Rachel Loeffler, RLA, ASLA
PRINCIPAL | Landscape Architect
A Principal at Berkshire Design, Rachel thrives in connecting research to the design process and creating sustainable and healing environments for her clients. Rachel is a registered landscape architect in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Rachel brings over 20 years of experience to the profession with a breath of skill in design, planning, and construction. She has worked locally, nationally, and internationally. She has contributed to a range of projects encompassing brownfield remediation, waterfront parks, campuses, rooftop gardens, schools, playgrounds, affordable housing, municipal libraries, individual residences, and therapeutic gardens. Rachel’s work offers sustainable tools within the design process such as life cycle costing, native species adaptation, assisted migration, climate resiliency, and carbon sequestration. She delights in working with the land to manage stormwater and shape the earth into abstractions of natural forms. In addition, she is constantly reading and bringing new ideas and approaches to her clients. Rachel has taught and has been a visiting critic at numerous institutions. Within the academic environment, Rachel combines her extensive professional experience with an integration of systems thinking, conceptual rigor, information graphics, programming, materiality, and sustainability. In addition, Rachel has volunteered her time to the local and regional professional organizations as a member of the Shade Tree Committee, Garden Committee, K-12 Outreach Committee, and Advocacy Committee. Most recently, she has completed terms as a President of the local chapter of the WMBSLA, and MA BSLA Chair of Advocacy. Outside the office Rachel enjoys kayaking, mountain biking, hiking with her dog, reading, and painting landscapes.
Education
Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Master of Landscape Architecture
Washington University in St. Louis, B.A. in Architecture, Minor in Art, Magna Cum Laude
Santa Reparata International School of Art, Florence Italy, Summer Study Abroad