Celebrating landscape architecture

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/09/2022 (730 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Heber Garcia is a resident of River East, an avid soccer player, and was once partly responsible for creating a bar made of ice. Why is this important? Because it’s Manitoba Landscape Architecture Month, and landscape architecture, among many things, is about people and the communities that connect them.

Heber is a graduate of the master of landscape architecture program at the University of Manitoba (which is celebrating 50 years this year). He’s also a landscape architectural intern with ft3 and is one of those people in your community with a story to tell!

Heber moved to Canada from Guatemala around 15 years ago, and his family settled in Springfield North where he says, “people take care of each other”. His favourite part of his community is when people rise to the occasion and work together, from neighbourhood barbecues to doing neighbours’ chores when they aren’t able, to making meals for residents in need. A favourite memory from Heber’s university days involves a conga line of faculty, staff and students bringing buckets of ice through the architecture building and into the main courtyard to construct an ice bar for a faculty event.

Heber began his time at university studying computer science but after a vocational test decided to choose architecture instead of clothing design. Throughout his education, he learned two foundational things — to be yourself, and to be curious.

“I learned to stick to my values,” he said. “In school and life, there is plenty of criticism. Keep to who you are but keep listening. The right question can open doors and create depth in a project.”

In his professional practice, Heber is settling in as part of the ft3 team. On any given day he can work on up to three or four projects, typically consisting of designing landscapes for the wellness and health-care sector, spas and retreat centres. His favourite part of work is interpreting site data and details into functional and interconnected designs.

In his community, Heber spends much of his time at nearby parks and green spaces including the Chief Peguis Greenway and the many amenities of Kildonan Park. He’s always on the move, whether he’s boxing, playing soccer, or winning competitions such as an annual street hockey tournament downtown (called the Streetscape Cup) or ft3’s commuter challenge, in which Heber cycled 73 kilometres in one week.

During Manitoba Landscape Architecture month, designers such as Heber join forces with the Manitoba Association of Landscape Architects to host public events and encourage you to get lost in your own community. One such event is the Landscape Rocks! scavenger hunt highlighting the sometimes subtly designed spaces in your community. Follow MALA on social media to stay in the loop on more events.