April is World Landscape Architecture Month, and we’re celebrating our professionals like Johnnie Workman, PLA, who help us reimagine, reshape, and reconnect with our environments daily.
Some people plan their careers. Others stumble into them. Johnnie began his journey into landscape architecture with a simple volunteer signup at the Minnesota Horticultural Society. He wasn’t looking for a new path, just a way to spend a little time outdoors. But one phone call led to a summer of yard work on a property near Bde Maka Ska, and a new world opened.
“I discovered this entire field called landscape architecture,” Johnnie says. “It fulfilled everything I loved—being outside, thinking about community, design, and how people interact with space.”
That was at age 26. Fast-forward 16 years, and Johnnie now leads Sambatek’s Landscape Architecture team, designing public and private spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful across multiple jurisdictions.
From Plants to People
Johnnie’s work is grounded in collaboration. With a background that includes hands-on experience in design/build installation and a knack for bridging technical and creative stakeholders, he brings people together to create integrated, resilient spaces.
“It’s not just about plants,” he explains. “It’s about seeing how a place serves people. When you can align civil engineering with landscape and architectural design, the result is always stronger.”
On What Makes a Great Project
“It’s not about a single design—it’s about when the client gets it. When they see how landscape architecture supports both community and infrastructure, those are the projects I’m proudest of.”
Advice to the Next Generation?
“Be a jack of all trades,” he laughs. “Understand plants, stormwater, boardrooms, and stakeholders. Landscape architects are often the translators between different worlds.”
Explore more about our landscape services here.