About Us
What We Are
LVF is an award-winning and certified women-owned landscape architecture firm committed to designing beautiful and enduring public spaces.
To do so, we approach our projects by understanding the people that use the spaces, the local environment and the broader landscape systems. We are energized by collaborating on large teams to tackle complex public projects, and our access to cutting edge research through our connection to the University of Virginia, allows us to work smarter and faster.
During the design and construction phases, we lean on our experience building over $750 million in public and private work to think creatively in terms of constructability and costs for our clients. Our passion for creating great environments, filled with imagination, innovation, and sustainability, is what drives LVF for success.
Certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)
New York State Department of Economic Development
NYC Department of Small Business Services
New York City School Construction Authority (NYCSCA)
Port Authority of NY/NJ State of New Jersey
Certified Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE)
State of North Carolina
Port Authority of NY/NJ WEDG (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) Certified LEED Accredited Professional
We are licensed to practice landscape architecture nationwide.
Who We Are
Alexia Friend
Alexia is a gifted designer and collaborator, working closely with clients, stakeholders and allied professionals to generate creative planning and design solutions. She brings over 17 years and $400M worth of built work experience. Alexia has led ambitious landscape projects, elevating them through design excellence and technical execution. Her portfolio ranges from large urban parks in NYC to University campus master planning. Her leadership and knowledge inform every step of LVF’s project development.
Alexia holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Maryland Honors College. She remains engaged in academia as a guest lecturer and visiting studio critic. Currently, she is a member of the Village of Great Neck Architectural Review Committee. Prior to LVF, Alexia was a Senior Associate at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. and a designer at DLANDstudio in Brooklyn.
Mike Voelkel - (mike@lvfla.com)
Mike brings a unique perspective to design, shaped by his roots in the San Francisco Bay Area and refined through formal training in both architecture and landscape architecture. With over 19 years of experience and a $400M portfolio of completed work, Mike specializes in leading large, multidisciplinary teams through the firm’s most technically demanding projects. From intimate residential gardens to massive public infrastructure, his work reflects a seamless integration of creative problem-solving, structural precision and ecological vitality.
Mike holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from Cornell University, Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado and is a LEED AP. Currently, Mike is an Instructor at the New York Botanical Garden, a board member of the NYS Council of Landscape Architects, and a visiting studio critic at Cornell University. Prior to LVF, Mike was a Senior Associate at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.
Michael Luegering - (michael@lvfla.com)
Michael is the Director of LVF Lab, leading the firm’s research and how it is implemented into the firm’s practice. In addition to leading LVF Lab, Michael provides the technical analysis and design guidance on coastal resilience for the firm’s waterfront projects. In his past work, he has worked on strategic planning and design projects including the Rockefeller Foundation’s Structures of Coastal Resilience, as well as water-driven designs along the Lake Erie Shoreline in Buffalo, NY and the Trinity River in Dallas, TX. Currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia, Michael has been able to continue his academic research in coastal resilience and plant adaptation through funding with the USDA-NRCS.
Michael holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Urban Planning from the University of Cincinnati. Prior to LVF, Michael was a Senior Associate at Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. and a Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania.