Design Unmuted

Saba Farmand, a landscape architect,  talks about his passionate project that documents the boulevard gardens in East Vancouver and the stories behind the people who take over these public boulevard spaces and turn them into gardens. Through this project, Saba aims to build more urban literacy, environmental education and most importantly putting Landscape architecture into the community. This will be a great inspiration for those who want to have impact in their local communities in simple yet powerful ways.  You can watch this episode on the design_unmuted youtube channel here

Follow Saba’s project on instagram at: eastvan_blvd_gardens

Recorded on: August 29th, 2023

The production of this episode is supported by the Real Estate Foundation of BC( REFBC)- a philanthropic organization working to advance sustainable land use and real estate practices in British Columbia, Canada. They do this by funding projects, connecting people, and sharing knowledge. REFBC grants support non-profit organizations working to improve BC communities and natural environments through responsible and informed land use, conservation, and real estate practices. REFBC is particularly interested in land-use projects that contribute to the upholding of Indigenous rights and title and racial equity and justice. Learn more at www.refbc.com.

Thank you for all of you who come back to listen to Design unmuted. Here are some ways to continue showing support:

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I am happy to launch the first conversation of the podcast season TRANSFORMING with Patricia Algara and Jose Leal. In this conversation Patricia and Jose share the ways in which they engage with their design practices in a meaningful way, engaging their spiritual practices into their work as a means to restore balance, connections to the cosmos and to reclaim their own indigeneity and agency. Tune in to learn their about their practices and the ways in which you can connect and engage more meaningfully with your own work.

Patricia Algara is the Principal & Co Founder of Base Landscape Architecture and Founder of With Honey in the Heart . After working for a women’s rights organization on community empowerment projects, she earned a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture in order to bring together participation and the built environment. Patricia is a shamanic counselor, a frame drummer, a landscape architect, a bee priestess

Jose Leal is  Principal, Landscape Architect Director of Native Nation Building Studio at MIG. José has a passion for truth-telling, considers humor to be good medicine. His Mexican and Indigenous heritage lead to Jose’s passion for Indigenous landscape architecture and celebrating how diverse Indigenous people have adapted to their natural environment. 

The production of this episode is supported by Anova Furnishings-who is on a mission to enhance landscapes and strengthen communities. They offer a variety of high-quality, functional outdoor site furniture products and styles to fit your project and budget. See more at www.anovafurnishings.com where you can shop online now or search for a local rep.

Thank you for all of you who come back to listen to Design unmuted. Here are some ways to continue showing support:

- Subscribe to my newsletter and to Design unmuted on your podcast listening app

- Support the production of this podcast by being a Patreon member or making a donation

- Write a review about the podcast

- Share the podcast with a friend and within your network

Announcement of the new podcast season called TRANSFORMING where I share about this theme and what you can expect over the next few months. I also tell you all about the new direction my Art and Design practice have taken this year.

In the second part of our conversation, Dr Diane Jones Allen talks to us about her practice Design Jones LLC, and her work in designing and building grassroots community driven projects. Diane shares the unique ways she has practiced Landscape Architecture in a non corporate way. We talk about the challenges that Black folks face in the profession; from being a student, practicing in academia or in private practice. In this episode, I also share about my Graduate Thesis project; Bujumbura 2050, where we used an Afrofuturistic approach to design the future of vertical urban spaces in Bujumbura. Diane is currently working on her upcoming book "The Maroon Landscape: A Cultural Approach to Climate Resiliency" to be published by the MIT Press in 2024. Tune in to also learn what Maroon landscapes can teach us as we envision a more resilient future. Dr. Diane Jones Allen is a principal landscape architect of Design Jones, LLC, and Program Director for Landscape Architecture, College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs, at the University of Texas at Arlington. This episode was originally recorded in December 2020.

In this first part of our conversation, Dr Diane Jones Allen shares with us about Maroon landscapes; communities that were established by Black communities who during the time of the middle passage during slavery, jumped off ships and freed themselves by moving, hiding and stewarding the swamps. These communities were said to have “marooned” themselves. Tune in to hear the stories of maroon landscapes in symbiotic relationships with black resiliency, coastal resiliency and black imagination through times of slavery, colonization, and liberation. We also discussed the pedagogical failure and opportunity in Landscape Architecture education.

In this episode, our guest Ashley Jane Lewis shares her work with Slime Tech Lab in using slim mold to promote equitable distribution of social justice, mutual aid, and wellbeing in local communities. We also discussed the messed up state of tech industry and social media platforms; and how understanding of slime mold behavior could inform the imagination of an alternative practice of intentional coding and community building towards spaces of care.

In this episode, my guest is Krystal Paraboo; an art historian and curator, community builder, communications specialist and activist. Krystal and I talk about decolonizing art spaces, curatorial activism, afrofuturism and we nerd out a bit on Harry Potter (mostly Krystal). We talk about work, productivity and mental health. Krystal also shares all about the Black Strathcona Resurgence Project which centered Black storytelling through public murals.

Continuing the conversation from part 1 on how Walter built his design career and creative ethos, this second part, we talk about the importance of making beautiful socially responsible work and the ways in which we ought to find ways to tell the truth in design. He calls this a prophetic aesthetic. We also talk about the pains of living as black people in a world full of racism, his latest art projects, and mostly a lot of laughter. Walter Hood is an award winning designer, artist and the creative director at Hood Design Studio. Hood Design Studio, Inc., is a social art and design practice based in Oakland, California, founded in 1992.