Recap: RHI Summer Series 2025

This summer, RHI took our audience on a journey through landscapes near and far, highlighting the places where design, culture, and community come together. From shaded city escapes to national treasures, our Summer Series celebrated how landscape architecture shapes the ways we gather, reflect, and play.

Summer in the City

When the temperatures rose, the city came alive. Our features reminded us that moments of beauty and reflection are never far from home.

• Smithsonian National Zoo – A landscape for learning, play, and conservation.
• National Mall & Memorial Parks – Spaces of remembrance and resilience woven into the city fabric.
• Historic Congressional Cemetery – A civic landmark where history and quiet beauty meet.
• Anacostia Community Museum – A contemplative space rooted in storytelling and equity.

For When It’s Too Hot Outside

Sometimes the best way to embrace summer is to step inside. These destinations offered cool retreats while celebrating design, community, and culture.

• Long Bridge Park & Aquatics Center – A sleek year-round destination for recreation and skyline views.
• Reservoir Park & Community Center – A community-driven hub blending recreation and respite.
• Alexandria Central (Beatley) Library – A model of sustainable, climate-conscious design.
• Freer Gallery of Art – Calm marble halls and iconic art collections, including the Peacock Room.

For the Green Thumb

Summer blooms brought inspiration and serenity in these horticultural havens.

• Green Spring Gardens – Educational landscapes and heritage plantings in Fairfax.
• Meadowlark Botanical Gardens – Rolling meadows and the striking Korean Bell Garden.
• U.S. Botanic Garden – National Garden – A compact oasis rich in native species and sensory moments.
• U.S. National Arboretum – 390 acres of living collections and iconic columns.
• U.S. Supreme Court Grounds – A decade after renovation, the Court’s grounds remain a dignified, seasonal green space.

Worth the Trip

Beyond the Beltway, summer took us across the country to landscapes defined by resilience, preservation, and timeless beauty.

• Acadia National Park (ME) – Where mountains meet the sea.
• Branch Brook Park (NJ) – Home to the nation’s largest cherry blossom collection.
• Weir Farm National Historical Park (CT) – A landscape that inspired American Impressionism.
• Arches National Park (UT) – Iconic sandstone sculpted by time.
• Muir Woods National Park (CA) – Towering coastal redwoods and cathedral-like serenity.
• Town Common (NC) – Riverfront trails and dock access for community connection.
• Jones Beach State Park (NY) – A historic boardwalk experience along Long Island’s shoreline.

Looking Back

Our 2025 Summer Series was about more than destinations—it was about the way landscapes shape how we experience every season. At RHI, we are proud to bring this same sense of beauty, community, and design excellence to the projects we create with our clients and communities.