José Almiñana
PLA, FASLA, SITES AP, LEED AP
Principal
Andropogon is a scientific category for a group of common North American field grasses. Wherever land has been disturbed, Andropogon grasses are one of the first living things to emerge. They colonize the ground, build soil so other plants may join it, and provide self-sustaining cover for a gradual, successional return to forest.
It’s more than just a name for us – it’s an idea. An ethos. An aspiration. It is the greatest of the many gifts given to us by our founders. It continually inspires us.
Founded more than 40 years ago, Andropogon is a landscape architecture and ecological design firm committed to the principle of “designing with nature,” while creating beautiful and evocative landscapes inspired by the careful observation of natural processes that are informed by the best environmental science. The elegance and economy of natural form and process continue to be the benchmark by which we measure the success of our work—from the smallest construction detail to the multi-layered patterns of regional sites.
From the beginning, Andropogon has pushed the definition of how we define truly sustainable sites. We believe that ecologically responsible design must go beyond just minimizing our impact on the local and global environment. Instead, we see every project as an opportunity to restore the integrity of a site and to make it fundamentally regenerative for the larger community in the long term.
As a certified minority business enterprise (MBE), Andropogon is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Our multi-cultural staff is dedicated to the successful maturing of each project, from initial concept designs to construction review and long-term landscape management. Our body of national and international work includes early examples of innovative green strategies that have withstood the test of time as well as a broad range of landscape, site planning, environmental projects, ecological restoration, and innovative stormwater management techniques.
Our goal is to tell the story of a site by learning what it was, discovering what it is, and studying what it can become.
Our work is best when we are solving tough problems that demand creative, linked, and overlapping solutions.
If we can create a deep bond between a place and the community that supports it, we can guarantee its long-term success.
Our core approach is to build dynamic, holistic systems and establish a healthy web of relationships.
We strive to provide design and planning strategies that produce maximum impact, with minimal invasion.
Our landscapes are not just beautiful; they are studied, measured, and optimized – their success is built on a foundation of data.
Throughout Andropogon’s long history, we have had many talented, inspiring, influential, ground-breaking people work with us. We would like to give a shout out to some of those individuals.
PLA, FASLA, SITES AP, LEED AP
Principal
PLA, ASLA, LEED AP
Principal
PLA, LFA, SITES AP, LEED AP
Associate Principal
Senior Associate
Senior Designer
PLA, ASLA
Senior Associate + Head of the Raleigh Office
PLA, ASLA
Associate + Landscape Architect
PLA
Associate + Landscape Architect
PLA
Landscape Architect
PLA, ASLA
Landscape Architect
Landscape Designer
Landscape Designer
LEED Green Associate
Marketing Director
Chief Financial Officer
Staff Accountant