About Us

Some of you may know that James Royce, cofounder of 2112 is a drummer in his alternate life. Like any good drummer he plays to the needs of the song, whether that’s a steady backbeat or a raucous solo, the overarching style and tone of the song is paramount and the drums play their role. This is also how we approach design: by listening to the needs of the client and developing creative, elegant solutions to make that project sing. We can design elaborate landscapes where needed and practice restraint where the simple solution is just, simple. Our biggest compliment is when a client tells us that the project feels like it has always been there.

We have the technical experience to design all aspects of landscape with a specialization in complex landscapes over structure, stormwater management and site grading, detailing, construction administration, designing for accessibility, soils and planting, permitting and project coordination. We work collaboratively, creatively and efficiently from day one. We are passionate about every project and take our work seriously while bringing a light-heartedness and joy to the process.

The Studio, founded in 2011, is certified as a Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) in Massachusetts and licensed throughout New England and New York. Want to know about the name?

The Studio

Meet Our Team

LYNNE GIESECKE

PRINCPAL

Lynne is a registered landscape architect throughout New England. She leads the design generation within the Studio focusing the work on simple moves which accommodate environmental dynamics + program flexibility. Prior to receiving her MLA at the Rhode Island School of Design she worked throughout New England as a mountain guide and outdoor educator. She has brought her experience of living in the natural world to the practice of landscape architecture.

With her undergraduate degree in geology, years as a competitive athlete, extensive Pilates and Yoga practice her design interests are rooted in ecological context, systems and wellness.

JAMES ROYCE

PRINCPAL

James is a registered landscape architect, LEED AP, and accredited green roof professional. With a background in environmental science and site engineering, James leads the Studio’s technical efforts, sustainable design and development of institutional projects. He brings extensive practical knowledge, business sense and professional relationships to Studio 2112. Formerly a Senior Associate at Stephen Stimson Associates, James also spent two years working in the field of landscape architecture in Europe.

James’ research interests lie in stormwater management within site design and the metrics of sustainable and performance-based landscapes. Outside the office James enjoys spending time with his kids, mountain biking, riding motorcycles and the never ending search for the right groove on his drums.

SHIRA DAVIS

Associate

Shira is a project manager at Studio 2112 overseeing institutional and residential projects. Always on the border of science and design, Shira brings the rigor and critical thinking of her scientific background to conceptual design. She strives to apply functional and practical design in an imaginative way to create compelling spaces.

Prior to joining Studio 2112, Shira worked in Toronto where she specialized in public realm and educational landscapes including parks, active transportation and school yards. Shira holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Toronto and is a licensed Landscape Architect in Canada.

Studio 2112 Team Member Rebecca McCarthy

REBECCA MCCARTHY

Associate

Rebecca is a registered architect, with a background in multifamily housing, supportive senior living, and Passive House design. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture and a Master of Architecture from The Ohio State University. She is passionate about creating equitable spaces that positively contribute to both the local community and broader context. Rebecca believes in collaborating with stakeholders and design partners to create meaningful spaces with lasting impacts. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys camping, hiking, browsing art museums, and exploring new neighborhoods.

TIM NICKERSON

Senior Landscape Architect

Tim Nickerson, RLA, ASLA joined Studio 2112 in 2018 as a Sr. Landscape Architect. With an eye towards practicality and constructability, Tim’s work is focused on preparing construction and technical documents for the firm’s most intricate projects. Previously, he was a project manager at Verdant Landscape Architecture and at a design/build firm for six years. Tim earned a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst. He is a licensed landscape architect in Massachusetts.

Tim’s focus on community improvement extends beyond his professional work. He served his hometown of Nashua, NH on the Board of Education and Board of Aldermen, where he served on the building committee for Nashua High North and Nashua High South. He was also the chair and founder of the Nashua International Design Competition. Tim is a past President of the Boston Society of Landscape Architects. Outside the office, Tim can be found motorcycling around the northeast or continuing his quest to bake a bread from every country.

PATRICK BEALS

Landscape Designer

Patrick joins us as a native New Englander with a diverse background in design, fine art, and mechanic fabrication. After graduating with a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from RISD, and studying endemic design practices in India and Sri Lanka, he settled back into New England life. His favorite tree is a Tamarack [Larix laricina], which reminds him of the boglands of Northern Maine, his home.

With an endless curiosity of unseen worlds surrounding us, Patrick seeks to bring the ubiquitous, the never-before-seen, and the forgotten to the forefront of our designed spaces through what is, in essence, landscape architecture. Away from work, Patrick enjoys the muscle car that he built, tinkering on airplanes, and programming robotics that sense and store environmental data.

DANA CEVA

Landscape Architect

Dana joined Studio 2112 in early 2022 after moving to Boston from Fairfield County, Connecticut. She was previously immersed in the residential design-build sector, designing landscapes in both CT and NY. Dana has a bachelor’s degree of landscape architecture from the University of Connecticut and earned her landscape architect license in the state of CT in 2021. As a collegiate athlete, Dana excels at time management, being a team player as well as a leader, and the drive to always strive for more.

Dana cares greatly about the environment and nature; she strives to have her designs reflect that. Her interests outside of the office include crossfit, hiking, beekeeping, spending time with her rescue Pittie, propagating house plants, and finding new ways to reduce her carbon footprint.

Studio 2112 Team Member Dana Ceva
Studio 2112 Team Member Amanda Leifer

AMANDA LEIFER

Landscape Designer

Amanda joined Studio 2112 in the of Fall 2021 after moving from her home state New Jersey. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree at Rutgers University’s School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, she pursued her MLA, also at Rutgers, where she studied the ways in which conflict manifests itself in the landscape and affects natural resources in the Middle East. She is interested in the practical application of landscape architecture in areas where political conflicts affect the natural world.

She was awarded the title of Olmsted Scholar in 2020 by the department of landscape architecture at Rutgers and hopes to live up to the name by designing and implementing meaningful public spaces. In her free time, she leads improv classes, plays guitar, and sings in a funk and jazz band.

LENA OWENS

Landscape Designer

Lena joined Studio 2112 in January 2021 after a move across the country from the coniferous landscape of the Pacific Northwest. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Art History and Urban/Environmental Policy at Occidental College in Los Angeles, and immediately continued on into a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture at the University of Washington. Her studies bring a sensitivity to historical context and urban nature to the profession.

Throughout her graduate education, Lena focused on how the built environment considers children and how they move, learn, and play. Her thesis focused on connecting developmental learning theories to future conceptual playspaces in the liminal borderlands of the United States and Mexico. When she’s not working, Lena enjoys searching for great hiking trails, exploring museums, and traveling to places she’s never been before.

studio-2112-team-lena-color
Studio 2112 Team Member Bryan Sak

BRYAN SAK

Landscape Designer II

Bryan joined Studio 2112 in the Summer of 2023, after receiving his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York. During his time in college, he studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain, which culminated in the creation of a comprehensive observational thesis study on the city’s burgeoning urban green corridor program. His interests include historic preservation, compelling public spaces, and the intersection of art and landscape architecture.

Being born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised in Austin, Texas, Bryan is drawn to unique and culturally rich urban environments, where he finds inspiration for his design work. Outside of the office, he enjoys photography, hiking, cooking, travelling and exploring new places. New to the Boston area, he hopes to embrace the cool weather, proximity to the ocean, and everything else that the city has to offer.

PIPER

May he rest in peace and love, we miss him every day.

Our sweet Piper passed away this year as a very loved, old dog. We still lean on his memory for moral support, a good laugh and a reminder that we should all be as happy to come and go as he was each day.

Teaching and Lectures

  • Adjunct Faculty, Urban Landscape Program, Northeastern University 2012-present.
  • European Council of Landscape Architecture Schools (ECLAS), 2013 
  • ABX, 2013
  • ASLA Conference, 2012
  • National Brownfield Conference, 2011
  • UMass Amherst Sustainability Lecture Series, 2010
  • BuildBoston, 2002, 2010
  • National Stormwater Conference, 2008
  • USGBC Green Build, 2002
  • Guest Critics: GSAPP Columbia University, Marcus Doschanti Studio, 2011
  • Guest Lecturers: LARP Site Engineering, UMass Amherst, 2010-present
  • Guest Critics: Yale Architecture School, Stefan Behnisch Studio, 2010

What's up with our name?

Why Studio 2112? If you’re a Rush fan, you’ve guessed correctly that the name originates from the seminal ‘2112′ album, a masterpiece about creative and intellectual freedom. We were inspired by the concept of staying true to our artistic ideals and creating something authentic. When launching the firm we aspired to be a truly open and collaborative studio where ideas would be welcomed and creativity would flourish. We knew it was risky starting a firm in 2011 but we thought we’d rather go for it and maybe go down in flames than to compromise or never even try. This was the parallel we drew from Rush and the making of the 2112 album. While certainly not required to know any of this backstory, if you had guessed the Rush connection, you’re in a special population of prog rock enthusiasts!