Happy New Year to everyone! 2025 has been an amazing year for Ethos Collaborative and so I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Ethos staff, as well as our various design and collaboration partners. Below is a snapshot of just some of our impactful work this past year, as well as a preview of new and exciting things to come in 2026:
✅ We are currently working through the design of five Pittsburgh parks projects - many of which have significant green infrastructure components. These include South Side Park (South Side), East Hills Park (East Hills), Allegheny Landing (Downtown), Fowler Park (Perry Hilltop), and Faison Field (Homewood South). Design and client partners include @Pittsburgh, @pgh2o, @RiverlifePgh, Pashek+MTR, UpStudio Landscapes, LLC, and @studiodwg.
✅ We completed or are finalizing construction on three additional parks and recreation projects, in collaboration with the @Pittsburgh, @pittsburghparks, @AlleghenyLandTr, and Studio Zewde. These include Emerald View Park (Mount Washington), Frick Environmental Center (Squirrel Hill), St. Johns Green (Brighton Heights), Homewood Park (East End/Homewood), and Wingfield Pines (Upper St. Clair).
✅ We completed design and are midway through construction of the Rachel Carson EcoVillage, located in McCandless Township. The intentional cohousing community is our region's first multi-generational, sustainable ecovillage, culminating over a decade of intensive planning and design efforts by the @rachelcarsoneco leadership team, @evolveea, and others.
✅ We completed a 6-month pilot program with the City of Pittsburgh Department of Innovation & Performance (
) through the PghLab program that included development of an innovative digital twin and AI platform for civic use and infrastructure management. This work is also helping to inform the curriculum for @CarnegieMellon's new Digital Twin and AI Certificate Program and graduate courses, which I am now teaching in the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department (@CMU_CEE).
✅ Our Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) for Buffalo Creek was formally accepted by the Department of Environmental Protection (PaDEP) and EPA for adoption. This plan was developed under the leadership of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, who will be implementing the plan over the next decade to help improve stream water quality and habitat in Armstrong, Butler and Allegheny County.
✅ Last but not least, we expanded our office space this past week to a new, larger creative studio space, located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh. From this new space, we will be growing our meaningful, community-driven, sustainable design capabilities, while also exploring new opportunities from a innovative Digital Studio perspective, building upon our expertise in 3D modeling, digital twins, and AI/ML in the AEC industry overall.
We are hoping for an interesting and impactful 2026. I wish everyone else here the same.
- Ethos Collaborative @ethostweets: Partnering with the City of Pittsburgh, Department of Mobility and Infrastructure to develop an IoT-driven digital twin platform, fostering real-time engagement and stakeholder interaction.
The High Performance Building Summer Camp students had some great experiences inside & outside the classroom last week. They learned more about sustainable buildings & visited @TreePgh@PhippsNews Center for Sustainable Landscapes, Frick Environmental Center, & Carrick Library.
Velocity of #surface#water from a drone by user Chris Spletzer using #pyOpenRiverCam (https://t.co/5nuKPvDh9H). Improvements for drone-specific cases upcoming. https://t.co/pOrGlkKkBo
Here's the dividing line between the prairie seeding and the planted and mulched rain garden. Seedings have more plants per sq ft, more weeds too. Planted gardens can have more rarer, harder to grow species (like phlox). Seedings benefit plants that grow quickly from seed.
Do you live in the East Hills or Homewood neighborhoods? Join us on Tuesday, June 28 for a hybrid in-person and virtual meeting to discuss designs for stormwater improvements on portions of Haverhill St, Oakwood St, and Batavia St.
Learn more at https://t.co/goJz1RfixS
CitiesAlive conference:
Green Infrastructure & Water
in a Changing Climate -
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -
October 16-19, 2022
https://t.co/3Qv0Klu2dz
via @restorm
Credit @StudiofSP for bringing this concept to the table during design. We enjoyed working w/ them on this great #greenstreet project.
RT @danielgilman: Love this new raised crosswalk on Solway connecting Wightman Park and the old Wightman School building
PRESS RELEASE: PWSA Announces Approval of New Rate Structure Including Stormwater Fee.
Changes to provide greater equity and prioritizes stormwater management investment.
Read: https://t.co/bidqRkLkjN #stormwaterPGH
Very excited to see the Red Osier Dogwood & Sweet Pepperbush/Summersweet bushes installed in the new bumpout planters @ Solway & Negley as part of our project with @ethostweets. These lush stormwater planters will decrease flooding & increase pedestrian safety in Squirrel Hill!
#Trees As Infrastructure. An open source model to support municipalities in transitioning toward resilient #urbanforest management practices @TreeVitalize@treepgh
https://t.co/Wkzmr004h6
Ethos' own Barton Kirk was featured on The Allegheny Front last month to talk about Wightman Park in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of #Pittsburgh... #Stormwater Infrastructure Hidden Beneath Two New Pittsburgh Parks.
https://t.co/E9mTqqYNzF
#greeninfrastructure#rainart
@econsultsolutns Congratulations to the Econsult Solutions team! Looking forward to collaborating with you on future community-minded opportunities, either in Pittsburgh or in the Greater Philadelphia area. Cheers!
@pennstatePGH Sorry for the late response, but it was a pleasure working with Madison this past Spring at Ethos. She is a talented landscape architect in the making, from a great academic program at Penn State. Keep us posted on future City Semester opportunities to engage.
Robert Downey Jr. and Rachel Kropa discuss #geodesign and green infrastructure with Esri's Jack Dangermond and Ryan Perkl on the FootPrint Coalition's channel, Downstream. https://t.co/IaxL3XsqBv @fp_coalition
@pgh2o just launched its upgraded water #infrastructure map for the public! Customers can now see all past, present and future infrastructure projects - from green #stormwater infrastructure to concrete touch-ups:
https://t.co/z6uFcDotxj
Groundbreaking at New Permeable Parking Lot in South Park, Design by Ethos Collaborative - Ethos Collaborative Ethos Collaborative Groundbreaking at New Permeable Parking Lot in South Park, Design by Ethos Collaborative Green Infrastructure
Wightman Park in Pittsburgh underwent a $4.2 million renovation that included a $500,000 grant from #LWCF. The park has new ballfields, basketball court and recreation areas, while also including a large infiltration pond, rain gardens, wetland, and permeable landscaping. 1/3