Hillworks recognizes that we live in a dynamic world. This place is messy, complex, ever-changing… and we love it. We are a small, agile design studio obsessed with the regenerative power of the landscape. Captivated by the natural and cultural histories of every place, we strive to unearth the stories each site has to offer. Our approach to design begins by uncovering, revealing, and curating qualities already extant in the landscape.
Located in Auburn, Alabama, Hillworks is grounded in the ecological and cultural complexities of the southeast. We revel in the spirit of craft, thrift, and resourcefulness that permeates this region. These principles emerge in two primary threads of design research: plant performance and inventive reuse. Plant performance includes studies in phenology, regenerative strategies, novel ecologies, and urban wilds. Inventive reuse employs strategies of reclamation, surgical insertion, and creative repair at a range of scales, from furniture design to urban regeneration.
Hillworks benefits from the rich interaction between the design exploration of practice and the scholarly research of the university. Founding principal David Hill serves as Graduate Program Chair and Associate Professor in the Landscape Architecture Program at Auburn University. We explore disciplinary research not only through project development, but also through the trenches of academic investigation.
Hillworks projects have been presented nationally and internationally at conferences, symposia, and universities and published in rags like Dwell, Landscape Architecture Magazine, ReModeling, Builder, and Society South. The work has received regional and national design awards in architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation, and interiors.