News Release
Design Workshop has expanded its Raleigh Studio with the addition of two experienced landscape architects, Sara Downing and James Joyce. Downing brings nearly two decades of experience designing landscapes for prestigious educational and cultural institutions, federal memorials, and urban plazas and roof gardens. Joyce's expertise encompasses master planning, ecological planning, and the design of complex landscapes for commercial projects.
“Sara's experience with designing contextual mixed-use landscapes and building consensus through stakeholder engagement, coupled with James' expertise in ecological planning and developing innovative design solutions, will undoubtedly enhance Design Workshop's capacity for impactful work,” said Emily McCoy, Principal of Design Workshop’s Raleigh office.
Downing weaves her love of art, site history, and applied science to create resilient landscapes that tell a story. With a portfolio that includes urban adaptive re-use projects, botanical gardens, educational institutions, large scale residential developments, and federal memorials, she is committed to developing powerful narratives that cultivate a connection with the changing world around us. Recent projects include the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center for Excellence, an adaptive repositioning of the former Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue and recipient of the 2024 Award from American Institute of Architects Washington D.C., and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library Renovation, a large-scale modernization of D.C.’s legendary central library that has won numerous accolades and generated over 40,000 square feet of roof gardens. Prior to joining Design Workshop, Downing was a principal at Oehme, van Sweden and Associates.
“At Design Workshop, I see a framework that helps us all move towards common goals, embracing and fostering the direction of our field,” said Downing. “There is a sense of unity — one that invites evolution, mentorship, and the pursuit of constant learning.
Joyce combines a passion for natural systems, cultural analysis, and sculpture to build connections between sites and its diverse patrons. His work includes ecological master plans, federal institutions, mixed-use developments, and high-end residential. Recent projects include Holly Beach Farm Stewardship Plan (Annapolis, Maryland), a multi-award winning stewardship plan for the ecologically and historically rich peninsula owned by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Rubell Museum and Gallery 64 (Washington, D.C.), an award-winning adaptive reuse of the historic Randall School and LEED platinum multi-family complex, connected by a large-scale communal sculpture garden. Prior to joining Design Workshop, Joyce was a senior associate at Moody Graham.
“Joining Design Workshop feels like coming home,” said Joyce. “I’m returning to the region after nine years away, joining a talented group of landscape architects and planners that share my commitment to producing enduring work through collaboration and innovation.”
Downing received her master’s degree in landscape architecture from University of Virginia and her bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University. Joyce received his bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from North Carolina State University.
Founded in 1969, Design Workshop is an internationally renowned design firm specializing in landscape architecture, urban planning, and strategic services with seven studios in the U.S. and projects spanning the globe. Our work focuses on the intersection of art, community, environment, and economics to increase social equity and create places of meaning and resonance. For additional information follow us at @designworkshop on LinkedIn and Instagram.