ABOUT
ALT–Landscapes is a creative landscape architecture practice founded by Lucia Bayley. It explores the relationship between people and nature through design, observation, and care for living systems.
Each project begins with a simple understanding:
The landscape is not a backdrop, but a living organism — shaped by time, use, climate, and those who inhabit it.
ALT proposes an alternative way of designing landscapes: one that is attentive, intuitive, and deeply rooted in place.
A practice where technical precision and poetic sensitivity coexist, and where every site is approached as an ecosystem in constant dialogue — between soil, plants, water, light, and human presence.
The work is not about producing gardens as static objects, but about cultivating relationships: between the built and the living, memory and future, presence and transformation.
PURPOSE
To reconnect people with the land through landscape design.
Each project seeks to create a living experience — a space that supports natural rhythms, encourages biodiversity, and offers a more conscious way of inhabiting the world.
Design is understood as an act of care: a long-term commitment that allows places to evolve with meaning, beauty, and continuity.
APPROACH
Every project begins with listening.
Reading the site, understanding how light moves, how water flows, how wind, plants, and bodies occupy the space.
Designing is not about imposing form, but about guiding what already wants to grow.
Each decision — from plant selection to spatial gestures — responds to the ecological, cultural, and human context of the place.
The process is inherently collaborative:
with clients, builders, artisans, and most importantly, with the landscape itself.
BEHIND THE SCENES
EDUCATION + EXPERIENCE
I hold a degree in Environmental Science from Florida International University, where I also earned a certificate in Agroecology. I later pursued a Master’s in Landscape Architecture + Urbanism at the University of Southern California. During my time at USC, I was honored with awards in Leadership and Service in both 2022 and 2023, and my thesis project, ‘A Point of Confluence: Re-thinking Large Landscape Infrastructure Design,’ earned National and Regional ASLA Awards in 2023. In addition, along with Test Plot in Los Angeles, I developed a zine to share strategies for landcare. You can download the zine here.
My professional journey includes hands-on experiences across various esteemed firms. I began working at ARQ GEO in 2020 and later joined Raymond Jungles Inc. in 2021 and again in 2024. I also gained valuable experience at OLIN Landscapes and Enea Garden Design, where I refined my design philosophy and practical skills. Additionally, I served as the research assistant for one of the case studies selected for the 2020 Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) Performance Series, where I developed the Miami Lakeside Village case study, featured as part of the Landscape Performance Series.
MY STORY
My journey into landscape architecture and garden design began long before I knew. Growing up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I was always surrounded by the vibrant, chaotic beauty of nature intertwined with the bustle of the city. Buenos Aires is home to beautiful public spaces where I spent time exploring nature within the urban landscape. My early childhood was also shaped by time spent on a farm in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, and my summers were often spent in the south of Argentina, where I experienced nature in its rawest, most breathtaking forms. These experiences sparked my early fascination with the environment.
This passion led me to Miami in 2016, where I pursued a degree in Environmental Science at Florida International University. My studies deepened my understanding of the intricate relationships between humans and nature, laying the groundwork for what would become a deep-seated interest in the field of landscape architecture.
After graduating, I worked at an organic farm and a landscape architecture firm, seeking hands-on experiences that would shape my design philosophy. I later pursued a Master’s in Landscape Architecture + Urbanism at the University of Southern California, where I further refined my skills and ideas. During my time there, I had the honor of serving as the president of the ASLA Chapter for two years, which allowed me to connect with like-minded individuals and gain insights from diverse perspectives.
My thesis project, ‘A Point of Confluence: Re-thinking Large Landscape Infrastructure Design,’ earned both National and Regional ASLA Awards in 2023. This recognition reinforced my belief that landscape architecture is not just about creating beautiful spaces but about designing environments that have a lasting impact on communities and the natural world.
MY VISION
For me, garden design is a deeply personal and transformative process. It’s about more than just arranging plants and materials; it’s about creating spaces that tell a story, evoke emotions, and foster a connection between people and the environment. I believe in an approach that is both intentional and intuitive, where each garden is a unique reflection of its surroundings and the people who inhabit it.
I view gardens as living, evolving entities—spaces that grow and change over time, much like the people who experience them. My goal is to design gardens that are not only visually stunning but also functional, sustainable, and deeply connected to their context. I’m particularly inspired by the concept of minimal intervention, where the design subtly enhances the natural beauty of a space without overpowering it.
In creating ‘alt’, I wanted to establish a platform where I could explore these ideas more freely, experimenting with different approaches to garden design and landscape architecture. ‘Alt’ is my way of embracing the unknown, of challenging myself to think beyond conventional boundaries, and of sharing my love for garden-making with others who share this passion.