OJB works collaboratively as one landscape architecture firm across our offices. As active participants in our local communities, we also strive to amplify and celebrate the distinct qualities that make each place unique.
Leading Landscape Architecture + Planning
OJB is one of the visionary urban design and planning firms leading the charge in sustainability. Our spaces utilize the smart use of local resources and native plants to craft areas that elevate the natural environment and human experience. We carefully consider foot traffic and usability to ensure a sustainable, beautiful, and practical space.
We won’t simply design a space and leave it to be forgotten. We coordinate with scientists and horticulturists to ensure our parks and gardens are cared for long after the design is complete. Because these spaces are rich, living things, we nurture them so they can continue to nurture you.
Jim Burnett, FASLA is a leading voice in contemporary landscape practice through his writing, advocacy and dedication to creating meaningful spaces that challenge the conventional boundaries of landscape architecture. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University, Jim founded the Office of James Burnett in 1989 and has continued to lead the firm for more than 30 years. Originally aspiring to be an architect, Jim’s passion for landscape architecture blossomed under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Reich at LSU’s Environmental Design School.
From the beginning of his professional practice, Jim has been keenly interested in the intersection of landscape and wellness, and the power of nature to profoundly change the way we experience the world. Jim was instrumental in using landscape to heighten the healthcare industry’s awareness of its critical importance in patient comfort and advancing patient rehabilitation and expediting patient recovery schedules. He helped change the healthcare design conversation from “illness” to “wellness” and established a need for early inclusion of a landscape program into the design process. Jim’s innovative approach exposed patients, healthcare professionals, and visitors to a new environment that allowed them to experience the beauty of nature in the form of new gardens, trails, courtyards, roof gardens, and fountains. Jim’s influence and perspective on healing and restorative design have changed the role of landscape architects on healthcare facilities ever since.
A natural connector and collaborator, Jim’s work weaves together multiple disciplines to bring science and design together in surprising new ways of accommodating human interaction. Jim’s most recent design work has been focused on the restoration of our cities and the aesthetic, economic, environmental, and social transformation of our urban centers. Through his design of great urban parks, he has been at the forefront on the integration of strong programming into the design process and operations of the parks. The success of these efforts is clearly evident in cities such as Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Houston, to name just a few.
Jim was appointed to the US Department of the State Industry Advisory Group in 2016 and is currently serving his second term as a respected design peer. He is a frequent speaker and invited critic on urban planning and landscape design of public parks and open spaces. Jim is a tireless representative of the profession through many lectures, visits to schools, and published articles. He is a strong spokesman for the ASLA and landscape design. He has served on many ASLA committees, including awards juries where he has served chairman and the CEO Roundtable.
Jim is a Registered Landscape Architect in 26 US states and Canada. In 2004, Jim was elected to ASLA’s Council of Fellows, and in 2016 Jim was honored as the recipient of the prestigious ASLA Design Medal, an annual designation that is bestowed upon Landscape Architects for their ongoing commitment to the profession and an exemplary sustained body of work. Jim and the OJB practice are the 2020 National Design award recipients for Landscape Architecture from the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian National Design Museum.
Chip Trageser earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University and serves on the Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture’s Professional Advisory Board and the National ASLA Education committee. As a Partner, Chip Trageser oversees all design and operations in the Houston and Dallas offices and has been integral to OJB’s success and growth since joining the firm in 1997. He excels in managing urban parks, campuses, residential gardens, and mixed-use developments. In all projects, Chip encourages collaborative efforts. He knows that when all team members take ownership over a project, the landscape achieves a greater end-result. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and a long-term Houston resident, Chip possesses a deep knowledge of plants and ecosystems, particularly in several subregions of the southeastern United States. He is also well educated on various stormwater irrigation systems and is proficient in deploying green infrastructure into his unique, planting-forward designs.
Chip has received many awards for his notable projects, including Levy Park, Brochstein Pavilion at Rice University, and CityCentre in Houston. In 2015, Chip was elevated to the College of Fellows at the American Society of Landscape Architects. In his spare time, he is active in the Houston design community and is a member of the Rice Design Alliance. His talks on therapeutic and meaningful landscapes and gardens have informed students and professionals alike.
Jereck Boss is a registered Landscape Architect in Texas, Nevada and Utah and has been with OJB for 17 years. He earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Utah State University. As a Partner, Jereck supervises all services and operations in the Houston and Dallas offices and frequently collaborates and leads teams in Philadelphia, San Diego, Boston, and Denver. Over the course of his 25+ career, he has successfully designed and managed a broad range of institutional, corporate campus, mixed-use, and large-scale urban design projects, particularly walkable and innovative streetscapes. Jereck is a champion of a “design first” philosophy and believes that projects are only as successful as the least compelling design element. Growing up in El Paso, he developed an interest in design, architecture, and landscape architecture from taking notice of the fragile and resilient qualities of the Chihuahuan Desert, one of the largest and most biodiverse deserts in North America.
Among his notable built projects are the gardens at ConocoPhillips campus in west Houston, the Asia Society Texas Center in Houston, Project180 redevelopment in Oklahoma City, CityCenter urban development in Las Vegas, and the entry plaza and green roof at the LEED Platinum office tower at 609 Main in downtown Houston. When he’s not working, he plays an active role in the design community as a Board Member of the Rice Design Alliance and Utah State University’s Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Advisory Board.
Claudia serves as Partner and Director of Operations and is integral in the day-to-day performance of all five OJB offices. Claudia’s contributions and role at OJB have evolved impressively with the firm since she joined the firm in 2005. Hired as an administrative assistant, she has been a key player in accounting and human relations as the firm grew to an internationally awarded design presence. Claudia provides leadership in firm operations and adeptly pivots to fulfill key behind-the-scenes roles as required. Claudia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management from University of Houston Main Campus.
Andrew earned a Master of Architecture from Rice University and a Bachelor of Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He currently serves as President of the Rice Design Alliance. A Principal in the Houston office, Andrew has managed design projects of all typologies and scales, from academic campuses to corporate headquarters to public green spaces, over his nearly 25-year career. Known for his collaborative approach to problem-solving and leadership across disciplines, he excels at managing both overarching mission and the details at every scale. Andrew finds key inspiration from sketching with his team, and his long history of teaching in the architecture program at Rice University. His approach to stewardship at the campus and institutional level has resulted in long-standing relationships for several important institutions in the Houston area, including Houston Methodist Hospitals and Rice University, among others. At Rice, he has been a trusted design advisor on dozens of projects, including small interventions to entirely new colleges and precincts. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with his family.
With over 20 years of professional experience in construction management and design, Scott joined OJB’s Houston office in 2011. A LEED certified professional with strong technical knowledge of sustainable systems and their application, Scott earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management from Illinois State University. A Principal in the Houston office, Scott is a preferred collaborator amongst colleagues and a driving force in resolving complex and challenging conditions in the field. He is passionate about examining design details and site restrictions and finding new techniques and tools to manage budget and schedule. He is a vital contributor to the success of built projects of all typologies and scales. Some of his past notable projects include Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Levy Park in Houston, Rockstar Energy Bike Park in Houston, Devon Energy World Headquarters in Oklahoma City, and the 72-acre Riverfront Park development in Omaha. In his spare time, he loves bringing his kids to the opening day of completed projects and feels rewarded when communities enjoy the landscape on a regular, day-to-day basis.
Tyler Jurney joined OJB in 2012. He earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Oklahoma State University. As a Principal in the Houston office, Tyler excels in overcoming complex challenges and executing dynamic, human-centered design plans. His creativity and superior organizational skills have allowed him to manage projects of all typologies, from mixed-use developments and parks to office, healthcare, and residential outdoor spaces. Along with managing his own projects, Tyler oversees projects managed by his team members, providing key insights and guidance from schematic design through completion. Passionate about innovation, systems integration, and sustainable strategies, Tyler enjoys the potential for new ideas in landscape development. Some of his notable built projects include CityPlace mixed use development in Spring, Texas, the Park District rooftop terraces in Dallas, and the public green spaces at the Allen Center in downtown Houston. He believes a good landscape should be integrated with the ecological and human surroundings of the specific site. In his free time, Tyler finds design inspiration from going on walks and visiting parks around Houston and from traveling to different cities and countries around the world.
Tarah Brand joined OJB’s Houston team in 2014. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University and is a licensed Landscape Architect in Texas. As a Design Director at the Houston office, Tarah is integral to projects with complex challenges, intricate plantings, and material combinations. Her involvement spans a variety of project types including corporate office towers, urban parks, corporate campuses, and mixed-used projects. She is passionate about landscapes with ample greenery and purposeful use of space, as those components tend to make the outdoors inviting and comfortable to users. Growing up in Upstate New York and now living in Houston, Tarah is conscious of the environmental differences across the country and works to ensure her landscapes thrive in their specific geographic location.
Tarah is inspired by personal projects in interior design and architecture, particularly by boutique hotels, spas, houses, and transformative spaces. She is captivated by the way distinct blends of materials, textiles, and color palettes can harmonize within a design, fostering intimate moments in the landscape. Tarah’s keen ability to seamlessly blend essential elements into a cohesive project has played a pivotal role in the success of multiple projects. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling to national parks and finding inspiration from personal projects in interior design and architecture.
Lisa Davis joined OJB in 2008. She is a registered Landscape Architect with nearly 20 years of professional experience. Lisa studied Horticulture for her undergrad in Taiwan and then earned her Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois. As Associate Technical Director, Lisa Davis has worked on a range of projects including parks, streetscape, resort, campus, and master-planned community design. Lisa knows that a good outdoor space requires careful consideration of programming and context. It should be designed with a strong emphasis on its adjacencies to mixed-use and commercial areas, and it should harmoniously integrate into its surroundings. She has a strong belief that landscape architecture should take risks and explore new opportunities, especially when clients are open to innovative ideas. In the future, she would love to tackle the challenge of working on larger scale park projects, which offer more extensive and ambitious design possibilities. An avid walker, Lisa enjoys exploring Memorial Park. According to her, it is a great example of walking trails that balance curated versus natural space.
Leading OJB’s Continuing Care program out of the Houston office, Levi oversees the installation and maintenance of plants and natural materials in OJB’s landscapes as an Advisor. His ability to translate site-specific ecological details into strategies for sustainable design and construction practices allows the OJB team, across all six offices, to craft long-lasting, naturalistic green spaces. Before joining the firm in 2022, Levi worked as a director of a high-end residential maintenance company in Houston where he managed the city’s finest estates’ landscapes. He received his Bachelors of Life Science from Brigham Young University in Landscape Management in 2015, where he worked as a campus arborist in helping maintain the 18,000 trees on the campus. Levi is a Certified Arborist by the International Society of Arboriculture.
Levi’s horticulture knowledge and in-field support helps clients, programmers, and project staff better understand the environmental setting of their projects, which is crucial in keeping landscapes healthy and flourishing. He believes good outdoor spaces should be simple and drawn from the natural surroundings of their sites. He is currently inspecting the planting and maintenance of the first phase of the East River mixed-use development in Houston. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, running, cooking, backyard projects, and a good game of pickleball.
We are always in search of talented, passionate professionals who are interested in creating places that elevate the human experience. Explore our open positions and tell us more about yourself.
