Christopher Mertl

Background

About Christopher Mertl

As a landscape architect in coastal Alaska, I take inspiration from the dynamic natural landscapes that surrounds me, the history and cultures that provide context, and ensuring that we preserve and enhance our sense of place and the landscapes that makes Alaska special. Specialties include in the planning and design of coastal communities through an inclusive public process, that include waterfront facilities, open space, neighborhoods, and plans for whole communities that celebrate its people and provide economic opportunities. I have a passion for recreation design both within the urban environment but especially remote recreation facilities within the great wildlands that make up a large component of our state. My energy is driven by public facilitation and the opportunity to meet and discuss the essence of a project with those that will use the facility to be designed. Creative, engaging, and targeted exercises creates a positive and inclusive environment, where problems can be resolved, great ideas developed, and trust and consensus established. I have a passion for my profession and the diverse projects that I am fortunate to work on. From park and playground design, to repurposing historic cannery sites for economic diversification, to finding meaning and designing a memorial, working with Tlingit artists, or laying out a trail on a mountainside, no two days are alike.