The Trust for Public Land recently honored landscape architect Thomas L. Woltz and the work of his firm Nelson Byrd Woltz (NBW) at its 2019 Gala. Woltz and NBW’s work has been recognized for creating ecologically-conscious landscapes that tell the unique stories of the surrounding communities. Hosted by The Trust for Public Land Senior Vice President for Park Development Adrian Benepe, this year’s gala theme is “Park and Urban Design,” a key component of The Trust for Public Land’s work creating welcoming green spaces for all.
“We are proud to honor the innovative work of Thomas Woltz and his firm’s contribution to the important mission of creating parks where everyone can find community and experience the outdoors,” said Diane Regas, President and CEO of The Trust for Public Land. “With beautiful designs that preserve the natural environment, Thomas and his associates at NBW inspire all people to come together, connect, and become stewards of our lands.”
Thomas and his colleagues have forged a body of work that integrates the beauty and function of built forms with an understanding of complex ecological, cultural, and engineered systems. Their innovative designs establish ecological function in public landscapes and agricultural lands, infusing narratives of the land into the places where people live, work, and play, deepening connections to the natural world and inspiring environmental stewardship. Current and recent public projects include Lakeshore Park in Knoxville; three parks in Nashville including Centennial Park; The Public Square and Gardens at Hudson Yards in Manhattan; Memorial Park in Houston; the Aga Khan Garden in Alberta, Canada; and Cornwall Park in Auckland, New Zealand. Woltz was named Design Innovator of the Year by the Wall Street Journal Magazine in 2013 and one of the most creative people in business by Fast Company in 2017.
Among guests at the Gala included: Former Chairman of 21st Century FOX James Murdoch; renowned landscape designer and the inaugural administrator of Central Park, Elizabeth Barlow Rogers; landscape architects Laurie Olin, Robin Key, and Warren Byrd; philanthropist Elizabeth Ainslie; New York City Council Member Peter Koo; New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Vincent Sapienza; and executives from Citi, Wells Fargo, and Bloomberg.
Images and Text | The Trust for Public Land
