Christian Gabriel

A fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and a distinguished alumnus of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Christian brings 20-years of global expertise as an award-winning designer, policy innovator, and major public builder. 

Trained in design, ecology and anthropology; his built work, design research, and enacted public policy bridges future parks, civic infrastructure, urban ecology + nature-based systems.   Delivering work under challenging jurisdictional, operational, economic, physical, and political conditions, Christian has completed dozens of celebrated projects.  Unique amongst his peers, Christian has authored and implemented design policy, designed innovative capital projects, and developed inventive approaches to reenvisioning and managing large real estate portfolios, recreational assets, and park systems.
 

Christian has served as the first National Design Director for Landscape Architecture at the United States GSA, as a senior designer in prominent design practices, and as the Deputy Director of a major urban parks agency.  Additionally, Christian has played a leading role in shaping progressive federal design policies and in developing both the 'National Disaster Resilience' and the 'Rebuild By Design' competitions for the United States federal government.  Christian currently serves as the senior executive of National Infrastructure for the USTA, and directs the strategic advisory practice, Public Nature Projects.  Christian is a founding board member of the McHarg Center for Urbanism and Ecology at the University of Pennsylvania (2017) and a board member of the National Recreation and Parks Association (2024).

Christian has made the creation of a future-forward public realm, immersive environments, functional excellence, and climate responsiveness, a cornerstone of his career.