Education
Master of Environmental Design, 1997, University of Manitoba
Master of Landscape Architecture Degree, 2005, University of Manitoba

Professional Associations
American Society of Landscape Architects

Professional Practice
Alyssa’s professional experience includes practice as a landscape architect and urban designer in Canada, the UK and the Netherlands with projects in North America, Europe, and North and South Africa. She spent several years at West 8 in the Netherlands as a project leader and landscape architect, with a focus on parks, gardens and public space, including the high profile winning urban design projects for Toronto’s Central Waterfront and Governors Island, NY. Prior to West 8, Alyssa worked for Chris Blandford Associates in London UK on large-scale urban design and infrastructural projects, such as Crossrail, as well as historically listed parks and gardens. In 2008, she founded the award-winning practice, RUFproject, with Sean Pearson. Notable projects include the award-winning Football Training Centre for Nike in South Africa, a collaborative public space project for the city of Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics, and a single family residence in the Gulf Islands. In 2011, she founded Atelier Anonymous, a collective of internationally established & award-winning designers, educators and researchers, practicing within the field of landscape architecture, based in Vancouver BC. Their work is currently focusing on biodynamic urban agriculture, with projects in Surrey BC, Morocco, and Mexico. In Winnipeg, she is a member of the newly formed think-tank, STUFF.

Research/Interests
1. Second Nature / Eco-systematics > The dynamics of urban frameworks as mechanisms for exploring how nature within the city can be re-imagined from environmental, cultural, historical, and experiential perspectives. The aim is to develop new and re-configured existing models of green spatial networks which respond to urban redevelopment, ecological and environmental dynamics, local biotopes, physical conditions, and social and cultural practices.
2. Biodynamic Urban Agriculture / Urban Resiliency > The design of new aesthetics for urban agriculture and the potentials for new relationships between food production and community, and the re-conceptualization of urban areas bordering agricultural areas.
3. Peri-Urbanism / Peri-Urban Parks / Urban Resiliency > New planning models for peri-urban parks, environmental management strategies, and the re-conceptualization of urban areas bordering peri-urban parks.
4. Advocacy for ‘at-risk’ urban landscapes > Currently under development, Dokban will serve as an on-line international database tool to share both speculative and implementable ideas across design disciplines, with the ultimate objective to provide targeted expertise and funding, where needed, for ‘at-risk’ urban landscapes within developing nations, in regions which suffer from lack of resources, and where the need for advocacy is identified.