In the course of her 28 year career, Amy has worked on a great variety of projects in the public and private sectors across Maine and New England. Her work has included site planning, permitting and construction management for residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial properties as well as recreation, trail, and community planning. In recent years she has completed significant work in visual impact assessments for large scale renewable energy projects. She has earned a wonderful reputation through great work, relationships and communication.
In honor of World Landscape Architecture Month 2021, we asked Amy a few questions about how she got her start in the profession and what she enjoys most about the work she does!
“When did you realize you wanted to become a landscape architect?”
My father was an architect and I thought I would be one too. I grew up going to construction sites and admiring his perspective drawings and drafting (all done by hand in those days). He designed all types of public buildings but he also did a lot of planning work – golf course communities, site planning for local historic sites, and master planning for the New York State Fairgrounds! So, basically, he was also doing landscape architecture and I loved looking at the plans he created! My father knew how much I loved spending time outdoors, learning about plants, and drawing the landscape, so he introduced me to a landscape architect, and a profession I had not heard of before. The firm was redesigning a section of Syracuse and had created a massive scale model (not a 3D digital model) which totally captivated me. I knew then that I wanted to be a landscape architect and then attended Cornell University to get a degree!
“What drew you to the profession?”
Landscape architecture is a creative mix of problem-solving science-based disciplines such as site engineering and construction, ecology and plant design, urban and community planning with the art of sculpture, color theory, composition integrated with social sciences. You get to create dynamic and inspiring places for people to live, work, and play.
“What is your favorite project and why”
Picking a favorite project is very challenging. I’ve had the opportunity to work on a huge range of project scales and types over my career. The Androscoggin Riverwalk was a transformative project for the City of Auburn and my skill set early in my career. I really enjoyed working with the committees when working on the Lincolnville Scenic Assessment and Greenville Village Master Plans. (These projects were completed while at Terrence J. DeWan & Associates). Volunteer projects with Portland Public Schools and Portland Trails promoting outdoor play and education are personal favorites.
