ASLA Honors Two Mundus Bishop Projects
At a ceremony at Denver’s Botanic Gardens on Thursday, September 2, 2021, MUNDUS BISHOP was honored with two awards from the Colorado chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
Montbello Open Space Park received an Honor Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. ASLA’s Honor Award is “presented to recognize superior professional accomplishment.”
Located in Denver’s Montbello neighborhood, the park was a collaborative project with Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK) students and staff, The Trust for Public Land, Denver Parks and Recreation, and the local community. MUNDUS BISHOP began working with constituents in 2016 to plan, design, and develop an open space and learning destination in the traditionally underserved neighborhood. Restoring the 5-acre site as a Colorado short-grass prairie and designing engaging spaces to connect ELK’s 5,000 kids and the community with the natural world and one another was the primary focus. Montbello’s Sustainable materials, natural trails, prairie gardens, artful stormwater systems, outdoor classrooms, and natural learning play nodes create an intimate and memorable exploration of nature that will inspire and encourage the exploring spirit in all ages. The park features include trails, boardwalks, and shelters within a restored prairie ecosystem.
John Meade Park and Alan Hutto Commons received the prestigious President’s Award of Excellence in Design. ASLA’s President’s Award of Excellence “is presented to recognize the highest contribution to the advancement of the landscape architectural profession, which exemplifies the ethics upon which the profession was founded.”
The 14-acre open space and park, located in Cherry Hills Village, CO, was formerly an underutilized city property and primary floodway into the community’s central gathering space and civic center. MUNDUS BISHOP and the consultant team transformed the area through a design that includes improved amenities, an amphitheater for community gathering, natural play experiences for children of all ages, pedestrian and equestrian trails, and a broad boardwalk that allows users to experience the restored wetland. The transformed ecological system enhances park experiences, improves wildlife habitat and corridors, and provides a functioning floodway system. The campus design celebrates the rural character of the community and its goals of promoting a healthy active lifestyle grounded in nature.