Andrea Cochran brings over 30 years of thoughtful landscape design to her practice in San Francisco. Known for seamlessly interweaving sustainable landscapes, art, and architecture, her designs highlight the experiential qualities of the built environment. A sense of intimacy and attention to detail infuse each project. In 1998 she established Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture where the firm tackles a wide range of project types and scales—from single family residences to hotels, wineries, affordable housing, schools, institutions, and public parks. Many of these projects have been widely published and recognized internationally, winning numerous awards.

Andrea lectures extensively, is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and the recipient of the ASLA Design Medal in 2014. Andrea holds a Masters in Landscape Architecture degree from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design and is a former Resident at the American Academy in Rome. As a long-time resident of San Francisco, she is committed to contributing to the quality of the urban environment, serving as a Commissioner and Chair of the Civic Design Committee of the San Francisco Arts Commission for seven years. In 2014, Andrea and her office received the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Landscape Architecture.

Emily joined ACLA in 2004 and has played an integral role in the firm’s growth and development. She brings over 20 years of experience in landscape architecture and has led the design of many of the firm’s well-known projects—including Stone Edge Farm, Ackley Residence, Smith Cardiovascular Research Building and the Helen Diller Civic Center Playgrounds. In addition to directing the firm’s marketing strategies, strengthening its web presence and managing new technology and software, she has expanded the firm’s project base by maintaining successful client relationships, pioneering new project types and helping to move into new markets.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a Masters in Landscape Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley. Making visible elements of time, weather, and seasons as they are reflected within the human-made frameworks of design and building codes, Emily builds beautiful places that are meaningful in people’s lives.

Ana brings more than 30 years of finance experience working with a variety of clients, but mainly focused on architecture and design. She has overseen software conversions and is always interested in enhancing systems and employee relations. Having worked for ACLA for 17 years, she understands the commitment to excellence and has a deep appreciation for good design. She also loves dogs.

Sarah has been practicing landscape architecture for over 20 years. As a Senior Associate at ACLA, she oversees the design, documentation and implementation of her projects and plays a central role in the firm by providing planting design support and guidance on many projects. Her experience ranges from high end wineries, residences and institutional projects to small gardens.

Sarah began her landscape career designing and building gardens in San Francisco in 1996 after earning a Bachelor of Arts from Mills College. Starting her career at Delaney Cochran and Castillo, she developed her passion for landscape design. Joining ACLA in 2003, she has expanded her skills on both large and small projects. Sarah continues to develop her work by combining her background in art with her passion for plants to create richly textured designs.

As a Senior Associate with 14 years of experience, Amir manages the design, documentation and implementation of technically complex and sustainably driven projects that demand high levels of collaboration and effective coordination between multiple consultants and stakeholders.

During his career at Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture he has contributed to creating diverse landscapes that resonate due to their thoughtfulness, simplicity and beauty. Working on large scale projects in the public realm as well as intimate private gardens, he has learned that there are no short cuts to great landscape architecture. Success as a team stems from a rigor and consistent attention to detail throughout the entire design process – from initial client consultation to construction.

Shannon oversees the design, documentation, and implementation of complex projects. Throughout her career, she has worked on a variety of institutional, residential, and commercial projects from the concept phase through construction. From large scale projects to small scale interventions, Shannon is dedicated to seeing a project through and is committed to developing thoughtful designs and innovative solutions that result in unexpected nuances.

Through an interest in site-specific art and earthworks, Shannon came to landscape architecture while studying sculpture during her undergraduate years at Pomona. As an experienced landscape architect with a background in art, she continually seeks opportunities to experiment with materials and design interactive spaces that resonate with their users.

Shannon earned her Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from Pomona College. She is a licensed landscape architect in the state of California.

With ACLA since 2015, Patrick brings a passion for contextually rooted designs which seek to choreograph experience and provide meaningful connections between the spaces we inhabit and larger landscape narratives. Drawing from the history of a place, he is particularly interested in the use of landscape as an artful response to the social and environmental challenges of the modern built environment.

With attention to detail and craft, Patrick manages the design, documentation, and implementation of many project types with a focus on effective coordination and collaboration. His background in music inspires a sensibility for distilled designs, finding resolution through rhythm, balance, and repetition. Patrick earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia with focuses on urban forestry and horticulture, and an Masters in Landscape Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley with focuses on urban design and landscape response to climate change. He recently served as guest designer at the International Design Workshop for Pazhou Island, in Guangzhou China.

Alex joined ACLA in the Fall of 2018 after seven years of practice in the eastern and southern United States. His work has included the planning, design, and realization of public, institutional, and residential projects throughout the northeast, southeast, and California, and ranging in scale from small gardens to 300-acre sites. Through his work, Alex strives to develop strong concepts born from a landscape’s unique living systems and cultural context, and carry this out in a clear, ordered design with an attention to detail. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University’s Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture, where field studies of urban design in Haiti, regional planning on the U.S.-Mexico border, and explorations of the unique landscape of coastal Louisiana fed his fascination with diverse environments. Drawn to the stunning natural landscapes of California, Alex brings his experience to ACLA where he manages residential and institutional projects across the U.S.

Seth is a licensed landscape architect with over twenty years of experience shaping complex public and private landscapes across the U.S. and abroad. His work spans civic, residential, institutional, cultural, and waterfront projects, distinguished by a balance of conceptual design vision and technical execution. He has held senior roles at firms including Field Operations and Peter Walker Partners, where he contributed to significant projects such as the Presidio Tunnel Tops in San Francisco, Glenstone Museum near Washington, D.C., and NBCUniversal Studios in Los Angeles.

Seth holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University and a B.S. in Horticulture, magna cum laude, from Stephen F. Austin State University. He is licensed in California, Louisiana, and Mississippi and is CLARB certified. An active educator and speaker, Seth has taught design and detailing at Tulane University and Louisiana State University in addition to serving as a guest critic at the University of Texas in Austin, The Ohio State University, Kent State University, Florida International University, Clemson University, and the University of Hawaii, among others.

As a Senior Associate at ACLA, Seth’s design approach emphasizes site specificity, material clarity, and cultural resonance. Across all scales, his work advances the role of landscape architecture in creating resilient, enduring, and vibrant places.

Wen brings over 12 years of experience across New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to her role at ACLA. As a strategic leader and accomplished project manager, she excels at steering complex, high-profile, and multi-faceted projects through positive transdisciplinary collaboration. Guided by ACLA’s philosophy of delivering innovative, yet simple solutions to intricate challenges, Wen fosters a deep appreciation for parks, urban landscapes, and gardens that elevate experience and enrich lives. Wen is a Licensed Landscape Architect in California, specializing in campus planning and design for the higher education, corporate, and healthcare sectors across the Bay Area.

She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Architecture from Wuhan University. A LEED Accredited Professional, Wen is passionate about addressing the urbanization challenges with a strong focus on sustainability. Her work emphasizes the creation of resilient, performative, and climate-adaptive landscapes that grow and evolve with the communities they serve.

Kylie joined ACLA at the beginning of 2021 and has contributed to residential, commercial, and public design projects. Kylie’s love for design and her interest in sustainability lead her to the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley. She graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and minors in sustainable design and city planning. Upon graduation, the Landscape Architecture Department awarded her the Geraldine Knight Scott Traveling Fellowship and H. Leland Vaughan Memorial Scholarship.

Kylie views landscape architecture as a unique problem-solving tool that serves to improve environmental and human well-being through thoughtful design. Her interests include water management, planting design, and community-based design.

Virginia is passionate about creating an immersive experience in landscape through understanding the intersectionality of people and the built environment. Her work is driven by a fascination with the natural processes of landscape that change over time and how design can influence people’s perceptions and functionality of the landscape. With a background in architecture, she continually seeks opportunities to include innovative strategies in her design to enhance user experience and engagement with the environment.

Virginia received her bachelor’s degree specializing in architecture design and environmental studies from University of Toronto and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley.

Natalia’s professional experience ranges from architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning in South America and the United States. Growing up in Bogotá, Colombia, at a high plateau within the Andes Mountains, she is intrigued by the relationship between the built environment and the natural systems. Her curiosity led her to landscape architecture in search of opportunities to create meaningful connections between people and their surroundings while revealing the ecological and cultural identity of a place. Drawn to the Bay Area by its natural beauty and design culture, Natalia is committed to pursuing her belief in design as a catalyst for the healing and regeneration of communities through rigorous artful design.

Natalia holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from Auburn University, a Master of Urban and Territorial Development from Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain), and both a Bachelor and Master of Architecture from Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia).

Aishvarya’s professional journey as a designer is deeply ingrained in architecture and landscape design across India and the US. Born and brought up in Central India, she developed a deep-rooted appreciation for coexisting with nature, which influences her distinctive cultural approach to design. As a designer, she views landscapes as extraordinary experiences in the everyday ordinary. She is passionate to design resilient, contextual, and inspiring living spaces of varied scales.

She holds a Master degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Architecture from India. Aishvarya honed her skills over four years at Vastushilpa Foundation and Studio Sangath in Ahmedabad, contributing to residential, institutional projects and working on traveling exhibitions of Balkrishna Doshi in Germany, Belgium and the United States. She was also awarded honorable mentions for the Eisner prize in Landscape Architecture 2024 during her time at UC Berkeley highlighting her interests of storytelling through evocative visual narratives.

Inspired by the drama of landscape and the specificity of place, Franny is passionate about designing spaces that orient us toward beauty, sustainability, and collective care. She is especially interested in creating enduring public landscapes that thoughtfully frame the interface between built and natural environments—inviting people to engage with their communities, surrounding ecologies, and the places they live.

Franny received her Master of Landscape Architecture from The University of Texas at Austin in 2023. With experience in landscape planning, urban design, and small-scale public projects, she brings a sensibility for landscape design that spans scales, along with an enthusiasm for close collaboration with architects, urban designers, artists, and engineers to address the pressing challenges of climate adaptation, ecological resilience, and equitable access to parks, gardens, and wild landscapes.

Giovanna’s aim as a landscape architect is to create restorative spaces to deepen the relationship between people and place. Collaboration and client relationships are at the heart of her design experience. Her design ethos strives to reinforce a strong sense of place by honoring native landscapes; creating spaces that are both ecologically grounded and culturally resonant.

Her background in fashion and language combined with her experience within the eco-tech startup world led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. During her graduate studies, she focused primarily on maximizing urban green spaces and analyzing political ecologies. A senior studio project she contributed to that focused on a forest polycultural strategy for Shushufindi, Ecuador resulted in multiple publications and will be presented at the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP30).

Winston brings a warm and joyful presence to the office. With a background rooted in tail wags and treat diplomacy, Winston approaches each day with curiosity and a nose for connection.

Winston has honed essential skills in nap optimization, snack detection, and spontaneous team bonding. Whether greeting colleagues with a wag or offering quiet support during meetings, Winston is a beloved part of the studio’s everyday rhythm. 🐾