William H. Whyte Award

The William H. Whyte Award recognizes those individuals who have exemplified and maintained the mission and ardor of Whyte, whose work provides a factual basis for achieving livability through empirical observations of the relationship of human beings to place.

Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, Inc. is being honored for continuing the proud tradition of firm founders Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden. Oehme and van Sweden co-founded the landscape architecture firm in 1977 and created the ‘New American Garden’ style of landscape architecture. Their understanding of the strong sculptural relationship between architecture and landscape has helped promote the greening of cities and has resulted in the improvement of public health around the world. Lisa Delplace, principal and CEO, will accept the award.

Accepted by Lisa Delplace, principal and CEO

Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden co-founded the landscape architecture firm Oehme, van Sweden & Associates, Inc. in 1977. The firm is credited with creating a ‘New American Garden Style’ of landscape architecture, which celebrates the beauty of the natural environment and seeks to treat the physical structures of a garden as complementary elements that enhance the natural landscape. OvS’s notable projects include the World War II Memorial and the Federal Reserve Board Garden in Washington, D.C., as well as the Native Plant Garden in the New York Botanical Garden and the Gardens of the Great Basin in the Chicago Botanic Garden.

OvS partnered with Marilyn Melkonian of the Telesis Corporation on multiple endeavors to bring the beauty of landscape to low-income affordable housing including the Townhomes on Capitol Hill, Paradise Manor Apartments, and Parkside Townhomes in Washington, DC. This partnership allowed for beauty to be brought from grand settings to humble surroundings.

Lisa Delplace, principal and CEO of the firm, will accept the award on behalf of these two innovators and pioneers of landscape architecture.