Meet Magdalena Aravena | Founder & Principal Landscape Architect

We had the good fortune of connecting with Magdalena Aravena and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Magdalena, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Studio Siembra was founded out of both, necessity and a desire for more alignment out of my career in Landscape Architecture. I had always felt slightly out of place and underwhelmed while working at other firms in the first 7 years of my professional practice – which ranged from very small firms, to very large corporations; and traditional landscape design firms, to multi-disciplinary full service companies. Then, like many other professionals when the COVID pandemic began and the country began to undergo the necessary social and racial reckoning in 2020 after George Floyd’s murder, I felt called to make a meaningful change in my career and in my life. At the time, most of the design work I was being assigned was for private developers or industrial warehouses, and it was anything but fulfilling and it certainly was not advancing any social or racial inequities in the built environment. For the next year or so, I focused on figuring out how I could best align my career with my values. Although I wasn’t prepared to make the shift to sole proprietorship as quickly as it happened, getting laid off in April 2021 was the catalyst I needed to take the leap.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
After almost 7 years of experience in the many realms of the landscape architecture profession – and with the help of an unexpected layoff in 2021 – I decided I wanted to create a mission-driven, collaborative, and dynamic practice. The name of my firm came about quite serendipitously; a couple of days after getting laid off, I was on a panel with a fellow Latina professional – Nathania Martinez – and she spoke at length about her amazing work with Proyecto SIEMBRA, a non-profit organization in Puerto Rico whose vision is to elevate women of Culebra, PR through gardening and skill building. Translated, “siembra” means to sow, as in seeds. A couple months after this panel, when I finally decided to launch my own practice, I just knew it had to be Studio Siembra. This word really embodies my vision for our practice, literally and figuratively. I want us to transform spaces with plants, art, and beyond; while sowing seeds of optimism, resilience, and beauty with our work to benefit those communities who need it most. I truly believe we, as landscape architects, are ideally positioned to create real change in our communities, while protecting and advocating for public health, safety, and welfare for all.

After a year of officially launching (and moving from Chicago, IL to Lakewood, CO), the flow of work has been slow, yet intentional. My experience varies in scale – from large municipal parks in Atlanta, public school campuses and modern roof decks on historical buildings in Chicago, to tiny townhouse landscapes in Washington, DC – and with Studio Siembra, aim to focus on meaningful work which succeed in both form and function. My vision for this practice is for it to be a space for diverse designers, collaborators, and stakeholders to embrace and express their whole identities, while feeling inspired to innovate and envision a new way of building with justice and sustainability at the forefront. Not only does our work consist of designing conceptual and construction drawings for the built environment; our practice aims to reimagine the community engagement process, a community’s relationship with arts and culture, and our collective responsibility to build (or in many cases, re-wild) a more resilient and sustainable environment. It is because of this that I decided to start my practice here in Colorado; to be able to reconnect with nature individually, and to be able to more authentically center my practice in the beauty, resilience, and spiritual optimism that are represented in the natural environment of the Western landscapes. And as one of only approximately 6% Hispanic/ Latinx landscape architecture professionals in the United States, my hope is to be able to authentically reach the Spanish-speaking community here in Colorado, and also cultivate a more inclusive and just access to beautiful and functional outdoor spaces for all.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a difficult one! I’m sure I won’t be the most knowledgeable one on this topic, but I definitely have a few favorite spots I’ve already been recommending to anyone who asks. To dine out in Denver, A5 Steakhouse, Bao Brewhouse, and Ocean Prime (especially at happy hour, sitting at the bar chatting with all kinds of people!) are a few of my favorites. You also can’t go wrong with a huge ice cream from Frozen Matter (Sweet Action) for a delicious after dinner treat. That whole stretch of Pearl Street is simple, but has a wonderful vibe at night and is distanced just the right amount from the frenzy of downtown. For outdoorsy days, Mount Falcon and the Red Rocks area is inspiring and definitely an easier day hike (especially for my friends from flatter lands). Obviously, catching a concert or Sunday morning yoga at Red Rocks amphitheater is an experience like no other, and the amazing thing is that it’s only about a 30-minute drive from Denver. My all-time favorite if time is limited and you have to stay within city boundaries is the Denver Botanic Gardens. The way the landscapes change from week to week and season to season is fascinating and inspiring, and even more so if you’re lucky enough to catch one of their Summer Concert Series shows.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Although Studio Siembra is still a small operation of one, it is supported and held up by a huge network of family, allies, stakeholders, and collaborators. As a first-generation immigrant from Chile, I would not be where and who I am today without the unrelenting love and support by my family. Beyond that, through my work with the American Society of Landscape Architects, I have been able to cultivate an amazing group of colleagues who have become my biggest allies, stakeholders, and collaborators. A few years ago one of those professionals, Jonathon Geels, became a lifelong friend; and the term “stakeholders” was born out of many of our conversations – we believe stakeholders is the modern-day mentors. Unlike the conventional mentorship model, stakeholders are those who feel as invested in your progress and growth, as you are theirs. Through this difficult process of entrepreneurship, I’ve been so fortunate to be able to lean on my stakeholders for words of affirmation, advice, and support – Jonathon Geels, Kene Okigbo, Kelley Oklesson, Keith Wilson, Monique Bassey, and so many more. I’ve also had the amazing opportunity to collaborate with and learn from incredible designers and their teams – such as those at Agency Landscape and Planning, led by Gina Ford; Groundsmith Collective, led by Kelley Oklesson; and Studio Superbloom, led by Diane Lipovsky and Stacey Passmore. Lastly, I am incredibly grateful to Danielle Bilot and the CU Boulder Environmental Design Program for welcoming me in last year as adjunct faculty; the opportunity to teach (and learn from!) the next generation of landscape architects is invaluable for me as an individual, and for the future of Studio Siembra.

Website: www.studio-siembra.com

Instagram: @studiosiembra

Other: email: magdalena@studio-siembra.com

Image Credits
Construction site visit – Jameson Skaife, LJC Rendering, CPS Englewood STEM – Moody Nolan Architects Park in a Pod at Sacramento Capitol – California Sierra Chapter, ASLA Leadership Panel – American Society of Landscape Architects (EPNAC)