Celebrating Landscape Architecture Month with Violet Mak
For Violet Mak, landscape architecture was not on her radar growing up, but a discovery that changed her life. As regional director of landscape architecture for PEA Group’s Houston office, she leads a team and helps guide the firm’s vision for sustainable, inclusive design across Texas.
Drawn to artistic pursuits such as dance and photography from a young age, Violet had not even heard of landscape architecture until her junior year of high school, when a babysitting job introduced her to the profession. The woman she worked for was a landscape architect for a high-end residential firm in Connecticut, hand-drafting plans at home and sending them to her office via FedEx. “I was fascinated by the designs she was creating,” Violet recalls. “I never knew there was a career that included two of my favorite things: art and plants.”
That moment set her on a path to what would become a 20-year career designing spaces that blend natural elements with human needs. After founding her own firm and leading large-scale public and private projects across Texas, she joined PEA Group in 2021 to launch the company’s in-house landscape architecture services in the region.
Her favorite part of the job is creating spaces that people genuinely want to be in. Whether working on a streetscape, a park, or an urban development, she is passionate about integrating natural elements such as plants, water, and soil into environments that need them most. “People are drawn to nature,” she says, “but often they do not have much access to it living in highly urban areas.”
One current example of her passion in action is the Woodland Hills 1C Park, a neighborhood park her team is designing with a focus on nature play and pollinators. Prioritizing the preservation of existing trees, incorporating native plants, and creating spaces that encourage community interaction with the natural environment, the park embodies her belief in thoughtful, restorative design.
That same belief drives her sustainability-focused approach. A Sustainable SITES Accredited Professional and Envision Sustainability Professional, Violet approaches each site with the goal of enhancing its ecological value. She prioritizes water management, soil health, native plantings, and long-term usability. “We aim to conserve resources and create places that are more diverse, resilient, and sustainable than the site we started with,” she explains.
For Violet, sustainability is not just about reducing harm but about creating lasting value. Seeing people enjoy the spaces she has helped create is one of her greatest motivators. “My goal has been to leave this world a more beautiful place for my children, grandchildren, and future generations to come.”
To those just starting out in the field, her advice is simple but powerful: “Follow your passion. If you do not see a space for you, create a space that works for you.”
From those early hand-drawn plans to leading a multidisciplinary team, Violet has remained grounded in her love for art, plants, and purposeful design. Through her work, she continues to shape places that connect people to nature and inspire the next generation to do the same.