Marissa Ilardi Portfolio

Portfolio

Undergraduate Works

Marissa Ilardi

About | Resume

Education

Marissa Ilardi

I spent a portion of my childhood in the Bronx, New York at my grandparents’ homes. In my time there, they echoed the importance of creativity and encouraged my siblings and I to embrace our ideas. My passion for bringing ideas to life has been kindled through landscape architecture, allowing me to tell stories through my work as I would when I was younger.

Over the years, the Bronx has changed, with most of the original character remaining, but modernization has begun to take place. This inspired me to pursue a certificate in historic preservation to be mindful of community impact as well as historic significance in sites I modify.

Skills

The University of Georgia, College of Environment & Design Athens, GA

Fall 2023 - Fall 2026 | Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

Certificate in Historic Preservation | GPA: 3.7

The University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA | Fall 2021 - Spring 2023

West Forsyth High School

Cumming, GA | 2017 - 2021

High School Diploma | GPA: 4.0

Involvement & Experience

Michaels

Cumming, GA | Athens, GA | 2020 - 2022, 2024 - 2025

Freelance Photography 2025 - Present

Service-Learning Studio - Community Design

Claxton, GA | Spring 2025

• Participated in a studio project focusing on the redesign of

• downtown Claxton’s performing arts center

• Collaborated with residents and local government Service-Learning Studio - Horse Shelter Design Lyons, GA | Fall 2025

• Participated in a studio project incorporating the redesign of a horse shelter

• Collaborated with Wild Mustang Ranch

Contact

Email: marissailardi40@gmail.com

Phone: (845)-729-2380

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-ilardi/ Instagram: @marissailardi

Portfolio: https://issuu.com/marissailardi

Software

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe InDesign

AutoCAD

Lumion

Sketchup

AI Programs

Adobe Firefly

Tripo3D Studio

Hand Rendering

Chalk Pastel

Marker

Field Sketching

Photography

Film

Digital Landscape

3D Printing

Prusa Slicer

Bambu Studio

Valley View Lodge & Ranch

Sedalia, CO

Fall 2025 | Professor Berglund

Marissa Ilardi, ThaoNhi Vo, Leyla Arslan

“Where wilderness becomes home.”

In the western United States, there is an overpopulation of wild mustangs and broncos. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) captures herds, where they remain in holding shelters. In collaboration with the BLM, ranches around the country gentle a portion of the population.

This semester-long project involved research, analysis, collaboration with Wild Mustang Ranch in Lyons, Georgia, and developing a site that could be both profitable and beneficial to the wild mustang population.

Composite Map

AutoCAD, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator

Throughout the semester, we had worked with different teams to compile analyses of the conditions of the western United states, the terrain of the site, and to determine the prime development areas, represented in orange, of the site.

The potential for the site became clear: sprawling pastures, abundant peaks, and valleys provided diverse experiences and a variety of uses. Areas in orange were labeled as prime development due to their lack of heavy vegetation, minimal slope, and, in some cases, Southwest facing slopes, providing excellent exposure for solar panels.

Analysis Maps

Master Plan

Hand Graphics, Adobe Photoshop

In Sedalia, Colorado, there sits a 1,500 acre site, encompassing pastures, mountains, and rock formations.

The design was inspired to work with the land, providing guests with a variety experiences that embrace the peaks and valleys. When guests arrive, they are greeted with a view of Bee Rock. The drive slowly leaves the low elevation behind, climbing up the peaks of the site to be met with the split lodges and ADA cabins. Trail systems throughout the site allow guests to hike to additional cabins.

Design Development

When designing the site, each team member had created their own plan. We had experimented separately, with road and lodge placements. Ideas from each iteration were combined in the final design.

Grading Plan

Grading Plan

Sedalia, Colorado

AutoCAD, Lumion, Adobe Photoshop

Thaonhi Vo, Leyla Arslan, Marissa Ilardi LA�� 40�0 � Professor �erglund

The process began by setting the FFEs of all buildings and the amphitheater. We had pushed and pulled the grading as the project progressed, trying to minimize grading impact and direct stormwater properly. Swales, rain gardens, and pipes were added to maintain proper drainage. The site is graded to ensure accessibility to all users, maintaining the sidewalk at or below 5%.

In collaboration with Wild Mustang Ranch in Lyons, Georgia, this shelter is a versatile space fit for both the ranch in Sedalia, and Wild Mustang Ranch.

During Hurricane Helene, Wild Mustang Ranch suffered. The roof of their barn was torn off and many of their trees were blown down. This shelter offers a more cost-effective solution to their lack of shade, additionally acting as rainwater collection for use on site.

Secret Serenity

Athens, GA

Fall 2024 | Professor Fernandez

Marissa Ilardi

Hand Graphics, Adobe Photoshop

“Bridging function and tranquility.”

Nestled in the heart of Athens, Georgia, this backyard redesign blends practical elements of English and Hawaiian plantings to create a scene that reflects the interests of the couple. The implementation of a natural pool creates a therapeutic space and aligns with their sustainable values.

This project focused on working with a client to determine their needs, value engineering, and creating a planting plan that combined the couple’s interests into a harmonious blend of comfort and tranquility.

Proposed planting at the entrance of the property.

Analysis

The property sits shaded amongst existing trees, shading a majority of the site, it lies adjacent to a high-traffic road, and the property is sloped, with the backyard existing at the lowest elevation. These conditions provided potential to maximize sunny areas, include rain gardens or increase drainage in sloped areas, and move gathering spaces away from noise.

The client had requested a natural pool, which relies on sunlight for its natural filtration system. This put a parameter on the sunlit areas at the rear of the property.

LEGEND

Master Plan

Hand Graphics, Adobe Photoshop

The clients had a collection of wonderful interests that they wished to see in the design, including a natural pool, flowers from their homes of England and Hawaii, sustainable materials, spaces for vegetable planting, plants to encourage birds to visit the yard, and entertaining spaces.

In conjunction with these ideas, I designed an open, curvilinear space that allows the clients and guests to discover pockets of activity. As you enter the property, you are met with a front yard teeming with life, purposefully wild as the clients had requested. The backyard provides a mixture of evergreen and flowering plants, allowing the clients to use the garden yearround. The natural pool adds an additional layer of vegetation, using the eastern portion of the pool as a natural filter.

Section A

Section B

Vector Perspective

This perspective shows the natural pool with adjacent planting. A portion of this project challenged us to use vector graphics to create perspectives, in addition to creating perspectives with hand graphics.

The section elevations demonstrate the most elevation change on the site. Section A cuts through the natural pool, showing the depth of the pool and the natural filter bed. Section B cuts through the walkway adjacent to the house, showcasing the steps and planting measures taken to slow the runoff in that area.

Planting Plan

AutoCAD, LandFX

The planting plan displays the plants used and locations placed on site, as well as existing plants. Many of the larger trees existed outside of the property line, so they could not be removed. The clients had stated they wanted more of a “wild” look to the property. To achieve this, I included many grasses and mixed flower pairings, as well as a variety of textures.

Mountain Crest Redesign

Cumming, GA

Spring 2025 | Professor Schulte

Marissa Ilardi

Hand Graphics, Adobe Photoshop

This redesign focuses on pedestrian and vehicular circulation. The clubhouse and mailboxes have been moved to centralize the location amongst all amenities, providing easier access to all guests. Parking has been consolidated, ensuring the same number of spaces, with a better location. The addition of a dog park allows residents an ‘off-leash’ space, allowing their dogs more room to exercise than a traditional yard. The playground has been moved from the far west of the site to the center, surrounded by trees for privacy and giving children more space to enjoy play. Legend 1.

Lighting Plan

Hand Graphics, Adobe Photoshop

Ample lighting provides residents with flexibility and safety. The space is fit for day and night use, with lighting increased around walkways and gathering spaces to increase functionality at varying times of day.

Stormwater Management

Athens, GA

Fall 2025 | Professor Longnecker Marissa Ilardi AutoCAD

This semester long project focused on the practice of stormwater management. This process required us to define the site in AutoCAD, research county codes for construction, calculate the estimated runoff on site, use grading and pipes to mitigate, and create a construction document package with this information and construction details.

The grading plan shown implements swales, which carry water to a retention basin on site.

BURTON CIR

This set of documents provides the structures needed for the erosion and sediment control phase of this process

CALLAWAY DR

Personal Works

A collection of works from my spare time and art courses.