Twenty-two landscape architecture firms from across Texas and beyond will be on the Texas Tech campus next week to take part in the Department of Landscape Architecture's WreckShop 2023. The three-day conference (Sep. 28-30) encompasses a series of networking, professional development, and collaborative opportunities.

“The annual WreckShop event offers a valuable opportunity not only for our award-winning students, but also for our nationally acclaimed alumni and practitioners in the region,” said Leehu Loon, professor and chair of Tech's, Department of Landscape Architecture. “WreckShop allows them to return to campus, connect with each other, and meet their future professional colleagues.”

Jared Horsford, the Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architecture (SASLA) Advisor and a Lecturer within Tech's Department of Landscape Architecture, added “It's a critical part of our efforts to connect our students with high-impact experiences that enrich their education and to prepare them for success on their internships and after graduation. Also, as a student-coordinated function, it helps our student leaders take the spotlight in front of industry representatives while supporting their peers.”

The WreckShop 2023 program rolls out Thursday afternoon (Sep. 28) with a lecture series titled “Take Root” in the Escondido Theatre (SUB Basement). The opening presentation will be led by Thomas Meurer, Director of Planning & Landscape Architecture at LJA, a nationwide multi-disciplinary firm. Christine Ten Eyck, founder of Ten Eyck Landscape Architects in Austin, Texas, will present the keynote lecture. Later that evening there will be an ANOVA Welcome Reception at Miguel's Lubbock.

Friday (Sep. 29) is highlighted by a Firm Expo from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Following lunch in the Agricultural Pavilion, students and professionals will participate in firm interview time blocks. During the afternoon there will also be a Department of Landscape Architecture research tour, a presentation on the value of hand rendering in the Davis College Annex, followed by a gardens tour and sketch activity at the Horticulture Gardens & Greenhouse Complex. 

The final day of the program (Sep. 30) calls for a SASLA Tailgate before the football game between the Red Raiders and Houston Cougars.

Tech's Department of Landscape Architecture is housed in the university's Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The latest official enrollment numbers released this semester indicate the department is home to over 95 undergraduate and graduate students.

The program specializes in semi-arid landscapes, while engaging design and planning issues critical to a sustainable, resilient, adaptable earth and its growing urban populations. Its professional B.L.A. and M.L.A. degrees are accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board.

Contact: Leehu Loon, Professor and Chair, Department of Landscape Architecture, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-5215 or Leehu.Loon@ttu.edu

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