Beka Sturges and Eric Kramer - Reed Hilderbrand  

In this conversation, Design:ED interviews Beka Sturges and Eric Kramer of Reed Hilderbrand about the evolving role of landscape architecture in contemporary design. They discuss the historical hierarchy between architecture and landscape architecture, emphasizing how current environmental and social challenges demand a more integrated, site-responsive, and collaborative design approach. Drawing on projects like Storm King and Powder Mountain, they highlight the importance of understanding place, scale, and ecological systems, and how landscape can enrich human experience and civic engagement. The conversation also explores the unpredictable, living nature of landscapes, the urgency of addressing climate change, and the potential of landscape architecture to foster inclusive, meaningful public spaces that reflect shared cultural values.

Marching across the hills … Mark di Suvero’s sculptures at Storm King.

Photograph: Oliver Wainwright

Aaron Prinz is the host of the Design:ED Podcast and holds a Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He was born and raised in the rural Northern California town of Red Bluff, just two hours south of the Oregon border. After one year of college, Prinz relocated to San Francisco to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. At age 26, he began studying architecture at Portland State University while interning at Studio Petretti Architecture led by Amanda Petretti. His professional contributions while at Studio Petretti were focused on a portion of the new Multnomah County Courthouse which is a prominent addition to the Portland skyline. He currently resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Roxanne where he continues to work as a designer.