Designing Beyond the Studio: Community, Water, and Advocacy at UW–Madison

Dhruv Lokhande: Yeah, so my class that started in 2023, I think that was the biggest class in recent history of UM Wisconsin's program. We started with 33 students entering the program, and now we’re down to 30. But I think that’s still a pretty impressive number given the demanding nature of the major. Since then, the next class is around 24 or 25, and the one after that is close to 30, so it’s a pretty sizable cohort now.

Zach Curry: I didn’t get to ask this earlier, but what’s your faculty-to-student ratio? Ours at OSU is about one to thirteen now.

Dhruv Lokhande: That’s nice. I think ours might be a little higher, but I’d have to think about it. We’ve had a considerable amount of turnover with faculty, but that’s because the department prioritizes bringing in practicing professionals as assistant faculty to teach studios for a semester. That changes who’s full-time, but I think it’s valuable for students to learn from people who are actively practicing. It also shows students that teaching while being a practicing landscape architect is still a possibility, even if one is not a tenure track professor.

Zach Curry: That’s good to hear. Are you guys connected to professional practice, like visiting firms and stuff?

Dhruv Lokhande: Yeah, we do have a professional practice class started by Shawn T. Kelly. He’s a former ASLA president and a Fellow of ASLA. He authored the Practice Act of Landscape Architects in Wisconsin that made licensure a requirement for landscape architecture. He’s really invested in advocacy, teaching, and practice. That class includes studio visits and reflections on early career questions—privilege, DEI, environmental justice—and it helps students think critically about the profession as they step into practice.

Sam Clemente: Is there a focus? 

Dhruv Lokhande: We’ve been told a lot that UW–Madison has a rich history of environmental conservation and the Prairie School of Design, with people like Frank Lloyd Wright, Jens Jensen, and John Muir connected to the university. That legacy informs a strong focus on planting design and water. Water plays a big role in studios and capstones. There’s also the Wisconsin Idea, which is that what you learn in the classroom only matters if you take it out to communities in need. Our senior capstone is a year-long project with real clients. My group is working with Menasha, Wisconsin, reimagining their downtown and a burned paper mill site along a waterfront and island.

Zach Curry: From what I’m hearing, you guys do a lot of community engagement. Can you talk about that?

Dhruv Lokhande: Yeah, because our field is so people-focused, it’s important that students engage with their surroundings. One opportunity came when a local elementary school teacher wanted her class to visit our studio through a pre-college summer program. We used that to introduce third graders to landscape architecture—parks, splash pads, everyday spaces—and did hands-on activities. What stood out was how kids iterate freely, design for non-human species, and respectfully debate ideas. It was a reminder of instincts we sometimes lose in formal design education. The program grew through word of mouth ... and is becoming more structured over time.

Zach Curry: I’m honestly jealous. We had something similar planned—a playground studio—but it didn’t happen. We don’t get many chances for public-facing engagement during the school year.

Sam Clemente: It’s empowering to know it’s student-led. Even without heavy faculty involvement, it shows what’s possible.

Dhruv Lokhande: Exactly. Faculty support us when we need resources, but students lead it. We also align with ASLA’s K–12 committee, which has promised resources like worksheets and books and (a badge/seal of) credibility

Sam Clemente: The downside of student-led programs is continuity. How do you plan on keeping it going year to year?

Dhruv Lokhande: We plan/hope to reduce friction by creating templates and documentation so each cohort doesn’t reinvent everything. We also intentionally involve younger students early as volunteers so they feel ownership and are more likely to lead later.

Sam Clemente: I wanted to ask about the visit to Taliesin. Was that part of the curriculum or more of a one-off?

Dhruv Lokhande: It was a Wisconsin ASLA Summer Field Session, not curriculum-based. It reflects our emphasis on understanding local landscape context. If you can design well for your local context, you can design anywhere. As part of the curriculum, on the other hand, we do take immersive trips like to The Clearing Folk School, a Jens Jensen estate in Door County, WI, which really shapes how we think about landscape and ecology.

Zach Curry: You mentioned earlier the building you’re currently in, and it sounded ironic.

Dhruv Lokhande: Yeah, our building is currently the Environmental Health and Safety building. The first floor handles radioactive waste and hazardous materials, and our studio is on the second floor. It can be a little isolating from the rest of campus, but it’s also a reminder of how hostile environments affect people and productivity—something we carry forward in our design thinking.

Sam Clemente: It sounds like you work both with blank slates and reuse in your program.

Dhruv Lokhande: Yeah, early studios focus on campus-scale design, then Madison-specific sites, then regional and urban design. Capstone work varies widely—from brownfield waterfronts to cultural sites, wayfinding plans, and parks—working with real clients across Wisconsin.

Zach Curry: Nice.

Dhruv Lokhande: Water and soil are major themes. We have a required soil science class, and water systems are embedded in almost every studio.

Zach Curry: That soil class was probably the hardest class I’ve taken.

Dhruv Lokhande: Cohort culture helps a lot. We take most classes together, which builds camaraderie and support. That same energy fuels outreach and advocacy.

Zach Curry: I unfortunately have to get going. This has been a great chat.

Sam Clemente: Thank you.

Dhruv Lokhande: Thank you. I hope this leads to more discussion and cross-pollination.

Sam Clemente: I did record this. I’ll send the transcript in the next couple of weeks for approval.

Dhruv Lokhande: Thank you.

Zach Curry: Hope to see you at LABash.

Dhruv Lokhande: Me too. I’ll try my best.

Sam Clemente: Funding always seems to be the biggest issue.

Dhruv Lokhande: We took about 28 students to ASLA using housing funds. Travel is usually paid by students, but grants can reimburse part of it. Housing being covered makes a big difference.

Sam Clemente: That’s awesome.

Dhruv Lokhande: I really enjoy connecting with students across landscape architecture programs. These early conversations matter.

Sam Clemente: I appreciate all of this—there’s a lot of rich information here.

Dhruv Lokhande: Looking forward to seeing what you write.