About

JONATHAN CECI LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS is a young design practice based in Baltimore, Maryland with an outpost in Brooklyn, NY. Though small in number, the firm has an outsized impact, working in diverse environments across the continental US. These range from the estuaries of the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River to the Boroughs of New York, from the piedmont of South Carolina to the Mississippi delta, and from the prairies of Iowa and Oklahoma to the desert Southwest. The firm’s stated mission is to expose and distill what is extraordinary and beautiful in each unique place.

We are Landscape Architects. At our best, we are alchemists: We take the dirt and dross of the planet, its wastelands, its waterways, its polluted places and transform them into flourishing communities--communities of plants, people and wildlife. Founding principal, Jonathan Ceci, launched the firm in 2018 out of a desire to provide clients with a higher level of design service and out of a commitment to the distinctness of landscape architecture as a hybrid discipline. Having previously worked with a large, multi-disciplinary firm, he recognizes the critical importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, but also wants to reserve a space where the unique insights of landscape architectural practice can incubate and compound.

Team


  • Founder, Lansdscape Architect

    Jonathan launched an independent design practice in 2018. He spent the previous decade leading the landscape architecture studio of a large multi-disciplinary design firm in Baltimore. Since graduating with a masters in landscape architecture from Harvard University, Jonathan has practiced landscape architecture nationally and internationally, cultivating expertise in the design of cultural facilities, civic spaces, academic campuses and public gardens. He recently led campus transformation projects at Clemson University and Grinnell College and a large, multidisciplinary consultant team working to transform the National Aquarium’s waterfront campus in Baltimore.


  • Landscape Architect

    Heather believes in the transformative power of design. PA-raised and Texas-trained, Heather found her way into landscape architecture while working as a design journalist in New York City, where her investigations for national news outlets and architectural publications convinced her of design's important role in shaping the built environment for human-centered outcomes. As an MLA candidate at the University of Texas at Austin, she participated in the Gulf Coast DesignLab, a design-build program rooted in environmental advocacy. After graduation, she joined the City of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department, engaging community groups in participatory design to realize improvements on parkland and shepherding ecological restoration efforts on the city’s beloved greenbelts. Prior to joining JCLA, she practiced landscape architecture with a multi-disciplinary firm in the Mid-Atlantic, working on campus planning and design for colleges and universities. Approaching the landscape with a reporter’s curiosity, Heather has a special passion for permaculture design, nature play, and outdoor learning environments.


  • Associate/Landscape Architect

    Julie is a landscape architect and graphic designer with diverse design and  management experience. She leans into landscape architecture as a sister discipline to many fields—both ecological and design-oriented—drawing on those intersections to bring greater context and depth to her work. Her projects range from public campus landscapes and civic spaces to private residential gardens. In graphic design she has explored a range of scale, from landscape-scale signage systems to postage-stamp-size logos. Julie holds degrees in landscape architecture from Harvard University and the University of Wisconsin, and is a licensed landscape architect in the State of New York. She also studied graphic design at Parsons School of Design.


  • Senior Associate, Technical Lead, Landscape Designer

    Joseph brings a nuanced understanding of design that integrates both nature and people. Designing landscapes that blend environmental sustainability with functionality, he crafts visually engaging designs tailored to enhance community and urban experiences. His design work spans from civic-scale projects down to intimate crafted details. Prior to joining JCLA, Joseph practiced at Snøhetta in NYC, where his experiences involved shaping diverse landscapes such as collegiate campuses, cultural landmarks, public parks, and urban sites. In his work on complex, large-scale projects and teams, Joseph is recognized for his strategic approach to spatial design and conceptual ideas which balances creativity with technical precision.

  • Associate, Landscape Designer

    Michael finds inspiration in the unexpected adjacencies of naturally occurring and human-made forms. His designs explore the intersection of these two realms—of wildness and control—to yield rich spatial experiences and dynamic ecological outcomes. After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Rutgers University, he practiced with Michael Van Valkenburgh in Cambridge, MA, where he designed landscapes at a wide range of scales from intimate gardens to urban-scale framework plans. In 2018, he was awarded the Rome Prize and spent a year as a Fellow at the American Academy in Rome examining the irregular margins and woodlands of Renaissance gardens and studying how these have been adapted to the remediation of post-industrial wastelands. Carrying this research further, Michael embarked on several years of teaching and graduate study at Penn State, where he co-taught landscape architectural design studios and professional practice courses. He is currently finalizing his thesis for a Master of Science in Landscape Architecture. As an Associate with Jonathan Ceci Landscape Architects, Michael helps lead a mix of projects including gardens, parks and campus landscapes.

  • Landscape Designer

    Shujing recently graduated from the Weitzman School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania with a dual master's degree in Landscape Architecture and Urban Spatial Analytics. Her passion in landscape architecture lies at the intersection of design and data analysis, and she is motivated the mission of creating sustainable landscapes that engage local ecosystems and communities.

    She enjoys finding novel ways of integrating new technologies and media with her design work including the utilization of geospatial data and analytics to support communities and develop more resilient cities. In her prior experience working with other design firms, she was exposed to various sectors and project types, including urban design, parks, campuses, and residential gardens. Shujing also holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture with a minor in Environment & Sustainability from Cornell University.

  • Office Administrator

  • If you want to learn more about becoming a member of our team, please share your resume and portfolio. You can email us at resumes@jonathanceci.com or mail us hard copies at 1400 Greenmount Ave Suite H02, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. We are always on the lookout for talented and passionate candidates.