Superbloom's Diane Lipovsky and Stacy Passmore on Resilient and Culturally Enriching Environments

By Julia Gamolina

Diane Lipovsky and Stacy Passmore are the founders of Denver-based landscape architecture firm, Superbloom. With over ten years of experience designing public-interest landscapes, Diane’s work celebrates the intersections of art, design, nature, health, wellness and community history. Her work has received numerous awards including the American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum as well as recognition from ASLA Boston, Colorado and North Carolina, & the American Planning Association. Diane is committed to developing healthy cities and vibrant spaces through design. With a background in cinema and fine arts, Diane’s work incorporates storytelling to give voice to the history of a place and to shape a city’s cultural and ecological future.

Merging her backgrounds in planning and environmental stewardship with landscape architecture, Stacy’s work explores field-based methods of research, understanding that environments and communities are deeply dynamic and require designs that engage with conditions of change. Stacy is particularly committed to collaborations that celebrate the relationship between humans and ecological systems, work which she explores through built projects, publications, design research, and site-specific installations. Her honors include the 2018 Charles Eliot Fellowship and the Penny White Project Award from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. In their interview with Julia Gamolina, Diane and Stacy talk about scaling their practice, projects with local impact, and the importance of education, advising those just starting their careers to embrace experimentation.

JG: As a landscape architecture firm, what are the most important things to be focusing on for the rest of 2024? And specifically, what are the most important things to be focusing on in Denver?

DL: At Superbloom, we believe that environments shape experiences, and this perspective drives our work in the arid West. Here, we face unique challenges: extreme heat waves, unpredictable severe weather, and the constant threat of water scarcity. These conditions make our mission of creating climate-adaptive landscapes all the more urgent. Our focus this year — and every year — is to find solutions that balance environmental stewardship with community needs. We believe we’re not just designing landscapes; we're weaving stories of resilience and sustainability.

Education is central to our approach. By sharing our understanding of the climate's nuances and the resilience of our local ecosystems, we hope to inspire others to appreciate and advocate for sustainable practices. Community engagement is equally vital.

SP: We also understand that environmental hazards, exacerbated by climate change, disproportionately impact the most vulnerable communities, reinforcing the environmental racism and injustice that persists today. In Denver and across the Rockies, marginalized groups often bear the brunt of extreme weather events, water shortages, and poor air quality. We do what we can to design inclusive solutions that prioritize these communities, ensuring equitable and accessible climate-adaptive landscapes for all.

Our ongoing work with Boulder County on a nature-based solutions toolkit for climate change is a prime example of how we address climate change impacts while fostering community resilience. For this project, we are proposing solutions that tackle urban challenges such as rising temperatures, drought, extreme precipitation, air pollution, and increased fire risk. Our goal is to boost public health and climate resilience by creating strategies that use nature, helping the county’s ten cities and towns adapt to climate changes and informing local government decision-making.

Boulder County Climate Toolkit. Drone photography by One K Creative. Courtesy of Boulder County.

Now let's go back a little bit — tell me about why landscape architecture and where you chose to study it.

SP: I was always passionate about how the physical environment shaped culture and community, and I was especially interested in the utopian ideals of the early 60s & 70s environmental movements — like Paolo Soleri’s arcologies.

I started my career as an urban designer and urban planner, working on major environmental policy and resiliency projects in New York City after Hurricane Sandy, and just loved the design element of the work, how it really hit the ground. I loved making beautiful graphics that helped people understand and visualize the future of spaces. I also worked for several years on an ‘eco-city’ project in West Africa, where the productive landscape was so deeply entwined with culture — truly an ecological urbanism. Then I went for my second masters in landscape architecture at the GSD, which helped solidify my vision for what I hoped to achieve in my career and how ecology could be a driver for urbanism.

DL: I came to landscape in a bit of a roundabout way. I grew up on the Maryland side of Washington, DC, and the subway was my conduit to new experiences as a kid, and especially as a teenager. I only realized later, after starting my undergrad at USC, how lucky I was that we had free museums, loads of public spaces, and easy, safe transit. Originally, I channeled these experiences into developing ideas for screenplays, and I went to USC to study film & Italian.

However, upon returning from study abroad in Milan, I wasn’t sure film was my calling. I began to think more about how I could impact the environment around me and started volunteering with TreePeople, an environmental advocacy group in California, and going to lectures at USC’s architecture school. It was there that I learned about the field of landscape architecture, and I was really excited by the multidisciplinarity of it all — design, art, community engagement, research, public transportation, health and wellness — and then ended up at the GSD as well.

“From museums that help reinforce sustainable design principles to the public, to practical toolkits that empower communities to implement climate-resilient strategies, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between people and their environment.”

— Diane Lipovsky

Tell me about your experiences working for various offices before starting your practice. What did you learn that you still apply today?

SP: I have worked across the field in private firms, the public sector and for non-profits, across the country and across the world, and I’ve had the chance to learn from some incredible designers and thinkers at places like Agency Landscape and Planning, MASS Design Group and the NYC Department of City Planning. My first real “job” out of college was working for a small architectural firm in Colorado as the office manager. I learned a ton about running a firm and got to do everything — sometimes it was all hands on deck — from contracts to drawing interior elevations, and I ended up running the design review approval process for most of the projects. I loved the collaborative design environment at Agency and was really inspired by the female leadership. My experience at NYC City Planning really taught me about scale — how to zoom in and out — from the scale of the sidewalk to the entire city.

My experiences in academia also continue to impact our current practice. Supported by a 2017 Penny White Project Fund grant and the GSD’s Charles Eliot Traveling Fellowship, I explored the ways humans and wildlife can collaborate to address water shortages and restore hydrological systems. And in an article published in Places Journal, I explored the profound impact of North American beavers on the landscapes of the Mountain West. It might seem unconventional—beavers and humans working together—but as a landscape designer, I value the insights gained from such unusual collaborations.

DL: During my time at CSS in Boston, a women-led firm specializing in municipal and state projects, I dove into all phases of design. This hands-on experience was crucial for me, honing my skills in detailing and understanding how materials work together in construction. It really helped me appreciate the technical nuances of landscape architecture. Later at Civitas here in Colorado, I encountered the complexities of large-scale landscape parks and open space site design. I worked on projects that demanded strategic thinking, from urban design integration to navigating client relations and managing budgets. The experience taught me the importance of comprehensive project management, from initial strategy development to final quality assurance and control.

My previous experiences exposed me to the critical impacts of climate on landscape design: understanding how to incorporate climate resilience into projects became a priority, and influencing my approach to sustainable and adaptive design solutions.

Diane and Stacy in their studio and with their team. Photography by Rouxby Photo.

How did Superbloom come about? How has the practice evolved, and how have you evolved with it?

DL: Superbloom started from a deep-seated belief in what landscape architecture could do for urban spaces. It began with just two of us, and we have quickly grown into a team of ten over the last three years. From the beginning, we were all about setting up smart ways of working together. So, we focused on refining our collaboration and workflow systems, making sure they were as efficient and effective as possible. This strong foundation has been crucial in delivering projects that not only look great on paper but also come to life beautifully on the ground.

SP: One of the best parts of this journey has been teaming up with amazing collaborators. We've had the privilege of working closely with architecture firms like Studio Gang, Snohetta and Shape Architecture, who we share an office with. Personally, growing alongside Superbloom has been a real adventure. We’ve evolved from being immersed in the nitty-gritty technical details to leading strategic design initiatives where landscape plays a central role in shaping architectural outcomes. It's been a transformative shift, shaping how we approach each project and ensuring our designs are not just functional but truly impactful.

Looking back at it all, what have been the biggest challenges? How did you both manage through perceived disappointments or setbacks?

DL: Juggling the demands of work and family life has been a constant balancing act, but it is especially rewarding to hear my daughter say she’s proud that we own our own business. As the firm experienced fast growth, managing the influx of projects and scaling our team efficiently posed its own set of challenges.

Creatively navigating market conditions, especially concerning construction material availability and the quality of craftsmanship, has been another hurdle. We always try to promote the use of local materials, which has sometimes required innovative thinking and perseverance. Inflation and escalating costs have also been a reality we've had to contend with. Instead of viewing these as setbacks, we've turned them into opportunities to advocate even more passionately for local sourcing.

SP: We've also learned that pursuing new projects requires persistence and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. With the highs and lows of pitching our ideas, maintaining enthusiasm and optimism at a high level, regardless of the outcome, has been essential. We've learned to celebrate the potential and possibilities inherent in every project, channeling that excitement into our proposals and presentations. This approach not only fuels our creativity but also reinforces our belief in the value of our work, regardless of the immediate outcome.

“It’s about seeing our projects become catalysts for positive change—where green spaces not only beautify but also contribute to cooling urban areas, conserving water, and promoting biodiversity.”

— Stacy Passmore

What have you also learned in the last six months?

SP: Recently I listened to an episode from the GSD architecture podcast "Talking Practice." The guests were discussing the different stages that design practices typically go through as they grow and mature. They talked about how there's this initial excitement and curiosity about new firms. Clients are willing to give you a shot and see what you can do. It's a period of exploration and laying the groundwork for your approach. The second year, the focus shifts to setting up systems and processes that allow the firm to operate smoothly and efficiently. This is where we've been concentrating a lot of our efforts—figuring out the best ways to organize our team, manage projects effectively, and deliver high-quality work consistently.

Then, they hit on the third year being a critical juncture. It's often described as a make-or-break period where firms either solidify their place in the industry and continue to grow, or they face significant challenges that force them to reevaluate and adjust their strategies. This all really struck a chord with me because it mirrored a lot of what we've been experiencing at Superbloom.

DL: A significant takeaway for me has been seeing our team's true impact. We're all about creating systems that let everyone shine in their roles. We've been tweaking our timekeeping setups, trying out different tools to boost efficiency and keep us on track. It's all about refining our processes to make sure we're delivering top-notch work every time, and it seems like this constant tweaking helps.

And then there's the community side of things. Projects like St. Patrick's Park have shown us how important it is to engage with the people we design for. We try to activate interventions like this, from pop-up events to art installations to games that bring life to our spaces. It's been eye-opening to see how these interactions deepen our impact and make our designs more meaningful.

Who are you admiring now and why?

SP: Jeanne Gang has been a personal hero of mine for so long, and the fact that we were chosen to work with her on Populus, which is opening soon, has been a dream come true. The way she is able to work across such a variety of design typologies that each have so much impact is something we hope to be known for as we continue to grow and evolve as a practice.

DL: Everyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman. I am a devoted, long-time listener to Armchair Expert, and I think we would have an amazing conversation about landscape architecture! There is so little understanding of what landscape architecture comprises and what we do, so I’d love the opportunity to sit down with folks like them and help educate a wider audience of people who could get more involved in environmental stewardship and climate resiliency.

What is the impact you’d like to have on the world? What is your core mission? And, what does success in that look like to you?

SP: The impact we strive for through Superbloom is deeply rooted in creating resilient, culturally enriching environments, particularly focusing on climate resilience in non-coastal regions. Our core mission revolves around integrating landscape architecture seamlessly to enhance sustainability, community well-being, and cultural vibrancy. Success, to us, looks like thriving cities and communities where our designs not only withstand the challenges of climate change but thrive in harmony with their surroundings. It's about seeing our projects become catalysts for positive change—where green spaces not only beautify but also contribute to cooling urban areas, conserving water, and promoting biodiversity.

DL: Education plays a vital role in achieving this mission. From museums that help reinforce sustainable design principles to the public, to practical toolkits that empower communities to implement climate-resilient strategies, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between people and their environment. Success in education means equipping individuals and communities with the knowledge and tools to advocate for and implement sustainable practices in their own spaces.

Finally, what advice do you have for those starting their career? Would your advice be any different for women?

DL: Don't limit yourself by being too practical. Embrace experimentation and exploration early on. Landscape architecture offers numerous avenues—from urban design to ecological restoration—so try new things and discover where your passion lies. It's not about landing the perfect job; it's about gaining diverse experiences that shape your understanding and refine your skills.

SP: Travel and seek experiences outside of the typical places. Exposing yourself to different landscapes, cultures, and design philosophies enriches your perspective and informs your approach to design. It opens doors to innovative ideas and solutions that you can bring back to your practice. And, whether you're working in academia, government agencies, non-profits, or starting your own practice, each path offers unique opportunities to make a meaningful impact.