Gabriel-Diaz Montemayor

Gabriel-Diaz Montemayor is an Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at the Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design, University of Arkansas (since 2019). He previously held roles as Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (2021–2024) and taught at institutions including the University of Texas at Austin and Arizona State University. His practice, LABOR Studio (est. 2002), focuses on landscape architecture and border region planning in Chihuahua, México. Key projects include the Tabalaopa Master Plan (2009 ASLA Honor Award) and the Vistas Cerro Grande Linear Park (2018 Latin American Landscape Biennial Honorable Mention).

Education: BArch (Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua), MLA (Auburn University, 2007).

Research interests center on Latin American landscape architecture, U.S.-Mexico border urbanism, and community-driven design. He emphasizes social and environmental justice, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), and public space revitalization. His teaching spans all levels of design studios, urbanism, and construction methodologies.

Notable awards include the 2019 CELA Excellence in Teaching Award and 2012 ASLA Educator of the Year. His work is published in Landscape Architecture Magazine, KERB, and Sustainability Journal, among others. He has lectured globally at institutions such as Harvard GSD and the Universidad Piloto de Bogotá.

Gabriel’s professional and academic contributions bridge landscape architecture with urban planning, particularly in marginalized border regions. His LABOR Studio and academic studios have engaged projects like the Ambas Nogales Studio (2020) and the Lower Rio Grande-Bravo Studio (2022), addressing transnational urban challenges.