Birmingham's Urban Landscape: The Legacy Continues

A Panel Discusion at the ICAA Southeast Garden Symposium

In June 2024 the Southeast Chapter of the ICAA hosted the ICAA Garden Symposium: The Natural City Beautiful in Birmingham, Alabama. The symposium included a series of events focused on the late 19th-century City Beautiful Movement as it evolved in the post-Civil War industrial city of Birmingham. Set within the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the City of Birmingham and surrounding areas are one of the most geographically and environmentally diverse regions in the United States. The topography quickly moves from transportation-friendly valleys to mineral-rich mountains, a combination that has guided the development of both a practical urban city grid and contrasting picturesque hillside neighborhoods.

The Symposium included a panel discussion that explored the future of Birmingham as the landscape continues to develop to meet contemporary needs. The discussion, moderated by Eric Osth, Chairman at Urban Design Associates, included David Fleming, REV Birmingham; William Gilchrist, former Director of Planning, Engineering, & Permits, Birmingham, AL; Nimrod Long - Landscape Architect; and Jane Reed Ross - Landscape Architect, Rotary Trail.

Speakers:

Eric Osth- Panel Moderator As UDA’s (Urban Design Associates) Chairman, Eric leads UDA’s marketing efforts in addition to running projects as a principal-in-charge. Eric has led urban design and architectural projects across the United States. Over the years, Eric has been deeply involved in the design community, serving on several boards of directors including the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art in New York City, Riverlife, and AIA Pittsburgh.

David Fleming – Panelist REV Birmingham is a place-based revitalization and economic development nonprofit organization with a vision of making the city the most vibrant urban market in the Southeast where anyone can realize their dreams. Our core value is “Community Leads>Design Feeds,” as we actively partner with the community to identify needs and craft innovative solutions. Comprised of fearless problem solvers and passionate community members, our team is committed to bringing these dreams to life

William A. Gilchrist – Panelist Bill’s career has spanned public and private sectors. In his previous roles as director of Place-Based Planning in New Orleans, LA, and director of the Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits in Birmingham, AL, he oversaw the merger of city departments including engineering, public works, planning, urban design, and building and inspection services, as well as integrating permitting processes to improve efficiency and customer service. His work has been recognized by the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the National League of Cities, the American Planning Association (APA), and the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Nimrod Long - Panelist Nimrod Long, President Nimrod Long & Associates, received a Bachelor of Arts from Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia in 1973 and then a Master of Landscape Architecture from the School of Environmental Design at the University of Georgia in 1978. Mr. Long has been retained as a designer and consultant by various local, state, federal, and private clients. This experience includes master planning for large commercial office parks, large-scale residential master plans, urban parks and streetscape designs, and landscape development for commercial, residential, and institutional properties. In 1997 Mr. Long was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Jane Reed Ross – Panelist Jane Reed Ross has been practicing Landscape Architecture for 40 years, with experience throughout the Southeast as well as in the Washington D.C. area and Queensland, Australia. Before joining Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood in 2008, Jane was a principal at Ross Land Design for 15 years. She led the firm in the direction of sustainable design in the following award-winning and beloved civic spaces: Homewood Central Park, Homewood Shades Creek Greenway, Birmingham Children’s Zoo, and Railroad Park. Combining quality design with environmentally holistic solutions, Jane has created spaces that have a sense of place and presence based on an ethic of function and art.

At GMC, Jane has been the project manager for the Red Rock Greenway Master Plan, and she has worked closely with the Freshwater Land Trust on the plan’s implementation with the following projects: the Civil Rights Trail, the Jones Valley/Cross to Sloss Trail, Homewood Shades Creek Greenway, the Aqueduct Trail in Tarrant, and Hugh Kaul Trail. Jane’s vision for the Rotary Trail with the Magic City Gateway is one of the most Instagrammed sites in Birmingham.

Sponsors

These events are presented as part of the Bunny Mellon Curricula at the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art.

The ICAA is very grateful to the Gerard B. Lambert Foundation for its generous support of this program, along with our Bunny Mellon Curricula Sponsors:

Lead Sponsor, Hollander Design Landscape Architects
Garden Symposium Sponsor, Kathryn M. and Ronald J. Herman Charitable Foundation
Garden Design Prize Sponsor, Harrison Design
Continuing Education and Public Programs Sponsor, Charlotte Moss
Film Series Sponsor, Janice Parker Landscape Architects

With Additional Support Provided By

Presenting Sponsor: McKinnon and Harris

Silver Sponsorship:
Historical Concepts
Jacquelynne P. Lanham Designs
Marmi Stone
Pledger Architect
Shoppe
Troy Rhone Garden Design

Friend Sponsorship:
Alex Smith Garden Design
Amoroso Compliance Consulting
Fixtures & Finishes
Land Plus Associates
Stellar Windows & Doors
Tammy Connor Interior Design

Tags: bunnymellon, garden, symposium