Opportunities to tackle environmental challenges—from climate adaptation to biodiversity loss—lie not only in iconic places but in the ordinary streets, parks, and neighborhoods that shape daily life. In fact, the landscapes we encounter every day may be the most important for shaping how people care for nature.
Ecology, perception, and the beauty of everyday landscapes.
Working alongside experts in ecology, engineering, and other fields, the People and Everyday Nature (PEN) Lab brings together perspectives from landscape architecture, everyday aesthetics, and psychology to explore how the design of everyday landscapes can work more closely with natural systems while enriching aesthetic experiences, supporting human wellbeing, and motivating environmental stewardship.