Douglas C. Allen Lecture
This annual lecture on landscape architecture was established and endowed by alumni, faculty and friends in honor of Professor Douglas C. Allen (1947-2014).
In appreciation for Allen's sizeable contribution to the College of Design (formerly the College of Architecture) as a teacher, colleague, and leader, this lecture binds the relevance of Allen's expertise in landscape architecture to urban design and the community-related impact of School of Architecture education at Georgia Tech.
Douglas C. Allen, FASLA
Doug Allen taught in the School of Architecture for 37 years and made an indelible impact on the field of landscape architecture, particularly in city and urban landscapes. Allen was an influential member of the College of Design faculty (then called the College of Architecture) serving as interim dean as well as associate dean of academic affairs for five years. His thoughtful and vivid lectures left an influential impact on Georgia Tech students from 1977 through 2013. Professionally, he practiced landscape architecture for more than 40 years.
Allen died of brain cancer in 2014. This lecture invites renowned landscape architects and experts in urban landscapes to speak to students once a year at the School of Architecture.
2025: Molly Bourne
Sculpting Dynamic Public Spaces
Molly Bourne, RLA, FASLA, Principal of MNLA, sees landscape architecture practice as a medium to celebrate and explore the environment and our place within it. She is deeply dedicated to elevated design thinking that advances the public good. Since joining the firm in 1999, Molly has led award-winning, multidisciplinary teams on high-profile projects for waterfront parks, cultural institutions, and urban revitalization. Activating public space dialogue, tackling climate change, reclaiming industrial sites and shorelines, and protecting pollinators are her professional passions.
Developing the next generation of practitioners, Molly is a visiting lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design and volunteers with the ACE Mentor Program for New York City high school students. She enjoys engaging with the profession and public alike, speaking widely, leading site tours, and exchanging inventive ideas about how to better urban environments.
Viewing landscape architecture as a way to improve the human condition, Molly received her BA at the University of Florida, aspiring to design open spaces on a major stage. New York City and MNLA’s visionary practice provided an ideal opportunity.
Molly’s key projects include the East Side Coastal Resiliency project, Waterline Square, the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center Master Plan and Implementation, the Park and Public Space at Governors Island, the Renovation of Roberto Clemente State Park, and Governors Island Park and Public Space.
