Brian Phelps

Biography: I develop solutions that shape the human experience and the networks through which information flows. My work as an urban designer and landscape architect seeks to create dynamic spaces that result in meaningful and memorable experiences that connect people, communities, and ideas. The invisible networks enabled by place and proximity influence the innovation capacity and economic resiliency of our cities. My exploration of social physics, sociology, psychology, behavioral economics, and networks has shaped my approach to design. As a senior associate at Hawkins Partners, Inc., a landscape architecture and urban design office in Nashville, Tennessee, I am involved in wide array of projects ranging from the design/planning of mix-use developments, public space, transportation, and the integration of green infrastructure. My work in innovation infrastructure planning has led to the Nashville Innovation Project, a grassroots effort to increase the innovation capacity of Nashville. I am also the founder of the AGILE Landscape Project, a think tank dedicated to exploring urban design solutions that improve cities and public space through ADAPTIVE GENERATIVE and INTELLIGENT LANDSCAPE EXPERIMENTATION. TALP was inspired by the agile software model and lean startup methodology. In this vein, it utilizes physical and iterative prototypes of its concepts with the aim of bringing products to the urban design marketplace.