Billy Almond: Landscape Architect & Surfer

Sometimes the passions we develop over time come from a singular source, but for some people they’re surrounded by inspiration.

For Landscape Architect Billy Almond, ASLA, CLARB, his inspiration includes countless moments and experiences throughout his life and it all started with pulling weeds with his mom.

“I was always in the yard with my mom and it was always something I enjoyed.”

He grew up with the Oceanfront right outside his door and being a part of the surf culture growing up in the 60s and 70s gave Billy an increased appreciation for storm water management and sustainability. It’s something he continues to be passionate about as the Principal Landscape Architect of WPL.

He became enamored with nature while in boarding school in middle and high school. He had a professor whose own love for the outdoors really rubbed off on him.

“He was an avid outdoorsman all the time…he kind of scooped me up and off we would go fishing and being outside.”

Billy spent most of his summers helping his dad in construction, which he resented at first but eventually grew to appreciate. When it was time for college, he wanted to find a way to combine his passions for nature and construction and came up with landscape architecture.

“This was my ethic through college: how was I going to save the world?”

For more information about Billy and about WPL, visit the company website.

You can also follow WPL’s projects on their Instagram.

This episode was filmed by Leon Guanzon and was edited by Josh Wingard.