Thomas Charney
Landscape Designer
About Me.
I began my journey into landscape through recognizing a deficit in my connection to nature, a feeling I believe many of us experience in the busy modern world we inhabit today. Through my study of Botany and Japanese language, I greatly widened my view of what was possible in landscapes. Along the way, I came across a discipline that addressed my hunch that I needed to get outside more: Environmental Psychology. With that trifecta in mind, I pursued a Masters of Landscape Architecture and travelled extensively for internships: from the tight confines of a Japanese garden within a maximum security prison to the wide open pastures of Hokkaido.
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I am happy to say I lead a much richer life thanks to this journey, and I wish to share this sense of wellbeing with others through landscape design and consultation.
Education
2020-2023
University of Michigan
Beginning my design education in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I overcame many obstacles to learn the craft of landscape architecture. By leveraging my bachelor's degree, networking my way to distant internships, and stepping up to leadership roles in SASLA, I was able to earn numerous scholarships to fund my education.
2015-2019
Michigan State University
Majoring in Plant Biology/Environmental Biology at Lyman Briggs College, I gained a strong grounding in science while remaining in touch with the humanities through my minor in Japanese. I had particularly formative experiences at the Japan Center for Michigan Universities and the Kellogg Biological Station.