadow transition from the parking lot to the temple.

3. New ADA Entrance

4. Group Space

5. Dry Creek Bed

6. Drainage Basin

7. Main Path

8. Florida Friendly Sukkah

9. Main Parking

1. Retaining Wall

2. “Shalom” Planter

DEER RUN

COMMUNITY PARK

Casselberry, Florida

PROJECT SIZE: 134.7 acres

SKILLS: TBD

TIMEFRAME: 1 year

TYPE: Individual

SPRING 2024

PROJECT OVERVIEW INVENTORY

Deer Run was a golf course in Seminole County. In 2019 it closed and in 2021 it was purchased by the county to be converted into a community park.

• Education

• Improve Water Quality

• Network

Constraints:

• Impact

• Regulation

• St. John’s River Water Management District

Deer Run Community Park Project will be centered on crafting a user-focused space that has a positive impact on the environment and establishes its identity in conjunction with the community.

PROJECTED SCHEDULE

• Property Value

• Engagement

• Accessibility

Constraints:

• Property Line

• Noise

• Safety

•

An integral aspect the impaired lakes that receive runoff

• Existing Infrastructure

• Multimodal Transportation

• Connections

• Linearity

• Traffic Flow

AutoCAD

This design won runner-up in a design competition hosted by Tremron to create a hardscape residential plan showcasing their products. South of the house is a deck designed to host and optimize views toward a lake and down towards a TV lawn. The front drive is designed to maximize event parking and create unique entry opportunities.

IRRIGATION SCHEDULE

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

These plans were created for an existing landscape on the university’s campus.

NOTE: CONTRACTOR MUST SUBMIT SAMPLES AND/OR OBTAIN SHOP DRAWING APPROVAL FOR

Left: Irrigation Plan

Right: Wall Details form seating and retention walls on campus

Rhinoceros 3D/ Sketch up

This is a full 3D recreation of Centre Pompidou in Paris France using Rhino

Left: Rhino demonstrations that utilize tools like Ladybug for a shade analysis and grasshopper for generating a planting plan and schedule

Right: A streetscape rendered using rhino and photoshop and several Lumion rendered perspectives of a house made with SketchUp

SCALE 1/64”

SCALE 1/32”

Landon Ortwein CAD to Rhino

Illustrations and Physical Models

Charcoal on Bristol

Watercolor on Cardstock

Laser Cut Grading Model

Hand Cut Grading Model