U of A Landscape Architecture Alumna Leah Hales Designs Places and Spaces People Care About

After a childhood spent backpacking the mountains of Arkansas, Leah Hales, a University of Arkansas alumna, didn't arrive at landscape architecture with a carefully mapped career plan. Instead, the path emerged naturally and was shaped by experience. By high school, reading topographical maps, navigating by compass and practicing backcountry survival skills were second nature. She found comfort and clarity in the quiet of the forest, a sensibility that would later define her professional life.

When it came time to choose a major in 11th grade, Hales narrowed her options by asking two simple questions: What would lead to a job? And what would take the least amount of time? Landscape architecture — a five-year program — rose to the top, edging out a backup plan in genetic engineering. What began as a practical decision soon revealed itself as a natural fit, aligning her love of place, process and the outdoors into a lasting career.

When it came time to choose a college, she considered programs at Texas A&M University and the University of Arizona. Arizona was ultimately removed from consideration after losing accreditation that year, and staying in Arkansas felt like the right fit.

"Being an Arkansan and a Razorback fan my entire life, it only made sense to stay in my home state and go to a really great school," Hales said.

At the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, studio culture left a lasting impression. Several faculty members played an important role in her education, including Karen Rollet-Crocker, Judy Brittenum and Karen Hanna. A senior-year history of urban design course taught by Jeff Shannon was particularly influential. She credits long hours in studio with teaching her the time and commitment required to do meaningful design work.

"I loved almost all of it," Hales said. "I appreciated studio time, and it really instilled in me the understanding of the time it takes to do great work."

Since graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, Hales has spent more than 30 years working as a landscape architect. She has devoted her career to designing spaces that strengthen people's relationship with the natural world, a philosophy she believes will improve both community life and ecological health.

"My greatest passion has been creating places for people across the world and in my own community," Hales said. "I believe the world is a better place by connecting people to the land by creating places they are invested in, which in turn makes them care for the land and the world in which we exist."

Much of her professional work has involved designing hospitality and destination environments, but she emphasizes that the same principles apply to public open spaces. Conservation, preservation, sustainability, health and wellness are priorities across all of her projects.

"The majority of my design work has been in the world of imagination, creating destinations of hospitality and pleasure," Hales said. "I also believe this translates, not only in the luxury for some, but in the public open spaces for all."

One of her most memorable projects was a resort development in Nicaragua. The hands-on nature of the work, such as staking building locations and developing on-site plant nurseries, made the project stand out.

"The best part was the people," she said. "The client, the design team and the local residents are what made that project great."

That emphasis on collaboration continues to shape her work today. Hales works to engage with a wide range of voices — not only designers and clients, but the communities who will ultimately inhabit these spaces. Through that process, she has also become more aware of the broader conversations surrounding the built environment, particularly the assumptions that come with discussions of sustainability.

"People hear the word 'sustainable' and add an imaginary price tag to it," she said. "There is nothing wrong with building things to last, building environments with diversity and thinking whole heartedly about the future of our land."

Hales is now a director and landscape architect at LandDesign, where she credits the firm's culture of collaboration for continually improving the quality of its work. With teams that span multiple offices and disciplines, the firm encourages dialogue, critique and shared ownership of ideas, which Hales says challenges designers.

"Our collaboration between offices and disciplines has helped us push and pull each other to create great work and not settle for 'just good enough,'" she said.

That collaborative mindset has been shaped not only by her professional experiences, but also by the places she has lived. At 42, Hales relocated her family to Shanghai, a move that proved to be a formative year for them all. In a dense global city vastly different from her own, Hales gained a new understanding of how people rely on the built environment in their daily lives.

"I truly learned to live in a city: rely on public transportation, use public parks and open spaces, walk almost everywhere, buy fresh groceries every day, and live in a culture completely foreign to my own — not understanding the language or the place," Hales said. "This was my greatest form of survival."

Those experiences in quiet forests and some of the world's most densely populated urban centers continue to inform Hales' perspective as both a designer and a leader in the field of landscape architecture. As a LEED Accredited Professional, she focuses on creating environments that support human well-being across hospitality, healthcare, mixed-use and park and open space projects, while remaining a strong advocate for sustainability, mentorship and the future of the profession.

Outside of her professional practice, Hales' interests reflect the same values that guide her design work. She spends much of her free time cooking and gardening and bringing people together around shared meals with conversation and connection.

That sense of care extends beyond her work and into her family life. Hales credits her family as her greatest source of support, particularly her children, who grew up watching her balance a demanding career with frequent travel and long hours.

"My children have grown up with a mom that was working late, on an airplane, or out of the country, sometimes for a week or more," Hales said. "I think it instilled in them that hard work pays off, and I'm very proud of the women they have become."

Today, the same principles that shape Hales' landscapes, including patience, stewardship and a belief in long-term impact, also define the life she has built. Whether designing at a global scale or gathering people around her own table, her work remains rooted in connection, care and the spaces that allow both to flourish.

Read the full Q&A with Leah Hales.