Patricia Algara

Patricia Algara grew up in San Luis Potosi in central Mexico, she came to landscape architecture through feminism, even though four generations of architects preceded her. Her undergraduate degree was in Latin American studies and she has always been passionate about issues impacting the region and immigrant rights. She founded BASE Landscape Architecture during a recession, with one project, one collaborator, and an office in an abandoned building. Nearly two decades later the firm has ten people, most of them women, most of them immigrants.

Patricia is a recognized leader in coalition building and community-driven design. She creates landscapes that immerse children and families of all backgrounds and abilities in learning, exploration and play. Her work connects communities with the built and natural worlds. A native Spanish speaker, she has engaged Spanish-speaking communities as collaborators in projects from master plan to urban agriculture initiatives. Patricia’s community involvement and advocacy expand the boundaries of traditional landscape architecture. She is the founder of With Honey in the Heart, a non-profit organization that creates healthy habitats for and educates people about pollinators. She has taught at UC Berkeley, a class called “Designing for Difference,” which focuses on the social factors influencing the design of public spaces. Patricia has received national recognition for her design, outreach, education and leadership, and has won a national faculty ASLA award.

Patricia founded El Merequetengue, a network of Latin American Landscape Architects to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of Latines in the profession. A beekeeper and apitherapist, she draws inspiration from bees, whose artistry and industriousness demonstrate that beauty, function, structure, and communication can and should coexist.