Hillworks recognizes that we live in a dynamic world. It is messy, complex, ever-changing… and we love it. We are a nimble 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 present 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 the region. These principles emerge in two primary threads of design research within our practice: plant performance and inventive reuse.
Borrowing from the rich lineage of experimentation and long-term management in gardening, we strive to curate immersive experiences with plant assemblages that inspire imagination and awe. Plant performance includes explorations in phenology, regenerative strategies, novel ecologies, and urban wilds. We seek spaces where natural systems and plant trajectories and intensely present. Our work relies on the enduring regenerative potential of landscape and our belief that people can’t remain indifferent by these first-hand interactions of plant-driven wonder.
Inventive reuse includes strategies of reclamation, surgical insertion, and creative repair at a range of scales, from furniture design to urban regeneration. We share a fascination with layers of histories, and are drawn to the aesthetic of the patch, the brace, and the repair. We remain fascinated by the imperfections of life. Our desire is for this careful consideration and curation to lend itself to spaces that are as quirky as they are sincere.
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 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.