Meet Studio Zewde, the Harlem practice that's creating landscapes 'rooted in cultural narratives, ecology and memory'

‘Every project begins with listening - to the land and to people,’ says Sara Zewde, founder of Harlem-based Studio Zewde. ‘Materials, forms, and planting are chosen to reflect and resonate with both. We're defined by our commitment to designing landscapes that are deeply rooted in cultural narratives, ecology and memory.’

Driven by these values, the landscape architect set up her independent practice in New York in 2018, focusing on landscape, urban design, and public art. It now employs about 15 people. Zewde leads a rich variety of projects across the US, while also teaching as Associate Professor in Practice of Landscape Architecture at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.

The studio’s ongoing projects include many highlights from the current US arts and culture scene, such as the Dia Beacon landscape in Beacon, NY, where they are set to transform eight acres of land into a resilient, publicly accessible sculptural landscape with over 90 species of meadow plants; the Watts Towers Arts Center landscape in Watts, Los Angeles, CA; Cuyahoga Valley National Park in OH; and the Studio Museum in Harlem, NY, whose roof garden designed by Zewde is due to open its doors with the institution’s launch this autumn. Meanwhile, past projects include the sensitive reimagining of Philadelphia’s landmark Graffiti Pier.

No matter the location, scale or scope, however, all of the studio’s projects are seen as exciting opportunities by Zewde, whose portfolio ranges from New York City residential gardens to a 200-acre national park. Zewde chooses not to single one out as a ‘landmark’ moment and thrives in the diversity of her commissions: ‘We don't really see the trajectory of our work as such! There have been so many years of research of learning, of growing as a team that we really don't see any one particular moment or project as defining in some way. Rather, each project and moment represent various aspects of continued learning.’

Her approach for each project is, fittingly, equally varied. There is no single, signature aesthetic at Studio Zewde. All works are united in their methodology and investigative research, which challenges assumptions, tailored to each site’s conditions and client and communities’ ambitions. ‘Landscape architecture is a discipline quietly constrained by historical precedents,’ she says.

‘There is a sense of how landscapes should look and function. However, if landscape architecture were to expand and evolve as a creative discipline, the profession has the potential to become a truly transformative field, serving to address ecological challenges and create deeply moving places of beauty and cultural resonance.'