The DW Legacy Design® Awards Program reflects our commitment to a design culture where curiosity, critique, and clear communication support stronger work. As an internal initiative modeled on national awards, it gives teams a structured way to revisit their projects, refine narratives, and understand the ideas driving each design. Over time, it has become a steady part of how we build shared standards and learn from one another.
Each year, the process invites teams to pause and look closely at purpose, performance, and decision-making. This reflection often proves as meaningful as the final submission. A live jury adds another layer of insight. Internal jurors and an external guest juror bring varied perspectives that help teams see how their work resonates beyond the project level. This year, the jury met in our Raleigh studio with guest juror Mark Hough, University Landscape Architect at Duke University and the 2025 ASLA LaGasse Medal recipient, who contributed a national viewpoint shaped by his work in campus design and long involvement in ASLA awards review. Together, their feedback supported a collegial and thoughtful review process that strengthened each submission.
“Having worked with many firms and served on numerous juries, including the ASLA National Jury, I can say the breadth and quality of the work we reviewed was exceptional. This program is impressive because you maintain it with such intention and rigor. It is rare to see a firm invest in a program with this level of commitment.”
— Mark Hough, University Landscape Architect, Duke University
This year, the jury met in our Raleigh studio under the leadership of chair Jessica Garrow, with jurors Sara Downing, Aaron Bridgers, Jeff Israel, Brenna Laffey, Taylor Broom, and guest juror Mark Hough.
This year, the jury recognized six projects that reflect resilience, research, residential design, and analysis and planning. Each one demonstrates the care teams bring to clarifying intent, documenting outcomes, and shaping the story behind their work.
Merit Award
H2Oquirrh: A Vision for Salt Lake County's Southwest Waterways
Team: Anna Laybourn, Mary Oliver, Dylan Bagnasco, Helen Lea, Addison Martin, Kevin Corrigan, Clare Kavanagh
Merit Award
Designing A Model Flow
Team: Robb Berg, Aaron Woolverton, Junhong Fu, Peter Samuels, Grayson Sommer, Tina Lee
Merit Award
Thunder River Residence: Restoration and Modernism at the Riparian Edge
Team: Mike Albert, Paul Squadrito, Feras Abdullah
Merit Award
Hayden House: Embracing Restraint in the Rocky Mountains
Team: Darla Callaway, Mike Albert, Max Guzzetta, Jacob Krafft, Josh Crawford, Sam Daniel, Xinyu Li
Merit Award
Richmond INSPIRE: Imagining Neighborhood Shaping Parks and Inclusive Recreation
Team: Morgan Clutter, Maya Neal, Kathleen Elliott, Allie Pollock, Clare Kavanagh, Emily Pixberg, Anna Laybourn, Emily McCoy
Honor Award
Denver Urban Forest Strategic Plan
Team: Chris Geddes, Kelsey Wuethrich, Sara Bonacquist, Caroline Schoeller, Carolyn Levine, Brittany Angell
For both internal and external audiences, the DW Legacy Design® Awards emphasize an important truth about our culture. Excellence is not a single achievement. It grows through reflection, shared learning, and a willingness to study the work closely. By returning to this process each year, we strengthen our expectations as designers and carry forward a commitment to thoughtful, well-crafted work.