Season 1
EPISODE 2
In this episode of Land Language, hosts Brit Sastrawidjaya and Bethany Rydmark sit down with landscape architect Jenny Jones (founder of Terremoto, Los Angeles-based design studio, degrees in Environmental Science and Landscape Architecture from UVA). Together, they explore the intersection of sustainable materials, labor ethics, and regenerative design practices that challenge the industrial construction model.
“ As landscape architects, we're the stewards of [the earth]. And I would just love if our profession would operate more under that mindset.”
—Jenny Jones
Jenny brings years of experience questioning conventional landscape construction. From her background teaching middle school science to working at large firms swept up in "landscape urbanism" to founding a studio that prioritizes ecological restoration, material reuse, and small-scale relationship-driven work. This episode reframes how designers and contractors think about concrete, urbanite, labor visibility, and the capitalistic project model that often undermines sustainable intentions.
This is a foundational conversation for any practitioner seeking to reduce material waste, honor the hands that build our designs, and create landscapes through restraint rather than excess.
We explore:
Material reuse strategies: urbanite, reclaimed stone, and the logistics of storage yards
Concrete alternatives: carbon-sequestering pavers, decomposed concrete, and regional sourcing
Labor ethics in landscape construction: visibility, value, and design-build integration
Tech culture's influence on landscape aesthetics: Bay Area minimalism vs. LA experimentation
"Garden coaching": a sustainable alternative to one-and-done project models
Slowing down the build: why capitalistic timelines undermine ecological outcomes
Regional material availability: how to work with what is abundant in your region
Bridging the design-build disconnect that perpetuates unsustainable practices
This episode is a thoughtful conversation discussing material sourcing, questioning professional standards, and building beauty through conservation rather than consumption.
Jenny Jones is founder of Terremoto, a Los Angeles-based landscape design studio specializing in material reuse, ecological restoration, and conservation-minded projects.
With degrees in Environmental Science, Environmental Thought and Practice, Landscape Architecture, and Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia, Jenny spent time as a middle school science teacher before entering the landscape profession.
Her work challenges conventional construction standards, champions labor visibility, and demonstrates that sustainable design doesn't require sacrificing beauty. Terremoto's projects range from intimate "garden coaching" relationships to ecological restoration work, all unified by an ethic of restraint, local sourcing, and honoring craft.
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