Whole Systems Design is composed of an interdisciplinary team of land planners, ecological designers, builders, and educators that live in their designs. We unify conventionally disparate fields to develop inspiring and regenerative places.

We differ from other designers in that we actually live inside of our work everyday. We don't work in class A office space; we live amidst the spaces, plants and ecosystems we design.  We build soil, tend to fruit trees, dig and maintain ponds and roads, tweak wood stoves, sharpen axes, fell trees, bring in the firewood, raise vegetables, fruit, fish, poultry, livestock, tune solar hot water systems, and learn from the innumerable ways one lives in a productive landscape across the seasons.  We could not deliver valuable site and building design and construction experience without practicing the content of our design on a daily basis.  Since the practice of modern architecture and land design is usually far removed from the consequences of its application it reliably produces dysfunctional spaces unfit for vibrant people and other living things. This distancing of designer from the designed is why these fields have consistently failed to deeply protect and enhance human culture and biological diversity for the past few generations.  Our practice is part of the design-build, owner-builder movement that is transcending the industrial process which has passed for 'design' for far too long.

We work with our team of specialists we've developed over the past 15 years in Vermont to implement projects.

Ben Falk, M.A.L.D: Design, Project Strategy, Systems Optimizer
Ben developed Whole Systems Design, LLC as a land-based response to biological and cultural extinction and the increasing separation between people and elemental things. Life as a designer, builder, ecologist, tree-tender, and backcountry traveler continually informs Ben’s integrative approach to developing landscapes and buildings. His home landscape and the WSD studio site in Vermont's Mad River Valley serve as a proving ground for the innovative land developments featured in the projects of Whole Systems Design. Ben has studied architecture and landscape architecture at the graduate level and holds a master’s degree in land-use planning and design. He has taught design courses at the University of Vermont and Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum as well as on permaculture design, microclimate design, and design for climate change.  He serves on the Board of Directors and Faculty at the Yestermorrow Design-Build School.
 
Cornelius Murphy: Project Management, Office Manager, Graphics Wizardry
Cornelius supports WSD by synthesizing CAD and dynamic animation with hand drawing and other graphic media to produce compelling design communications.  He also serves as project manager for studio-based projects and coordinates programs at the Whole Systems Research Farm.  Cornelius worked as an associate designer in several California-based landscape architecture studios before coming to Vermont and Whole Systems Design. He holds a Permaculture Design Certificate from the Regenerative Design Institute in Bolinas, CA and a B.S. from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture at Temple University.

Akira Whiskey: Zen Master, Crop Protection
Akira joined WSD 3 years ago from a farm in Maryland where she left a litter of American Farm Collie (AKA English Shepherd) brothers and sisters to pursue a career watching sheep, goats, and ducks, chasing birds, and keeping humans company in central Vermont.  She is a gifted listener, a keen observer and has recently earned a certificate in deer chasing.  She holds a B.S. in Duck Management, an M.Sc. in General Farm Guardianship and is persuing a doctorate in sleeping.  Akira enjoys Vivaldi, Handel, Bach and all things Baroque, and has a soft spot for classics such as Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young and The Band.

Jobs & Internships
Positions for employment and apprenticeship based out of our proving ground and studio in the Mad River Valley of Vermont are ongoing. Please see our Jobs and Internships page for more information.