Susan M. Rademacher
My work supports the power of public spaces to transform people’s lives and lead to healthier, thriving communities. As Principal of Foreground Consulting, I apply values and practices developed over 30 years in public park planning and design, plus a deep knowledge of landscape architecture. My beacons are beauty and cultural expression, historic fitness, ecological health, constructability, and long-term stewardship. Much of my contribution is about restoring, adapting, and enhancing the historic/cultural landscape for the present and future. Project types include: planning, design, and public art projects; historic landscape research and treatments; and strategic and technical counsel for community and public space organizations. Always, I want to understand the relationship of people to place, discern how best to awaken and deepen that connection, and support that relationship so that everyone thrives.
From 2007-2020, I was the first Parks Curator for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Projects have included the Frick Environmental Center, Hill District Greenprint Plan, Mellon Square restoration, and Four Mile Run watershed planning. From 1991-2007, I served as founding President of the Louisville Olmsted Parks Conservancy and Assistant Director of Louisville Metro Parks. Cornerstone accomplishments included: a nationally renowned ecological master plan for the historic Olmsted parks system; award-winning innovative projects; and successful capital campaigns for equitable investment. In the 1980s, I was Editor-in-Chief of Landscape Architecture magazine and co-founder of Garden Design magazine. I co-curated the “Drawing to Learn” exhibit at the GSD with Linda Jewell in 1988. Published books include Mellon Square — Discovering a Modern Masterpiece, Bold Romantic Gardens: The New World Landscapes of Oehme and van Sweden, and Outdoor Living Spaces. I am an Honorary Member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and The Garden Club of America.