José Almiñana PLA, FASLA, SITES AP, LEED AP joined Andropogon in 1983 and, as one of its principals, leads the firm in its commitment to regenerative design by tailoring humanist principles and ecosystem wellness to the unique elements of each site. With a background in architecture and landscape architecture, José has a deep, holistic understanding of how distinct elements of the natural and built environment function independently and collectively. José embraces a system thinking approach to understand each project and place’s complex and layered functions, adeptly crafting elegant, multivalent, and resilient landscape-based solutions.
For his entire professional career, José has worked to improve Philadelphia’s urban fabric and enrich the lives of Philadelphians across the city. His contributions to the city include projects at the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Thomas Jefferson University, Fairmount Park, and the School District of Philadelphia, which have created acres of green space and pedestrian and nature trails for the people of Philadelphia. In addition to his projects in the city, José has been a member of the City of Philadelphia Art Commission for 14 years and is currently appointed to the Design Review Committee at the University of Pennsylvania.
Beyond his project work, José continues to be a leading voice in standardizing and growing the practice of regenerative landscape design. He was one of the first landscape architects in the country to become a LEED-accredited professional; he was instrumental in the development of the Sustainable Sites Initiative – SITES; has led multiple Living Building Challenge projects through design, construction, and certification; and he has served on the ASLA Climate Action Plan Taskforce. José is a frequent lecturer at national and international conferences and a visiting critic at design schools nationwide. José holds a professional architectural degree from the Universidad Central de Venezuela and a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2010, he was honored by the American Society of Landscape Architects with the President’s Medal and induction into the ASLA College of Fellows. In 2023, José received the Wyck-Strickland Award for his contributions to the cultural life and physical spaces of Philadelphia.