Remembering Robin Key
The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) mourns the passing of landscape architect Robin Key RLA, FASLA, a member of the foundation’s Stewardship Council, a participant in the 100 Women campaign to support the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize, a longtime source of inspiration, and a beloved friend. Robin passed away on April 30, 2026.
She founded her firm, RKLA, in 1987 and for nearly 40 years she and the firm worked on notable educational, institutional, and residential projects including several of New York City’s historic landmarks such as the master plan for First Presbyterian Church on Fifth Avenue, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral’s Bicentennial Garden and Restoration Project and the restoration and modernization of the outdoor spaces at Tavern On The Green located in Central Park.
Mindful of the layered history the urban context embodies, Robin’s work was defined by her ability to bridge historic precedent and contemporary design. Aware of the role landscape architecture serves within the community and the larger environment, RKLA’s work emphasizes sustainability and maintainable designs. She approached each site with careful observation and respect for its cultural and physical context, guided by a belief that landscape architecture is both an act of design and an act of stewardship. In 2018, she was elevated to the American Society of Landscape Architects Council of Fellows in recognition of her contributions to the profession
Beyond her built work, Robin was a dedicated advocate for cultural landscapes and public life. She served as Co-Chair of the Board of The Olana Partnership, where she played an important role in advancing the stewardship and interpretation of Frederic Edwin Church’s 250-acre designed landscape. She also served on the Board of The Noguchi Museum.
“Robin was passionate about the profession and served as an ambassador and mentor to her employees, allied practitioners, and the Boards on which she served,” said Charles A. Birnbaum, TCLF’s Founding President & CEO. “I had the good fortune of getting to know Robin’s work via several projects and always found her to be curious and deeply thoughtful. Significantly, her work honored the cultural continuity of people and places—from a Brooklyn townhouse that was designed by the great plantswoman, Alice Ireys, to her long-term commitment to Frederic Church’s Olana—Robin always approached every site and its stewards with sensitivity and compassion."
RKLA Studio continues under the leadership of Managing Partner Gareth Mahon, who worked alongside Robin for 22 years and has been a partner in the firm for the past decade, together with the studio’s experienced team.
“Robin gave RKLA its foundation - a way of looking closely, listening carefully, and understanding landscape as something living, layered, and deeply connected to people,” said Gareth Mahon, Managing Partner of RKLA Studio. “For 22 years, I had the privilege of working alongside her and learning from the care, rigor, and generosity she brought to every project and relationship. The studio is strong because of the culture Robin helped establish and because that culture has been shared and practiced by our team for many years. We will honor her by continuing the work with the same thoughtfulness and commitment she brought to it.”
Robin was known by colleagues, clients, collaborators, and friends for her warmth, intelligence, and extraordinary knowledge of plants and place. She was a mentor to many designers and a deeply respected collaborator among architects, artists, builders, gardeners, preservationists, and cultural institutions.
According to a statement from RKLA Studio, the firm “will continue to honor Robin’s legacy through the work of the practice she founded and through the values she instilled: stewardship, collaboration, design excellence, and care for the living landscape.”