David Berleth Landscape Architect, refers to a small firm designing landscapes for urban and rural residential properties in the Puget sound area. The firm consists of David Berleth (landscape architect) with the assistance of his wife Chingfen Hsieh Berleth (artist). Conceptual Master Plans are drawn by hand, from a home office on Vashon Island. During the construction phase of a project, the landscape architect works closely with the landscape contractor(s) on site to ensure quality and artistry of the project.
Personal History
David was raised in the woodlands of northwestern New Jersey. The regional landscape consists of rolling hills with many streams; hardwood forests of Oak, Beech, Maple and Tulip trees. "The eastern deciduous forest has a subtle beauty. In Childhood, I frequently explored the woods, following small brooks and creating trail systems. In later years, friends and I discovered an area with a secretive and mysterious character, we named it 'The Forest of Azure'. We would get lost in this intricate network of quiet, winding back roads that led through large historic properties with mature trees, old stone walls, gates, barns and greenhouses. I consider this my best education." In college, (State University of New York ( ESF), Syracuse, NY), David received a degree in Landscape Architecture. A semester was spent abroad in Austria for a study that involved traveling the countryside recording observations of trails adjacent to rivers, lakes and waterfalls. Upon graduation, traveled the United States by back roads and eventually arrived in Seattle 1993. Some dates: Started the landscape architecture firm in 1995, Moved to the rural Island of Vashon in 1999, married Chingfen Hsieh in the NJ woods by a stream in 2003.
Chingfen was raised on the Island of Taiwan, in the historic city of Tainan. She studied painting and was later schooled in Kyoto, Japan as a ceramic artist. She teaches Mandarin on Vashon Island and also speaks Taiwanese and Japanese fluently. Her travels include Europe, Asia, South America and United States. She assists in measuring the sites, in the drawing process, and offers opinions on design matters. A good mix of European and Asian ideas is gained from our partnership.