Allison Desbonnet
High-Profile: As a landscape architect serving in a leadership role within the Boston Society for Architecture’ s Womxn in Design Affinity Group, how do you see your professional perspective shaping the group’ s direction, and what unique value does landscape architecture bring to leadership at this level?
|
Allison Desbonnet: I have always gravitated towards local volunteer groups that align with my personal interests, but this was the first career-related endeavor. It’ s led me to incredible opportunities and most importantly, has unlocked pathways to form cherished relationships with design collaborators. I was first introduced to the BSA’ s Womxn in Design group by a colleague at an architecture firm in 2022; she suggested I help organize tours with the Design + Networking subcommittee. I quickly learned how special the group was, experienced the force of change the organization brought, and felt I could contribute in a meaningful way with a landscape background. Sitting at the intersection of design, ecology, and infrastructure, landscape architects have a unique vantage point on projects and a strong connection to interdisciplinary professionals. |
HP: You’ re known internally as both a mentor and a person who helps shape the firm’ s culture. How do you intentionally build culture in a design studio? Why does that matter to project outcomes?
AD: It’ s important to create scaled opportunities to enable more diverse, personalized ways of connecting with one another. In any design studio, there is a mix of introverts, extroverts, and
|
everyone in between – people respond to experiences differently, which makes the variability in activity a key to culture. The AEC industry is a profession where creativity and collaboration are necessary in leading to successful output, and a big part of that is due to the relationships we build internally – by connecting with others, we become better people, so it’ s win-win.
HP: Last fall, you organized a field day in New York City for your team. What was the goal behind that trip, and what did everyone take away from it?
AD: During the summer, Copley Wolff goes on afternoon walking tours to nerd out on locally built work in our backyard. The NYC field day was a chance to take that curiosity on the road and have fun while learning about the innovations of our Mid-Atlantic neighbors. Experiencing great design together strengthened our team, and many reflected on the trip as the highlight of 2025 at the firm.
HP: You manage multi-family and public realm work. What makes a landscape successful in dense urban environments, specifically here in Boston?
AD: For me, a successful urban landscape feels like a series of perceived outdoor rooms that invite people to pause, explore,
|
and build memories. This comes from the cohesion and procession of spaces, and how flexible they can be designed to join as one or become fragmented with intention. In a city like Boston, where the seasons swing wildly and weather is increasingly volatile, success also means designing with resilience in mind. We need to consider the extremes and make thoughtful horticultural decisions that help the landscape thrive year-round.
HP: When you’ re not designing landscapes or organizing team events, what do you do for fun? Or what makes you“ tick”?
AD: While it technically still involves landscapes and is heavily organized, I am at my truest form when backpacking. From a weekend jaunt through New Hampshire’ s Great Gulf Wilderness to weeklong treks through the Alps, it all feels like home. I also love working with my hands as a creative release. I recently picked up woodcarving, or whittling, using a knife blade to make small bowls and spoons – it’ s meditative and a nice balance to the pace of the day to day.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Certified Woman-Owned Business Enterprise( WBE) |
Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise( DBE) |
||
Massachusetts |
City of Boston |
Rhode Island |
Massachusetts Department of Transportation( MADOT) State of Rhode Island( RIDOT) |