Cawrse Discusses Rewilding Urban Parks with Architect’s Newspaper
The Covid-19 pandemic has shifted the conversation about less-manicured approaches to urban parks
Sasaki is delighted to congratulate Anna Cawrse ASLA, PLA on her recent promotion from senior associate to associate principal. Cawrse is co-director of Sasaki’s Denver office and is responsible for leading significant public realm projects throughout North America with a specific focus on the Intermountain West. Cawrse ’s recent work includes Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland, Florida; the Dumke Arts Plaza in Ogden, Utah; Greenwood Community Park Master Plan in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and University Lakes, also in Baton Rouge. Her focus on resiliency and her dedication to the firm’s research manifests in her team’s Climate.Park.Change. project, part of a climate change toolkit to be used by various parks departments across the country.
With expertise that spans urban corridors and districts, public plazas, and parks and open space, Cawrse is internationally recognized for her ability to transition master planning of the public realm into realized space. “Both private and public sector clients gravitate to Anna’s design acumen, her sensitivity to listening, and her command of the design process. Her ability to shift between market sectors while maintaining design excellence is remarkable,” says Michael Grove, Principal and Chair of Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Ecology. A fierce advocate for all members of the team, Cawrse is a teacher at heart and generously shares her lessons learned in juries, lectures, and classrooms. We look forward to Anna’s continued leadership as Sasaki continues to evolve.
Cawrse (second from left) speaks to a group of local teens at an early public engagement outreach event during the planning phase for Greenwood Park in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Bonnet Springs Park, Lakeland, Florida, now under construction with ecological restoration a key focus
Greenwood Community Park, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Masterplan complete and Phase I implementation underway with anticipated completion in 2022.
University Lakes Restoration, Baton Rouge, Louisiana entered phase I in spring 2021
Dumke Arts Plaza, Ogden, Utah, now under construction