“Crafting a garden with an understanding of its contemporary aesthetic while envisioning how the space endures and evolves over decades is one of the joys of landscape architecture. The artist imagines how trees will mature, how communities will gather, and how landscapes will adapt to changing conditions.

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“Rowen represents landscape architecture in reverse: instead of designing the garden first, I am designing the decomposing vessel that will create the garden. The puppet’s materials, the timing of its planting in the earth—even the seasonal changes to its botanical exterior—each element is thoughtfully orchestrated so Rowen’s eventual burial initiates optimal growth. Rowen challenges fundamental assumptions about permanence in landscape design. Gardens normally outlive their designers, but Rowen Park will be born from the very character that championed its creation.”

Austin Young is a landscape architect specializing in urban ecological design and community-centered green spaces. His sense of wonder and fascination with the natural world began in childhood, watching historic oak trees outside his bedroom window dance in Kentucky thunderstorms. Moving to South Florida opened a new botanical world of palms and tropical flora, where Austin spent his youth sketching countless landscape plans—his form of doodling rooted in spatial design.

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Austin holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from The University of Arizona and a dual B.A. in Economics and International Studies from Northwestern University. His career path through fashion, real estate development, and interior design in New York City provided a valuable interdisciplinary perspective that now informs his holistic approach to landscape architecture. 

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Through mentorships at firms across Aspen, Dallas, Miami, and Southern California, Austin has developed expertise in both creative design processes and technical analysis. His approach is grounded in regional biodiversity to create spaces that are both inspiring and beneficial for community needs.

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Austin’s transformative New York City experience deeply informs his urban design philosophy. He arrived spending his first nine months passing only seven trees during his daily commute, but later lived adjacent to Central Park—a stark contrast that revealed how profoundly access affects urban wellbeing. This personal journey from botanical scarcity to abundance drives his commitment to expanding accessible green spaces in dense urban contexts.

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Austin brings to Rowen a design philosophy that celebrates native and adaptive plants, creating spaces rich in vegetated vibrancy. While his landscape interventions with Rowen may be monumental in scale and environmental impact, he believes the most meaningful change happens through intimate, personal encounters with nature. 

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Every project he undertakes is an opportunity to remind communities of nature’s presence and potential in urban life. By creating beautiful spaces that also serve as learning environments, he seeks to inspire community engagement while reconnecting New Yorkers with their region’s natural heritage and the transformative power of urban agriculture.