Landscape Architecture :: Lynne Manzo

Faculty

Department Faculty

Professor

Anne Vernez Moudon
Daniel Friedman

Associate Professor

Assistant Professor

Lecturers

Luanne Smith
Nhon Truong

Research

Visiting Scholars

Students

LYNNE MANZO

PERSONAL NOTE

Here, I want to tell you a little bit more about myself and the personal journey that has brought me to this place. I've spent most of my life in New York City, so I am a die-hard urbanite. I enjoy the vitality of city life, its diversity, and the "street theatre" that is part of the fabric of urban environments with a healthy pedestrian life. Having grown up in a dense, fairly industrial part of the city, I know I have an affinity to such places; yet, it calls me to think about our relationships with nature and how we can better connect to the natural environment in an increasingly urban world.

I am fascinated by how people interact with the world around them. Having initially been trained in more mainstream psychological theories, it was exciting to discover environmental psychology and learn that the totality of who we are is not necessarily biologically predetermined - that predisposition and personality do not tell the whole story. It is fascinating to learn about how the physical world around us has an impact on our lives and experiences. And how exciting to think about how we are all active shapers of our environments, our worlds! Plus, it is much more fun to get out there and explore environments and talk to people about their real-world experiences and views.

I am thrilled to be still living in a coastal city and witness the renewed efforts to further connect with the water - it seems that Seattle, like Manhattan, has recently rediscovered that is surrounded by water and can do more to reconnect people - the full public, not just a select few - with the water's edge, and in more pedestrian friendly ways. It is also nice to be in a place where it is so easy to get out in the water and sail. I've been sailing since I was a young girl when my father and uncle restored their first wooden boat - and it actually stayed afloat! I've been sailing ever since. There is nothing like it… the tranquility of moving along with the wind, unmotorized, natural…. it is also a good chance to kick back with family and friends, a cold beer and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

I suppose the last thing I'll add to help you know where I am coming from - literally and figuratively - is that I've lived in various "ethnic" neighborhoods for many years. For me, this diversity is one of the true joys of urban living. Jackson Heights, the last New York City neighborhood where I lived, was reported in the 1990 census to be the most ethnically diverse community in the nation. Sadly, a nearby neighborhood won that title in the 2000 census. This was a neighborhood in which I both lived and worked as a community organizer for many years. My experience living in such neighborhoods reflects two essential values for me. One is the importance of a diverse urban fabric and the need for social justice, the second is the need for effective, grassroots community development. You see, the very value that I place on doing real-world work led me to the non-profit sector as a community organizer after I received my Ph.D. In fact, my love of this work began in graduate school when I was part of a research team working in Harlem on the transformation of landlord-abandoned buildings into low-income cooperative housing through grassroots efforts of residents.

I have spent many years working in the non-profit sector for community-based organizations and research groups while teaching university courses for the past 11 years. But seeking greater intellectual challenge, trying to unite the academy with the community has, also been an important challenge for me - to try to find ways to break out of the ivory tower and connect with communities. This is something that we in Landscape Architecture can do particularly well. And to be able to pass on the knowledge and the fire to participate in positive community change has also brought me here.