Georgia Chapter ASLA (GAASLA)

🌿 Student Spotlight: Treasa McHugh 🌿mchugh

Meet one of our outstanding landscape architecture students making an impact both on and off campus!

✨ Honors & Achievements
UGA Undergraduate LAF Olmsted Scholars Program Nominee (2026)
UGA Presidential Award of Excellence (2026)
UGA First Honor Graduate (2026)
Peachtree Garden Club Neel Reid Memorial Scholarship
UGA Honors in Washington Internship Program
UGA Honors International Scholars Program
Sigma Lambda Alpha Landscape Architecture Honor Society

🌱 Experience
• Curator Assistant, Founders Memorial Garden at UGA
• Landscape Architecture Intern, Smithsonian Gardens
• Hand Graphics Instructor, Experience UGA Field Trips
• Volunteer, Downtown Douglas Design Charrette

💭 Why landscape architecture?
“I chose landscape architecture because it brings together so many fascinating fields—horticulture, design, ecology, engineering, psychology, and urban planning. Every project is a chance to learn something new, which keeps the work exciting and fun.”

🌸 Inspiration
Inspired by pioneering designers Gertrude Jekyll and Beatrix Farrand, whose naturalistic and romantic planting designs continue to influence the field.

🌍 Favorite part of the field
“What I love most is how landscape architecture brings people together—with each other and with nature. Through design, we can help create healthier, happier communities.”

👏 Join us in celebrating Treasa and her passion for shaping meaningful, beautiful spaces!

⭐️Awards submission now open! Apply by April 17th! ⭐️

Registration now open! The 2026 ASLA Southeast Regional Conference will be held May 29th - June 1st at the Sheraton in Downtown Raleigh.

➡️ Register on the website today!

As we near the year's end we reflect on what we're grateful for and what we hope the new year holds. We hope you'll join us Saturday morning on Dec 6, 2025 for an interactive workshop that will include a hands-on crafting experience along with guided community conversations.

By creating a safe and inclusive space for people to share stories of both angst and aspirations, we hope to foster meaningful dialogue around belonging and inclusion in the AEC industry, promote mental wellness, and build community through shared hopes and aspirations.

Due to inclement weather, tomorrow’s scholarship outing has been rescheduled to November 10th!

Mark your Calendars for the Atlanta Section Holiday Party!

⛳️ ⏰ ☀️ Registration for this year’s golf tournament and field day closes on Oct 13!

Register now: ASLAGeorgia.org

GAASLA and the UGA CED is proud to welcome ASLA president Kona Grey!

Tomorrow The College of Environment + Design is pleased to welcome Kona Gray (BLA ‘97) back to UGA’s campus for “Higher Ground – Designing with Nature Towards a Resilient Future.”
A firm leader bringing 30 years of experience in 30+ countries, Gray’s global design and management sense has positively shaped many environments. His portfolio includes award-winning developments that solve meaningful global issues with emphasis on communities, parks, hospitality, museums, aquariums, healthcare and campuses.
A bona fide ambassador, Gray has contributed to more than two decades of outreach heightening awareness for the profession through sharing global projects, individual experiences, and external inspirations. He’s enthusiastic about growing the profession and committed to inclusion initiatives through mentorship, internships and scholarships.
Gray is a registered Landscape Architect and holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the CED and a Commercial Real Estate Certificate from Cornell University. In private practice at EDSA, Gray co-leads design and business development as a firm resource. Gray is an ASLA Fellow and currently serves as ASLA National President. In 2022, he received the ASLA President’s Medal. In addition to serving on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the College of Environment + Design, Gray also serves on numerous other boards and committees around the country.

Congratulations to this years General Design - Built project honor award winners!

Project: Mercer University College Street Transformation – From Vehicular Divide to Civic Spine
Firm: HGOR
Slides 1-5

Description: Mercer University’s College Street transformation turns a once-vehicular corridor into a vibrant, pedestrian-first promenade at the heart of its Macon campus. Previously a dividing road and deteriorating parking lot, the corridor now links residence halls, academic buildings, and student life spaces through universally accessible routes, native landscaping, and stormwater-friendly bioswales. Retaining walls, shaded gathering areas, and multi-use lawns create inviting spaces for dining, events, and reflection, while thoughtful design maintains service access and honors Mercer’s architectural legacy. Completed in 2024, this project enhances daily life for over 4,800 students, prioritizing safety, community, and placemaking.

Project: Douglasville Town Green and Amphitheater
Firm: TSW
Slides: 6-10

Description: The City of Douglasville has transformed a former county jail into the Douglasville Town Green, a signature public space and catalyst for downtown revitalization. Completed in 2023, Phase 1 features a contemporary amphitheater, adaptive reuse of jail structures, a multi-use park, splash pad, playable art, and trail connections. Sustainable design elements like stormwater collection, native plantings, and permeable surfaces enhance the site, while year-round programming fosters community gathering, economic development, and social equity. Once a blighted site, the Town Green now exemplifies creative placemaking and sets the stage for future public and private development downtown.

Our final built design merit award winning project!

Project: The Mill
Firm: TSW

Description: The Historic Excelsior Mill in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, dating back to the 1890s, has been transformed into a 30,000-square-foot office for Cash App through thoughtful adaptive reuse. The landscape design enhances accessibility with ADA-compliant pathways and parking, while clean lines and geometric forms complement the building’s historic architecture. Reclaimed machinery serves as sculptural wayfinding, and a granite patio extends indoor spaces outdoors for gatherings. This revitalization preserves the mill’s character while creating a functional, visually compelling environment that honors its industrial heritage and meets modern needs.

General design - built project merit award winners (continued)

Project: Piedmont Office Plaza
Firm: FIELD LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
Slides: 1-3

Description: Piedmont Office Plaza is a renovation of outdoor spaces at a previously underutilized office plaza. The use of native plantings and locally sourced materials creates a strong sense of place, connecting people to the surrounding environment. Native shade trees and custom seating are thoughtfully arranged to define outdoor rooms that offer comfort and enclosure for tenants and guests. Sustainable initiatives include onsite stormwater retention, the use of locally sourced materials, and the reuse of existing hardscape elements to minimize waste and reduce costs. These improvements strike a thoughtful balance between user needs and sustainability goals.

Project: Roosevelt Hall – A Landscape for Renewal, Resilience, and Reconnection
Firm: HGOR
Slides: 4-7

Description: The revitalization of Roosevelt Hall transforms a historically significant site into a vibrant civic landscape anchoring Atlanta’s West End. Once part of University Homes and vacant for over a decade, the 1.4-acre redesign was shaped through deep community collaboration to honor the neighborhood’s history while creating an accessible, sustainable, and culturally resonant public space. Streetscape improvements, native plantings, terraced seating, a rooftop terrace, and a community garden foster gathering, sustainability, and food access. Roosevelt Hall demonstrates how thoughtful landscape design can bridge past and present, restoring cultural identity and fostering inclusive community life in the heart of Atlanta.

General design - built project merit award winners (continued)

Project: Krog District
Firm: Core Landscape
Slides: 1-3

Description: The Krog District reimagines a historic industrial area in Inman Park and the Old Fourth Ward into a vibrant, walkable community hub along the Atlanta BeltLine. Anchored by Krog Street Market, the redevelopment transforms underused parcels into mixed-use buildings, pedestrian paseos, and enhanced BeltLine access—all while preserving the site’s historic character. At its heart is a people-first vision, with flexible public spaces, sustainable design, and a new Pocket Park that links the BeltLine with the district through playful landforms, tree
canopy, and sculptural landscape. Blending old and new, the Krog District demonstrates how adaptive reuse and community-centered design can catalyze a neighborhood’s future.

Project: Mercer University Atlanta Campus Transformation – Creating Identity and Experience through Place-Based Design Improvements and Pedestrian Bridge
Firm: HGOR
Slides: 4-6

Description: Mercer University’s Atlanta Campus has been transformed from a car-dominated commuter site into a vibrant, sustainable, and student-centered environment. Guided by a master plan rooted in ecological analysis of the adjacent 140-acre riparian forest, the campus now prioritizes pedestrian connectivity, green infrastructure, and inclusive design. Across 25 central acres, key projects include a renovated rooftop terrace, a mixed-use village, an improved central quad, and reimagined open spaces around the new Health Sciences building. The result is a campus that embodies environmental stewardship, elevates the student experience, and strengthens connections between the university and the city.