Drawn to Scale: Recent Episodes
Sitio Landscape Architecture Inc.
Blake Tomilloso-Rhinehart is a landscape architect and the founder and CEO of BLOCS, a California-based landscape architecture studio focused on multifamily, senior living, and mixed-use development.
BLOCS • Landscape architects in California
Pablo Cortez of Sitio Landscape Architecture, is using AI—not to replace creativity—but to streamline and strengthen the business behind his design practice. From zoning workflows through Sitio’s “Code Flow” service to real-time financial forecasting, Pablo shares how tools like ChatGPT help him lead more effectively while keeping all creative decisions strictly human-made.
We also talk about where AI belongs in a creative studio—and where it absolutely doesn’t. If you’re a designer, studio owner, or strategist curious about integrating AI into your workflow without compromising your craft, this one's for you.
Enjoy a 'small scale' episode. Artificially generated hosts, Jess and Marcus, go over some of the financial challenges Sitio has faced and how radically changing operations and processes can position the company for future financial success.
The A.I. episode. An experiment with an artificial intelligence generated interviewer. Pablo Cortez converses with an AI about his career, starting a firm and his insights into the landscape architecture industry.
Senior Principal of NBWLA Thomas Woltz joins me to share his journey from entry level first hire to his leadership role and discusses the how his company balances projects between multiple offices.
Learn more at: https://www.nbwla.com/
NBWLA Monograph available at: http://bit.ly/3PKhRKR
Bayview founder Greg Marett discusses his New York firm's transformation into a design-focused studio, emphasizing collaboration, transparency, and an enjoyable design process.
https://www.bayviewla.com/
Sponsors:
38 West, https://38west.com/sitio-la/
HAPS Agency, https://hapsagency.com/
Lead environmentalist of Rana, Paul Kephart shares his insights into the profession, his personal journey and the incredible work Rana the Cohabitat Company has produced out of Carmel, CA.
https://www.ranacohabitat.com/
Sponsors:
38 West, https://38west.com/sitio-la/
HAPS Agency, https://hapsagency.com/
The very first episode now remastered with improved audio. Nick Straabe of Hunter Industries talks about his career and insights into the sales business.
Eric Sargeant joins us for our final(ish) episode of the podcast. Eric talks about his work in urban design, planning and 3D modeling using Sketchup.
https://www.sargeantillustration.com/
https://learn.sketchup.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@SketchUp
Creator of Videogarden, Jonathan Davila joins us to discuss his work in capturing and sharing stories of the Los Angeles landscapes and the people that live in them.
Instagram: @Videogarden.la
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@videogarden_
This week design/build contractor and creator of the Rockstar Platform, Robert Renteria joins us to discuss how he shares his experience and business knowledge to help other business owners improve their skills and profitability.
@artist_renteria
The Rockstar Platform
This week's guest is CMG Landscape Architecture senior associate Doug Jones. Doug discusses CMG's work and approach to public realm projects and how the team increases social and ecological wellbeing through artful design.
https://www.cmgsite.com/
Architect and Urbanist, Marcus Martinez joins me this week to chat about his work at Ultrabarrio with the goal to shape cities to be more civic, sustainable, and generationally connected by design.
https://www.ultrabarrio.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ultrabarrio/
Rohan is a designer, builder, teacher and advocate of Regenerative Practices around the world. He joins us this week to discuss his design build company, Regenerative Systems and building self-sufficient homes and communities.
https://www.regenerative-systems.com
https://www.instagram.com/regenerativesystems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlGk48sNEFM
CEO of Land F/X , Jeremiah Farmer joins us for a discussion about how the AutoCAD add-on software helps landscape and irrigation designers save time and money.
www.landfx.com
Founder and owner of Signature Illumination Designs, Scott Beverly chats with us about the company's services and history as the premiere lighting design and installation firm.
https://www.lightsbysignature.com/
Instagram: @signatureillumination
LinkedIN: @signature-illumination-designs
The Woland Foundation's president and founder, Elizabeth Van Dillewijn joins us to discuss the foundations principles, future growth and bridging the gap between education and the future workforce for women in Landscape Architecture.
https://www.wolandfl.org/
Instagram: @wolandfoundation
Content creator Carter of Design it Green joins us to chat about using his social media platform to share landscape architecture and urban design methods, ideas and processes with the community at large.
Instagram: @design.it.green
Youtube: Design it Green
Horticulture Program Senior Coordinator for the California Native Plant Society, Maya Argaman chats with us about the organization's work to protect California's native ecosystems.
https://www.cnps.org/
https://bloomcalifornia.org/
https://calscape.org/
Recycle2Riches' CEO and President Ashleigh Morgan joins us to talk about her non-profit's work with sustainable fashion, conscious consumerism and its expansion into closed loop community planning and development.
www.recycle2riches.org
tik tok
This week Landscape Architect and Educator Fernando Magallanes joins us to discuss his work bringing cultural sensitivities to the practice and education of landscape architecture. Find more info about and connect with Fernando here: INFO
@fmagallanes_
We're back! Shawn Maestretti of Studio Petrichor in Altadena, CA joins us to chat about the studio's mission to reimagine regenerative landscapes and their approach to holistic landscape design.
https://studio-petrichor.com/
https://www.instagram.com/the_studio_petrichor/
Jordan Felber of the landscape library joins us to chat about the resources and available courses on landscape design curated over at: www.thelandscapelibrary.com
@the_landscape_library
This week David Rubin of David Rubin Land Collective joins us to chat about his journey to leading an empathy driven design firm.
@dr_landcollective
@landcollective
@post_pandemic_landscape
https://land-collective.com/
Designer and Desert Water Agency board member Paul Ortega joins us to talk about the challenges of developing desert environments and how water resources are best managed.
www.paulortega.com
www.dwa.org
SecLex's CISO Alex Delgadillo joins us to share some of the ideal technical solutions for designers in small or large firms.
http://www.seclexisc.com/
Co-Founder and Architect Toru Hasegawa joins us this week to talk about the Morpholio suite of apps for designers working in digital creation.
https://www.morpholioapps.com/
District Sales Manager for SiteOne Landscape Supply, Joshua Seipel joins us to chat about SiteOne's services and support of the landscape industry and how the irrigation nerds at SiteOne aid designers with irrigation solutions. Learn more at https://www.siteone.com/
Landscape Architect David Fletcher joins us to chat about his studio's work, philanthropic efforts and helping to develop the 2016 video game, The Witness.
https://www.fletcher.studio/
@fletcher_studio
Landscape Architect Magdalena Aravena chats with us about starting Studio Siembra, career burnout culture and her work with ASLA to increase diversity in the profession. Follow her at @landarchetype and @studiosiembra
Michael Todoran joins us to talk about our failures and lessons learned in our careers and we get into a bit about the business of landscape architecture. http://www.miketodoran.com https://www.larchitect.org/
Co-Owner and Chairman of the Board for Kellogg Supply Inc., Kathy Kellogg Johnson joins us this week to talk about Kellogg's organic soils products and the company's philanthropic efforts throughout the world. Learn more at www.kelloggarden.com and check out Kathy's Ted Talk HERE.
@larchnarc's account curator joins us to talk about the account and the issues it seeks to address with its wit, satire and social commentary.
Program Directors Raul Bielsa and Jimmy Ta join us to talk about the work the Transborder Landscape program is doing and the issues they are uncovering along the Mexico-US border in Tijuana and San Diego. You can follow the program's progress on their instagram account @transborderlandscapes
Greg Spotts and Alexander Caiozzo team up to discuss the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services, Streets LA's public work and goals to not only keep streets clean, but improve LA's urban fabric by reducing heat islands and increasing safe, reliable and much needed access across the public realm . Find out more about Streets LA here: https://streetsla.lacity.org/ and check out a current project over on youtube: Urban Cooling in Canoga Park
This week contractor Sara Bendrick talks to us about her design/build company Sarita Landscape Design, her media career and the effects residential construction can have on a neighborhood. Follow Sara on Instagram @sarabendrick , tic-toc @sarabendricktheyardist and check out her book: Big Impact Landscaping
https://saritalandscapes.com/
Sponsor: https://www.seclexisc.com/sitio
This week we chat with Jorge Gomez of The Money Studio and discuss their branding, awareness campaigns and mural work. We talk about the affects of gentrification and how public art can help neighborhood identities. Follow their work at @the.money.studio
http://www.nomasbebesmovie.com/
https://www.borderangels.org/
No guest this week for our final episode of season 2. Ana and Pablo talk about what landscape designers and landscape architects do and their process. Also Maxwell makes an appearance.
Architect Dimitrius Lynch joins us to discuss his own practice, podcasting and overseeing creative at Gābl Media.
https://gablmedia.com/
https://houseoflynes.com/
https://gablmedia.com/show/spaces-podcast/
ESL Instructor and Landscape Architect, Tara Cull joins us to discuss her work helping landscape architects build a confident vocabulary in the industry.
https://www.archienglish.com/
connect with Tara on LinkedIN and Instagram @archienglishteacher
Outdoor architectural elements design/build POC Studio owner Alfonso Cota joins us for this episode to talk shop and how he has grown his business. Also, Analicia is back! Check out POC Studio's instagram accoutn @poc_studio
Taking a slight detour to bring you a recording of the Getting to Work Panel Discussion between Cal Poly Pomona Architecture & Landscape Architecture students and professionals during the School of Environmental Design's Firm Week
Frances Aquino is a 4th year landscape architecture student and president of the Cal Poly Pomona ASLA student chapter. We talk with her about navigating college during a pandemic and a student's take on a career in landscape architecture. Connect with Frances on Instagram @francesaquinaux and @_designbyfrances www.francesaquinophoto.com
Landscape Architect and City of Anaheim Parks Manager, Pamela Galera joins us to talk about developing park spaces throughout a city and the process of growing these spaces..
Landscape designer Jonathan Stalvey shares his experience working with a multi-disciplinary architectural firm, SVA Architects.
Our first episode of the new season! Analicia Gomez joins as co-host and we talk about our plans for upcoming episodes and future of the podcast.
Nick Straabe returns for the season 1 finale to discuss selling your services throughout the landscape architecture industry.
connect with @nick.from.hunter & nick.straabe@hunterindustries.com
Keep an eye on the @sitio.la account for upcoming season 2 news
Landrec Playspaces co-founder and principal Joel Shnowski sits down to talk about the outdoor playground and how Landrec's unique approach and design can benefit all users and spaces.
www.landrec.com
Landscape architectural associate w/Streets L.A., Jennifer Torres joins me to talk about her role with the city of Los Angeles and paella making.
get in touch with Jennfier at jennifer.torres@lacity.org and visit the Streets L.A. website for more information.
Internet marketing expert Al Shan joins me to share his advice on starting an online marketing campaign for you business.
www.alshanmarketing.com
Instagram: @alshanmarketing
facebook: Al Shan Marketing
SoCal ASLA President-elect Carlos Flores joins me to share his goals for the future of ASLA. @quien_es_carlos
www.nps.gov/rtca
www.socal-asla.org
www.theodorepayne.org
Landscape Architect and Educator Steven Chavez joins me to discuss his work with the newly founded National Association of Minority Landscape Architects.
@NAMLA
@stevenechavez
https://www.sca-larc.com/
Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture at Cal Poly Pomona joins me to discuss what the future of the landscape architecture program looks like and what to expect moving forward.
Follow the Bravely Curious on Facebook and Instagram
Senior Planner of the Riverside County Parks and Open Space District Analicia Gomez talks about her work in the public and private sectors.
Connect with Analicia at puregenusdesign@gmail.com
Designer Sara Abed shares her current non-profit and volunteer work as well as her passion for racial justice changes within the landscape architecture industry.
You can connect with and follow Sara on Instagram at @sabed02 and through email at sabed88@gmail.com
Donate to groups fighting for racial justice by visiting link
We're taking a slight detour to cover staying secured on the internets while working from home/anywhere. SecLex's CISO Alex Delgadillo shares his expertise on how to keep from getting hacked and loosing productivity. For more information visit www.seclexisc.com
Landscape Architect Ben McCoy joins us to discuss his new venture, starting his own landscape architecture firm. You can learn more about Ben's work, or connect with him directly, at www.deptofspace.com
Sales Manager with Hunter Industries Nick Straabe sits down with us for our very first episode as he gives us insight into his career. A big thank you to our musically gifted friend and sneaker head Robert Wood for producing our intro/outro jam.