PUSHING GROUND & GRAPHITE

I’ve long been intrigued by what can come from carefully shaping the earth. I particularly love sculpting spaces that tell stories and spark thought. The 3 places curated here were meant to do just that—to somehow touch the human spirit.

My interest in landscapes that pay tribute heightened during my fellowship at the American Academy in Rome. I reimagined Circus Maximus, designing a monumental space that, rather than honoring the powerful, would recognize all the innocents who died there.

Meyer Studio had the privilege of commemorating a champion tree for England’s Westonbirt International Festival of Gardens. Our winning commission, Limelight, celebrated the exceptional Sycamore Maple by composing an earthen crescent below its canopy.

At Heartwood Preserve in Omaha, we’re carving a series of vessels into the land to address the effects of climate change. While the earth has been meticulously shaped to manage water, the aesthetic intention is to bring natural phenomena forward and leave people with a greater appreciation for their environment. 

Here’s to the messy, meticulous process of discovering, drawing, designing, and building shapely places.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this work.

David

  • AFTER MAXIMUS

    An exploration of how ancient Roman monumentality might feel if the honorees were not gods or rulers but innocents without power.

    CIRCUS MAXIMUS

  • LIMELIGHT

    This tribute landscape was a simple composition of earth, sky, field, and one particularly worthy tree.

    LIMELIGHT

  • HEARTWOOD PRESERVE

    In Omaha, Nebraska, at Heartwood Preserve, we’re artfully creating climate change infrastructure that fully honors the beauty of the land.

    HEARTWOOD PRESERVE