You know John Wongs work even if you dont. Youve seen it if youve ever visited the Stanford University campus, where over a span of 30 years Wong has evolved and modernized Frederick Law Olmsteds historic landscape. Or if youve stumbled upon Tulsas Guthrie Green, an urban park and outdoor amphitheater that supplies district heating and cooling to the surrounding buildings. Or if youve ever seen Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, in which Tom Cruise is framed by the elliptical landforms of Wongs groundscape as the actor scales the Burj Khalifa. Wong is a design principal in SWAs Sausalito office, where he has worked since 1978. His legacy in the field of landscape architecture is freshly evident thanks to a new book, Selected Works of Landscape Architect John L. Wong: From Private to Public Ground, from Small to Tall, a monograph that, at 588 pages, shares something with Wongs oeuvre. Spanning cultures, climates, and scales, the Hong Kongborn landscape architects work has been an influential part of a growing movement to bring the natural landscape back into urban centers and to dissolve the artificial barrier between cities and nature. Timothy A. Schuler spoke with Wong to learn more about the making of the book and its resonance.Cover design of Selected Works, published by Oscar Riera Ojeda Publishers (Courtesy Oscar Riera Ojeda Publishers)Timothy Schuler: Did the book project reveal any new insights about your own body of work?John Wong: Absolutely. Most of the projects are large-scale, mixed-use and have a major impact on urban living. Many were completed during a period when the world was growing. As you know, landscape architecture began in the United States back in Olmsteds day, and many of the skills have only been passed on internationally over the last 30 years. Oscar [Riera Ojeda, the books publisher] was trying to capture how I developed a body of work that spans not just the local or regional but the international scene. He hadnt seen someone like that, until recently. In the last ten years or so, a lot of landscape architects have gone overseas. But I started in the 1980s. I was very fortunate to be part of that opportunity, riding the waves and working with many different clients, engineers, and architects. It taught me a lot about how to design in a different culture, in a different setting. What have you learned over the years about designing in not just climatically responsive but culturally grounded ways?I approach projects with one general design methodology, and that doesnt change from one place to anotheralthough the application will be different. I try to teach our young people, as well as students, that you want to have a full understanding of the place. You need to go there. You need to walk it, learn it. What is the vegetation? What is the topography? Is there something that is part of the overall ecological system? When I was at graduate school, I had lunch with Dan Kiley many times, and he always said, John, whenever I go to a place, I just walk around the block and look at what trees do the best. And thats how I develop my plant palette. I do that too. But I go beyond just learning about a palette of trees and shrubs. I learn about materials, about weathering. You know, this handrail, how come its falling apart? For me, theres no boundary between culture and environment. Its about the importance of the place. You have to respect it. You have to learn from it.SWAs public realm design for Expo 2020. (David Lloyd)The books title is The Selected Works of Landscape Architect John L Wong. Many people might know that these are SWA projects but not associate any one name with them. Has the anonymity that came with working at SWA ever been a struggle?I decided to do the book to highlight that, yeah, I was part of SWA, but for all the projects that are showcased, I was the principal in charge, meaning these are projects I brought in myself, through my own work and through my own [relationships]. Its a little bit of ego on my part, right? But I also wanted to show that you might be working for a company, but that doesnt mean that all the work is designed in a certain way or under a single direction. You have a lot of say. You can be your own person, and you can provide your point of view.When I look back, the most important thing I hope the book does is inspire students and young professionals. We need more young practitioners. The field is overwhelmed with opportunities, and were just not able to meet the challenges with the talent that we have. Wong has worked on the Stanford University campus for over a span of 30 years. (Jonnu Singleton)How many of the comments from colleagues and friends have been about the weight of the book? Its very big.[Laughs] Everybody weighed it. It varies between 9.5 and 9 pounds, 7.5 ounces. The good news is I made it to all their coffee tables. I consider that a success.Timothy A. Schuler is an award-winning writer and design critic whose work focuses on the intersection of the built and natural environments. He lives in Manhattan, Kansas.