Event Series Overview:
This is the second in a series of co-branded events with Backen & Backen and Design Bay Area. This series will consist of multiple events throughout the year, each focusing on a specific aspect of design and its future implications: LAND, BODY, BUILDING.
Event Description:
How can the act of building—and the landscapes that surround it—be regenerative?
Backen & Backen’s Regenerative Practices Department, founded by Ann Backen (CEO, Creative Director) in 2019, views architecture as a study in human and ecological well-being. In this discussion, panelists will examine how regenerative design is reshaping the future of both buildings and landscapes—blending natural materials, indoor–outdoor connection, ecological systems, and emerging certifications.
The conversation will highlight how regenerative principles can help communities navigate climate risks like wildfire, flooding, and heat while also creating buildings and places that enrich both people and the land for generations to come.
Discussion Themes:
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Architecture as living system – natural materials, healthy building biomes, and salutogenic design
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Indoor–outdoor connection – traditions like Japanese shoji screens and climate-responsive openings
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Landscape as infrastructure – planting, grading, and water systems that reduce risk and restore ecology
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Regenerative land stewardship – balancing resilience, beauty, and profitability
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Emerging frameworks – certifications and standards shaping the regenerative design movement
Moderator:
Heather Sandy Hebert – Author & Founder, True North Creative Studio
Panelists:
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Carson Howell Costa – Regenerative Practices Department, Backen & Backen
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Lucas Dexter – President, DEXTER Estate Landscapes
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Johnson Bullard – Partner and Studio Director, Ground Studio
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Kathryn Soter – Executive Director, GOOD FUTURE DESIGN ALLIANCE