معرفی
Alison B. Hirsch is an Associate Professor and former Director of the Landscape Architecture + Urbanism program at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Architecture. She leads the Landscape Justice Initiative (LJI), addressing environmental and spatial justice through research and community engagement. Her work focuses on California’s Central Valley, particularly Allensworth, a historically Black agrarian community, and its socioenvironmental challenges. Hirsch holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and has taught at Harvard, University of Virginia, and University of Toronto.
Her research integrates cultural practices and social histories into design, emphasizing participatory methods. Notable projects include Rising Again: Histofutures of Allensworth (forthcoming) and City Choreographer: Lawrence Halprin in Urban Renewal America, exploring Halprin’s collaboration with his wife, dancer Anna Halprin. Awards include the Graham Foundation Grant, LAF Fellowship, and a Shapiro Center Fellowship.
Hirsch’s academic leadership includes directing USC’s MLA+U program and co-founding foreground design agency. Her teaching spans theories of landscape architecture, cross-cultural history, and design studios focusing on contested landscapes. She consults with underrepresented communities, such as Willowbrook, on monuments and public realm projects.
