Peggy Gaynor Resumé
Landscape Architect
Certified Landscape Architect No. 355, State of Washington, 27 January 1983
Fellow, American Society of Landscape Architects (FASLA)
Artist
Classical Pianist
Brief Biography
Consistently at the vanguard, Peggy Gaynor, FASLA, combines landscape architecture and her background in art, classical music, and science to solve site problems with multi-faceted, cutting-edge and ecologically-based design solutions. Her transformative designs include parks and open spaces, habitat creation, water conservation that includes artfully-designed natural stormwater treatment facilities, and well-integrated pedestrian amenities.
Long a pioneer in her practice, Peggy has been restoring urban habitats and daylighting creeks since the 1980s. She is known for her design activism and collaborative work with community groups to rebuild ecosystems and promote environmental stewardship. Academicians frequently use her built work and design concepts to inform and illustrate their research. For schools and colleges, she often teaches classes, reviews designs, and sponsors student interns. She earned a BSLA with highest distinction from Purdue University.
Education
Bachelor of Science, “With Highest Distinction,” Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, December 1975.
Undergraduate Study (biology/ecology and music), Hanover College, 1971 – 1973.
Experience: Total 39 years
GAYNOR, Inc., Seattle, Washington. President & Principal Landscape Architect/Artist. January 1983 to present. See Project List for relevant work experience.
Richard Haag Associates, Inc., Landscape Architects & Urban Designers, Seattle, Washington. Project Landscape Architect and Designer for a variety of public, urban and commercial/housing projects, notably: Victor Steinbrueck Park, Seattle, Washington. 1980/1982.
Richard Carothers Associates, P.S., Landscape Architects & Urban Planners, Seattle, Washington. Project Landscape Architect &/or Designer for several public and large scale commercial/corporate projects, notably: Creston-Nelson Substation, Seattle, Washington. 1978/1980 & 1982/1983.
Service Activities
Part-time Instructor, Edmonds Community College, Horticulture Department; Landscape Design and Restoration Ecology Certificate Programs.
Seattle Urban Nature Board Member, 1998 – 2008; President of the Board, 2006 – 2008.
Guest Lecturer/Teacher – landscape architectural and habitat restoration design for classes at University of Washington Landscape Architecture department, EarthCorps and other educational institutions.
Awards
Madrona Woods Restoration, 2010 Honor Award, Washington Chapter, American Society of Landscape Architects.
Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel, 2010 Honor Award, Washington Chapter, American Society of Landscape Architects. 2009 Outstanding Award, American Society of Civil Engineers. 2009 Design Excellence Award, Seattle Design Commission.
Madrona Park Creek Daylighting & Restoration, 2005 Special Mention Award for Works in Progress, Washington Chapter, American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
Practically Easy Landscape Maintenance: A Care Manual for Natural Drainage Systems, 2005 Award of Honor for Research & Communications, Washington Chapter, ASLA.
I-90 Sunset Way Interchange, 2004 Gold Award for Complexity, American Council of Engineering Co. of Washington. Peggy Gaynor was landscape architect for overall project aesthetics and artist for ‘Dancing Leaves’ wall relief artwork.
Carkeek Cascade, Viewlands Cascade, Natural Drainage System Program, 2004 American Government Award, Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government. 2020 Vision Award, Puget Sound Regional Council, 2003.
Growing Vine Street Project, Certificate of Merit, 1999 Ahwahnee Awards.
‘Reflective Refuge’ at Meadowbrook Pond, 1998 Artistic Merit Award, Excellence in Concrete Construction, Special Application Category.
Jenkin’s Creek Daylighting Phase I, Lake Wilderness Channel Improvements, 1995 National First Place Award, Environmental Protection Agency Outstanding Storm Water Program. March 1995 CECW/Daily Journal of Commerce Project of the Month.
North Creek Relocation and Restoration, 140th Ave. NE Street Improvements, 1991 Honor Award for Design, Washington Chapter, American Society of Landscape Architects.
Wetland Restoration at Meadowbrook Playfield, 1991 Merit Award for Design, Washington Chapter, American Society of Landscape Architect.
The Right Tree Book, 1991 Merit Award for Research & Communication, Washington Chapter, American Society of Landscape Architects.
Publications & Exhibits
Ecological Design, Nancy Rottle & Ken Yocom, Basics Landscape Architecture series, AVA Publishing, 2010.
Land & Flora & Water, Exhibit of 30 years of regional environmental artworks including ‘Reflective Refuge’ at Meadowbrook Pond. Washington State Convention & Trade Center, Seattle, WA. June 19 – September 27, 2009.
Handbook of Regenerative Landscape Design: Retrieving Buried Creeks in Seattle, Political and Institutional Barriers to Urban Daylighting Projects (Chapter 5), Kit O’Neill & Peggy Gaynor; Robert L. France, Editor. CRC Press. 2008.
Practically Easy Landscape Maintenance: A Care Manual for Natural Drainage Systems. Seattle Public Utilities, Spring 2005. Publication concept, writing, illustrations and photography by Peggy Gaynor.
Growing Vine Street, Sustainable Connections, Art, Architecture & Product Design, 11/17/2003 – 1/15/2004.
Exhibit of sustainable and environmental artwork, architecture and product design by NW artists and designers, sponsored by City of Seattle, King County & Design Resource Institute.
Ecological Design and Planning: Beyond Stewardship Toward Partnership (Chapter 9), Sally Schauman with contributions by Peggy Gaynor; George F. Thompson & Frederick R. Steiner, Editors. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1997.
A River Runs Elsewhere, by Kathleen McCormick; Landscape Architecture, March 1993. Article written about North Creek Relocation and Restoration, 140th Ave NE Street Improvements, Bellevue, WA, designed by GAYNOR.
The Right Tree Book. Seattle City Light, 1988. Written and art directed by Peggy Gaynor.
Presentations & Lectures
Urban Habitat Restoration: Notes from 30 Years of Projects, Part 1 & 2, 2016 Reconstructing Natural Areas in the Built Environment, seminar sponsored by University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture. Two presentations by Peggy Gaynor share long-term experience & lessons learned for all phases of urban habitat restoration work.
Plants for Low Impact Development, presentation by Peggy Gaynor for May 2013 webinar, sponsored by Washington State Department of Ecology.
Moving Community from Conflict to Consensus: Re-creating Thornton Creek and Creating Thornton Place, a Mixed-use, Transit-oriented Neighborhood in Northgate, Seattle, 2010 Annual Conference, Revitalization Through Community Collaboration, Office of Community Revitalization & Reinvestment, Fairfax County, Virginia.
Innovations: SEAStreets – Natural Drainage Systems, 2010 Urban Forest Symposium. Presentation of effective water quality treatment and natural/native habitats provided by creative Natural Drainage System bioswales built in Seattle and designed by Seattle Public Utilities with GAYNOR and others.
Urban Restoration; 2010 Society for Ecological Restoration Conference. Field trip by Seattle Public Utilities, Peggy Gaynor and Peg Staheli. Several Seattle water-oriented restoration sites visited that feature innovative natural drainage system bioswales, creek daylighting, wetland restoration, flood control pond and public art.
Madrona Woods: A case study, 1st Annual Seattle Urban Ecology Symposium, 2006.
Stormwater Design for Planners, 2006 Puget Sound Chapter American Planning Association, continuing education.
The Meadowbrook Miracle in Seattle – an urban refuge for salmon, wildlife, people and art. Presentation compares two ambitious projects - city-sponsored Meadowbrook Pond and volunteer-sponsored Meadowbrook Wetland and Creek - that restore and recreate several acres of Thornton Creek-oriented fish and wildlife habitat.
