Adrian Nial

Responsible for many of the practice’s enduring institutional relationships, Adrian has cultivated a clarity of intention to guide the realization of landscapes over long durations of time. His projects span a range of scales and typologies, from extensive public realm work in Boston’s emerging Seaport District to smaller-scale and culturally significant landscapes at the Phoenix Art Museum and the Boston Public Library.

Adrian’s commitment to design excellence, persevering through vicissitudes of budget, schedule, and construction management, makes him a valued and respected leader within the firm and across our industry. Adrian spearheads efforts to continually refine an efficient design process while maintaining the goals of each project. Adrian has been responsible for numerous projects over many years at Harvard Business School as well as commissions with developers Soho House and Alexandria Real Estate. Current works in progress by Adrian include Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s Turkey Bend in Houston and the Bennington College Adaptive Framework Plan.

Adrian grew up in New York’s Hudson River Valley in a family that valued spending time outdoors and cultivated extensive vegetable and flower gardens. He considered a career in forestry and landscape stewardship but was drawn to the creative mindset of a landscape architect. He received a BLA from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and an AD in Plant Science and Horticulture from SUNY Cobleskill. He joined the firm in 2003, after eight years of practice in and around Boston. Adrian draws inspiration from hikes and other outdoor experiences. He is especially fond of Plum Island off the coast of Massachusetts—a rich ecological environment packed into an easily traversable local landscape. He also likes to take weekend trips to New York City and birdwatch with his family. His favorite tree, for its vibrant fall color, beautiful winter structure, longevity, and supply of syrup, is the sugar maple.