Design Under Sky, founded by Landscape alumnus Adam Anderson (BSLA ’04), has received the American Society of Landscape Architect’s Honor Award in the General Design Category for the 10,000 Suns: Highway to Park Project. Design Under Sky is a collaborative studio that works internationally and is based in Providence, Rhode Island. The 10,000 Suns project is an annual summer-long botanical performance where over 10,000 sunflower seeds are planted on the site of a former section of Interstate 195. When in use, the section bisected the city of Providence. The project transforms vacant land into a bio-diverse and art-focused community space. 

The sunflower was chosen because it's visually striking, it can grow up to ten feet tall, it's heliotropic, and it's an excellent pollinator and food source. It's also a phytoremediator, capable of sucking toxins out of the ground. The jury lauded the project as a great way to involve the community in the creation of a cherished public space. 

Read more at the American Society of Landscape Architects