More than 1,000 miles away in New York on West 53rd Street is the Museum of Modern Art. ISU alumnus Ken Smith was chosen to design the Museum of Modern Art’s rooftop garden.

Smith was raised on a farm in Waukee, Iowa, and later went on to graduate from Iowa State in 1976 where he received his bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture.

In the fall of 1984, Smith left Iowa for the East Coast to receive his graduate degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

“I sold my car and left,” Smith said about his departure.

Years later, Smith is a successful landscape architect. He was in competition for the rebuilding of the World Trade Center after 9/11 when he was selected as the architect for the Museum of Modern Art.

“I was a part of that process with the World Trade Center when the museum took notice,” he said. “I later got a call that I was selected.”

There are two rooftops that stretch a city block, each around 70 feet by 200 feet. Even with that much space, it was not difficult to get ideas flowing.

“Ideas can come quickly, or some can be more difficult, but the Museum of Modern Art’s idea came rather quickly,” he said. 

Inspiration for the rooftop came from contemporary culture and what is happening in different cultures and society.

As for the exact inspiration, he found it from a pair of skateboarder’s pants that his wife bought, using them to help him design.

Neighbors who have the view of the garden did not like the rooftop, and they did not want to see the old design.

“The neighbors didn’t want to see the roof, and I used a camouflage pattern design to hide it, which is funny,” Smith said.

The skateboarder’s pants and camouflage design were not the first ideas in Smith’s mind for the rooftop.

“I had an idea of those spinning daisies that used to be in front lawns, thousands of those,” Smith said. “That idea didn’t get approved.”

For the design, Smith used shapes filled with landscape material with no living plants. Instead, it is designed with crushed glass, recycled rubber, stone, artificial rocks and boxwoods.

The rooftop garden is one of many of Smith’s successful designs, and his success started at Iowa State.

“Ken is really great for our department,” said Heidi Hohmann, associate professor of landscape architecture. “He gives back and recognizes us, and we are really excited for him.”

His successful career is an example for students to look at and know they too can have a bright future after graduating from Iowa State.

“Ken is a part of our professional advisory council as one of the reviewers, which gives scholarships,” Hohmann said. “He provides comments to students, and it is huge for the students that Ken Smith has read your proposal.”

Smith, who visits Iowa multiple times a year due to his mother still living in Des Moines, said he is proud to be a part of the great landscape architecture program at Iowa State.

“I meet Iowa State graduates everywhere,” he said. “Iowa State graduates go far in life.”

Smith said he is happy with where he is at in his career, starting the Ken Smith Workshop with offices in New York and Irvine, Calif. Advice he gives for students stretches far beyond landscape architect students and encompasses the entire ISU student body.

“Travel around the world,” Smith said. “Not all people live in the same way. Travel and find the cultural differences.”