Michael Saltarella

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.