BSLA Fieldbook BSLA 2015 Spring Fieldbook | Page 56

BSLA

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JON PATE, ASLA | NAT ADAMS, ASLA
10 QUESTIONS FOR A FIRST-YEAR FIRM
Recently celebrating their first full year in
business, Pate Adams Landscape Architects
was founded on the belief that thoughtful
design exploration results in well-crafted
environments. Fieldbook caught up with
principals Jon Pate and Natalie Adams to learn
about projects underway and to talk about what
inspires and informs their design work.

Let’s get right into it. What are some of
your key projects at the moment?
Natalie Adams: We are working on
Symphony Park in the Fenway neighborhood
of Boston, in association with Warner Larson.
Construction is on pause for the winter, so
we are counting the days until it picks up
again in the spring! It’s exciting because not
only is it a community project, but we are also
collaborating with sculptor Jacob Kulin of
Kulin Modern on a 16’ high Cor-Ten mix media
sculpture.

Jon Pate: We are also looking forward to
seeing a student center, academic building, and
alumni walk at Bentley University come to life
this spring and summer.

Let’s go back a bit in time. Why did you
start Pate Adams?
Jon: Nat and I have complementary skill sets
with different strengths, and we had worked
well together for years at two well-known
Boston firms (CRJA and Warner Larson). For us,
it was simply a natural career progression and
an opportunity to focus a firm on people-related
design issues, as much as the technical issues.

Jon Started Out Louisville, Kentucky
Education BLA, Purdue University
Now Pate Adams

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Nat: Yes. We want to shape and create
environments that are meaningful spaces
for people.

There are a lot of firms in the Boston
?
area. What sets you apart?
Jon: Everyone says they are client-focused,
and I believe that’s true. Perhaps what
sets us apart the most is our attention
to circulation and spatial programming,
collaborative efforts, plant knowledge, and
simply asking our clients how they will
maintain their landscape throughout the
seasons. Their maintenance answers always
influence our designs.

How do you approach each new
project?
?
Jon: We ask every question imaginable, do
our research, and couple that information
together with thoughtful design.

How did your early training at
Purdue and RISD inform how you
?
work today?
Jon: This year, Purdue’s LA program
celebrates 50 years, and it’s likely no
surprise an engineering school focuses on
the technical skills. The LAs at Purdue are
co-joined with the Horticulture school, and
when soils/plants are the groundwork in
every project, it’s a well-balanced training.

Nat: RISD trained me to be a designer, to
think like a designer, to develop innovative