The University of Virginia School of Architecture is seeking an accomplished designer, scholar, and experienced educator who will lead the Department of Landscape Architecture and participate in its innovative teaching, creative work, and research. The successful candidate will promote design and scholarly excellence, and the use of landscape architecture to investigate pressing social, cultural, technical, and environmental issues while contributing to the School's national and international reputation. As the head of one of four departments within the school (Architecture, Architectural History, Landscape Architecture, and Urban and Environmental Planning), the Landscape Architecture Department Chair will advance and build upon the unique strengths and accomplishments of the MLA program while fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration. The successful candidate should have a vision to support the department’s ongoing growth and be a resource to the entire School of Architecture, including the PhD program in the Constructed Environment and undergraduate education. Candidates for this position should have experience in academic leadership, and a demonstrated record of excellence in scholarship, teaching, and professional practice and/or design research.

The Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Virginia equips students with the critical, imaginative, and technical skills to design and analyze landscapes in all of their dynamic cultural, ecological, and spatial dimensions. Our approach is rooted in a mission to create a more just and beautiful world addressing pressing challenges of the 21st century. The department emphasizes design, ecological process, and technological sophistication in the context of cultural and social issues of race, democracy, environmental change, and urban-rural dynamics. As part of a leading public institution, our department maintains a focus on the people and places of Virginia and the Chesapeake region, while supporting study and leading research across the U.S. and around the world. 

Faculty and students explore topics such as climate resilience, cultural landscape preservation, ecological restoration, and social equity while engaging in innovative design practices and pedagogies across scales. The program encourages students to shape their education by integrating their diverse backgrounds and passions, preparing them to lead in reimagining infrastructure, public space, and the commons. With internationally recognized faculty, the UVA MLA program fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and critical perspectives, empowering graduates to make meaningful and impactful contributions to a more inclusive and resilient world. 

The UVA Department of Landscape Architecture has a tradition of excellence in teaching design, history and theory, while helping to shape the field through scholarship and creative work. This tradition remains evident today through recent Rome Prize and National ASLA, CELA and ACSA Awards, historical and theoretical scholarship, and the productivity of externally funded labs and research groups focused on rural, coastal, arctic, and engagement questions. These efforts are part of initiatives at the School that include recently renovated and expanded fabrication facilities, a landscape lab at the Milton Airfield where controlled burning, earthmoving, and other 1:1 techniques are taught and explored, and new capabilities for computation and field measurement. The Morven Sustainability Lab will afford opportunities to work with colleagues in Environmental Sciences, Anthropology, and many other departments on field-based research and teaching. The School of Architecture has access to university-level seed funding as well as more substantial support for its centers and major endeavors, including through the Environmental Institute. The Landscape Architecture Department values the ability to collaborate across disciplines and pursue research, scholarship, and teaching excellence, including translating important new work into studios, core courses, and electives. 

Qualifications

The qualifications of the candidate should be consistent with a tenured appointment at the level of an Associate or Full Professor, with a terminal degree in landscape architecture (MLA) or equivalent advanced graduate degree. A professional license or PhD is desirable. We are seeking an engaged and inspiring colleague who, in working with our Dean, Chairs and Faculty, will be a leader at one of the most esteemed public universities in the nation. www.arch.virginia.edu.  

Application Instructions

To apply for this position please follow apply.interfolio.com/159925 

•    Letter of interest in and qualifications for the position, including a summary of notable accomplishments in design research, teaching, and leadership. 

•    Curriculum vitae 

•    Contact information for (3) references noting your professional relationship to each. References will be contacted only after the candidate is shortlisted.

Application reviews will begin early February 2025 and remain open until the position is filled. For questions regarding this position, please contact Search Committee Chair, Associate Dean & Associate Professor Dr. C.L. Bohannon, clbohannon@virginia.edu 

For Interfolio-related assistance, please contact Jaime Satterlee at jlg5wv@virginia.edu