Claudia West, principal of Phyto Studio in Arlington, Va., and a leading voice in the emerging field of ecological planting design, will present the 2026 P.H. Elwood Lecture in Landscape Architecture at Iowa State University.
West’s lecture, “Rebuilding Abundance,” will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Reiman Gardens in Ames. She will introduce her firm’s innovative approaches, which combine ecological models, computer simulations and restoration strategies to design resilient, low-maintenance plant systems. These designs effectively tackle challenges such as limited budgets, harsh site conditions and maintenance teams’ unfamiliarity with complex plant systems, she said.
Using compelling real-world examples, West will demonstrate how innovative plant systems can enrich ecosystems and human experiences alike, providing practical solutions for even the most challenging of spaces.
Part of the ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) Iowa 2026 Spring Conference, her presentation is open to the public. Read more in the news release about the lecture