Join us on October 10 at the Independence Visitor Center for a special midday screening of Sitting Still with Laurie Olin - the acclaimed documentary portrait of one of America's most celebrated landscape architects, whose own design for Independence Mall lies just steps outside the door.

The event runs from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and unfolds in three parts: a welcome reception to open the morning, followed by a 90-minute screening of the film, and closing with a live fireside conversation between Laurie Olin and moderator Richard Roark, with time for audience Q&A. *Refreshments Provided

Set against the backdrop of America's Semiquincentennial and DesignPhiladelphia 2026, this gathering will bring together landscape architects, designers, educators, and civic leaders to celebrate the power of public space - and the irreverent, humane vision behind some of America's most beloved places.

Approved Credits:

• AIA: 2 CEU
• LACES (pending)

Laurie Olin

Laurie is a distinguished teacher, author, and one of the most renowned landscape architects practicing today. From vision to realization, he has guided many of OLIN’s signature projects, which span the history of the studio from the Washington Monument Grounds in Washington, DC to Bryant Park in New York City. His recent projects include the AIA award-winning Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Simon and Helen Director Park in Portland, Oregon.

Laurie studied civil engineering at the University of Alaska and pursued architecture at the University of Washington, where Richard Haag encouraged him to focus on landscape. He is currently Practice Professor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, where he has taught for 40 years, and is former chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture at Harvard University. Laurie is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and recipient of the 1998 Award in Architecture from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is the recipient of the 2012 National Medal of Arts, the highest lifetime achievement award for artists and designers bestowed by the National Endowment for the Arts and the President of the United States. He also holds the 2011 American Society of Landscape Architects Medal, the society’s highest award for a landscape architect.

Moderator: Richard Roark

Richard’s work spans a range of scales and typologies, focused on expanding the civic capacity of the landscape. Projects such as the competition-winning design for Hunts Point under the Rebuild by Design initiative, Dilworth Park in Philadelphia, and a strategic plan for Detroit’s historic Eastern Market exemplify a practice focused on sustainable, economical and well-crafted public design. Richard is currently completing work for a waterfront pavilion at Sojourner Truth Park along the Hudson River, developing a sea level rise social and environmental justice plan for the communities of Caño Martín Peña and realizing an innovative flood mitigation plan for the NYCHA communities of Red Hook in Brooklyn. Richard serves on the board for Studio Ludo, an innovative play research non-profit, and regularly provides pro-bono design services through Philadelphia’s Community Design Collaborative.

Richard began his studies in landscape architecture at Auburn University, where he earned a Bachelor of Environmental Design and then a Master of Landscape Architecture. He first joined OLIN in 2001 upon receiving his Master of Community Planning. He has served as an invited guest juror at Arizona State University, Auburn University, Temple University and University of Pennsylvania, and is a past member of Auburn University’s Landscape Advisory Council.

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