Founded in 1996, Virginia Burt Designs is a full service landscape architecture firm specializing in residential, estate, and therapeutic landscapes. With offices in Ohio and Ontario, the firm has been involved in a wide range of projects including therapeutic gardens for hospitals and institutions, estate master plans, and native landscape restoration in both the United States and Canada.
Virginia Burt leads a team of landscape architects whose inspirations include travel, photography, collaboration with artists, fabricators & nurserymen, art, history, and the beauty of the natural world. Clients include healthcare organizations, governmental agencies, private individuals, and academic institutions.
The firm has received acclaim both nationally and internationally with awards garnered from the American Society of Landscape Architects, Ohio Chapter ASLA, Landscape Nova Scotia, and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects and has been featured in professional magazines, shelter publications, newspapers, and journals.
Virginia Burt
Principal Landscape Architect
FCSLA, FASLA
Since founding Virginia Burt Designs in 1996, Virginia has designed and directed healing landscapes for private residential, educational and public clients. VBD has established a reputation for creating gardens and landscapes of meaning. Virginia’s work has achieved international recognition receiving multiple awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects, Palladio, and Canadian Society of Landscape Architects. She is one of seven women in the world with Fellowships from both societies for outstanding contribution to the profession. Clients appreciate and value her deep respect for place and for the human dimensions of each project. Virginia gets things built — beautifully.
Sydney Martel
Landscape Architect
OALA, CSLA, ASLA
Sydney is a Landscape Architect with nearly a decade of experience. Motivated to create engaging spaces for folks to live, work, rest and play, she strives to craft transformative spaces that inspire social, environmental, and spiritual enrichment. As a mother and avid gardener, she sees the value in creating accessible, beautiful, and engaging spaces for people of all ages and abilities; drawing inspiration from her travels across Europe and North America, her designs are imbued with robust and beautiful plantings to ensure continued growth and interest throughout the seasons.
Before joining Virginia Burt Designs, Sydney worked in the private sector, contributing to all stages of the planning and design process from concept ideation and schematic design to design development, municipal approvals, and construction drawings. Her project experience includes intimate gardens, trail design, municipal parks, boulevard streetscapes, mid-rise and high-rise developments, rooftop amenity terraces, master planning and preparing urban design guidelines. She is thrilled to join the VBD team and looks forward to creating fabulous, and lasting places.
Leanne Hudak
Office Director
Leanne is a cut flower grower and sculptor who lives within walking distance to our design studio. She is committed to inclusion for all, community investment, and healing with nature. Her experience in administration spans many sectors including automotive, horticultural, retail, and education. She brings an uplifting and empowering vibe to our office, supporting our team, clients, and collaborators. designers so they can focus on doing what they do best.
Brandon Clark
Senior Landscape Architect
OALA, CSLA, ASLA
Professionally involved in Landscape Architecture for over 15 years, Brandon has worked on a wide variety of projects ranging from small-scale and intricately detailed private gardens to mixed-use community masterplans. Brandon gains tremendous satisfaction when he is solving complex challenges throughout all phases of a project and has extensive hands-on experience in landscape construction.
This experience in construction corresponds to his passionate belief that the best learning is achieved through immersive experiences. Prior to continuing his career as a Landscape Architect with Virginia Burt Designs, Brandon lived on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada, visited all the Canadian provinces, and has explored the outdoors in areas of the United States, Asia, Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean; Brandon has an insatiable desire to expand his mind and understanding with new, creative, and cultural adventures. To Brandon, beautiful spaces and moments are created when our senses are engaged, and our minds are enlivened through human interaction and by learning with others.
Eryn Buzza
Landscape Architect
OALA, CSLA, ISA
Eryn holds a Master of Urban Forestry Leadership from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Guelph. As a Landscape Architect, ISA Certified Arborist and Red Seal Landscape Horticulturist, Eryn has contributed to the development of sustainable landscapes and protection of urban trees with the City of Vancouver Board of Parks & Recreation, City of Vancouver Planning department and City of Victoria Parks department. Eryn is passionate about sustainable design and protecting the natural elements within environments where we live.
Outside of her professional interests, Eryn enjoys yoga and outdoor activities, including gardening, hiking and soccer. She has lived across Canada and spent over a decade on the West Coast. Eryn is excited to work with the VBD team, to create landscapes of meaning that bring joy, rejuvenation and peace to those we are designing for.
Jacob Farrish
Intern Landscape Architect
OALA, BLA, ADLD
A graduate from Fanshawe College, Jacob has an advanced degree in Landscape Design. Currently enrolled in the landscape architecture program at the University of Guelph, Jacob is completing his 4 month internship at VBD. We are thrilled to have Jacob on board as he explores innovative ways to integrate technology into our designs. With his exceptional creativity, technical, and strong academic background, Jacob brings a fresh and interesting perspective to our team – welcome aboard!
