DETROIT, Mich. (June 4-6, 2026) – Florida International University School of Architecture faculty members Professor Roberto Rovira and Professor Linda Chamorro represented the Department of Landscape Architecture + Environmental and Urban Design (LAEUD) at the 2026 Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) Summit in Detroit, Michigan.
The biennial summit brings together leaders from academia, professional practice, and allied disciplines to examine the future of landscape architecture and address the profession’s most pressing challenges through collaboration, innovation, and research.
As part of the summit, Rovira participated in the panel discussion “Reimagining Practice,” alongside Michael Grove, Jenny Jones, Elizabeth Kennedy, Gloria Lau, and moderator C.L. Bohannon. The session explored how landscape architecture is being actively reshaped today and the changes necessary to prepare the profession for the future.
Drawing from his experience as an educator, licensed landscape architect, and Fellow at FIU’s Ratcliffe Art + Design Incubator, Rovira shared perspectives on the intersection of design education, professional practice, applied research, and entrepreneurship.
“Landscape architecture is ultimately a practice of making—not just seeing, studying, or representing, but building, testing, deploying, and reckoning with what happens when an idea meets the ground,” said Rovira. “Understanding that requires both analysis and getting your hands in the ground.”
Throughout the discussion, Rovira emphasized the importance of expanding the profession’s cultural perspective by recognizing the rich landscape traditions of Latin America and the Caribbean. Teaching at one of the nation’s largest Hispanic-serving institutions, he advocates for integrating these design traditions into landscape architecture education while reinforcing the value of hands-on making as an essential component of the discipline.
Rovira also addressed the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset within design education, encouraging students to move beyond responding to project briefs toward identifying opportunities, building partnerships, and transforming ideas into meaningful public impact.
“The challenges landscape architecture now faces—including climate adaptation, energy transition, food insecurity, ecological restoration, and community resilience—require designers who can operate with initiative, agility, and strategic imagination,” Rovira said.
These principles are reflected in his teaching and research at FIU, where he has led design studios focused on Puerto Rico’s environmental and infrastructure challenges while developing collaborations with local organizations, universities, and professional practices. He has also directed study abroad programs in Mexico that immerse students in culturally grounded design practices and expose them to innovative approaches to landscape architecture.
By participating in the 2026 LAF Summit, FIU faculty contributed to national conversations shaping the future of landscape architecture while showcasing the School of Architecture’s commitment to advancing design education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and impactful professional practice.
