Dennis A Winters, OALA ASLA

Landscape architect with professional degrees in landscape architecture (M.L.A., Cornell) and architecture (B.Arch., Florida), and a background in environmental analysis and regional land use planning. Through his Toronto studio, Tales of the Earth, he designs and builds gardens for meditation and writes about the sacred landscapes that inspire them.

Education	Master of Landscape Architecture with Highest Honors, 1984 Cornell University, Ithaca, New York Environmental Studies, 1974-81 Cornell University, Ithaca, New York Urban Design Studies, 1970-71 Teknillinen Korkeakoulu, Otaniemi, Finland Bachelor of Architecture, 1969 University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Professional Registration	Full Member (on-leave), Ontario Association of Landscape Architects Full Member (on-leave), American Society of Landscape Architects Licensed Landscape Architect in the State of New York
Awards	Moving Landscapes International Competition, Honorable Mention, 2011 Canada Council for the Arts Visual Arts Travel Grant, 1998 Design Arts Grant Award, Ontario Arts Council, 1995 Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts Grant, 1993 CMHC Healthy Home Competition, Winning Team, 1992 International Cities Design Competition, Honorable Mention, 1989
Community	Instructor, Ryerson University Life Institute, 2015 Co-organizer, The Architecture of Spirituality in a Multicultural Setting 6th Symposium of Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, Toronto, 2014 Member, Canadian National Team, Canadian Senior Dragon Boat Club (World Champion 2006), Mt. Sinai Hospital Dragon Team, 1995 – 2010 Instructor, Ryerson University Landscape Design Program, 2006 Writer, Dragon Boat World Magazine, Toronto, Ontario, 2003 - 2006 Director, Prayers and Chants for World Peace Interfaith Service with H.H. The Dalai Lama, University of Toronto, 1990 President, Gaden Choling Buddhist Meditation Centre, Toronto, 1987-91 Chair, City of Ithaca, New York Design Review Committee, 1984-85 Teaching Assistant, Cornell University Landscape Architecture Program, 1982-84 Director, Tompkins County Environmental Management Council Planner Tompkins County Department of Planning, 1972-82
Projects	Parkway of Least Resistance, Don Valley, Toronto, Ontario, 2011 - current Mount Lawn Cemetery, Whitby, Ontario, 2012 YUL-MTL: Moving Landscapes International Ideas Competition, 2011 Sravasti Abbey Buddhist Monastery, Newport, Washington, 2006 Toronto East General Hospital Terrace Garden, Toronto, Ontario, 2001 - 2003 Mt. Sinai Hospital Meditation Garden Study, Toronto, Ontario, 1996 Greywater Treatment Garden, Royal Winter Garden Show, Toronto, 1996 Zen Garden, Today's Japan Exposition, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, 1995 Scarborough College Landscape Site Plan, Scarborough, Ontario, 1992 CMHC Codicile Healthy Home, Toronto, Ontario, 1992 Meditation Gardens for Residences and Offices, Toronto, Ontario, 1990 - current City of Milwaukee, International Cities Design Competition, 1989 St. Jamestown Community Landscape Analysis, Toronto, Ontario, 1989 St. Catherines Downtown Streetscape Revitalization, Ontario, 1987 Crescent Town Community Landscape Analysis, Toronto, Ontario, 1987 Milarepa Buddhist Meditation Center, Barnet, Vermont, 1982 – 1984 Freshwater Wetlands Inventory, Tompkins County, New York, 1980-1981 Environmental Management Plan, Rapati Zone, Nepal, 1979 Natural Resources Inventories, Tompkins County, New York, 1974 - 1982 Lehigh Valley Railroad Right-of-Way Inventories, 1977 - 1978 Fall Creek Management Plan, Tompkins County, New York, 1976 NYS Environmental Quality Review Administrative Handbook, 1976
Presentations	Shades of Engagement: Georgia O’Keeffe and the Erotic Landscapes of Maui + Georgia O’Keeffe and Spirituality of Sexually Charged Landscape Laterna Magica Gallery, Helsinki, Finland, 2024 Meditations on the Spiritual Nature of Space Forum Box Gallery + Helsinki Design Week, Helsinki, Finland, 2024 13th Symposium of Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, New York City, NY, 2023 A Third Shade of Engagement With Landscape 11th Symposium of Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, Taliesin West, Scottsdale, AR, 2019 Where Landscape and People Place their Heart: The Kogi and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta 10th Symposium of Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, Univ. Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 2018 Utopia as Heaven from the Twilight Zone to the Buddha Fields 8th Symposium of Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, New Harmony, IN, 2016 Georgia O’Keeffe and Spirituality of Sexually Charged Landscape Oxford Symposium on Religious Studies, Oxford University, UK, 2016 Exploring Sexuality and Spirituality Conference, Oxford University, UK, 2016 7th Symposium of The Forum for Architecture, Culture and Spirituality, Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM, 2015 Reinventing Cities as Sacred Landscape: the Case for an Eco-Centric View of Infrastructure, with Roberto Chiotti, 5th Symposium of Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, Glastonbury Abbey, Hingham, MA, 2013 Creating Centres of Cosmology with Stone and Sand 4th Symposium of Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, Isla Mujeres, Mexico, 2012 Journey to Bodhgaya: Garden of the Enlightenment 3rd Symposium of Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, Serenbe, GA, 2011 Pretapuri: Sacred Landscape of Western Tibet and Expression of Spiritual Practice 2nd Symposium of Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, St. John’s Abbey, MN, 2010 Regarding Sacred Landscapes and the Everyday Corollary 1st Symposium of Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, Mt. Angel, OR, 2009 Tales of the Earth – Landscape Architecture Prince Edward County Horticultural Society, Picton, ON, 2009 Lessons from the Japanese Garden Rockcliffe Park Garden Club, Ottawa, 2002 Teachings from Sacred Landscapes: Designing Contemplative and Healing Gardens Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Annual Conference, Ottawa, 2000 Lessons from the Japanese Garden Civic Garden Centre Seminars, Toronto, 2000 Discovering Sacred Landscapes Sea Kayaking through Georgian Bay. Killarney Provincial Park, Georgian Bay, 2000 India, the Land of Origins, Journeys to Sacred Buddhist Landscapes Trinity College, University of Toronto, 1999 Sacred Landscapes, Contemplative Gardens Ikebana International Toronto Chapter, 1999 Sacred Landscapes and Evolution of Gardens in Buddhist Traditions Japan Society of New York with The New York Botanical Garden, 1999 Japan Society of Boston with Arnold Arboretum and WGBH, Boston, 1999 Designed Sacred Landscapes – A Study of Pretapuri in Western Tibet UNESCO Natural Sacred Sites International Symposium, Paris, France 1998 Making Sacred Places Conference, University of Cincinnati, 1997 American Society of Landscape Architects Annual Conference, 1996 Designing Sacred Landscapes, Buddhism in America Conference, San Diego, 1998 Journeys to Sacred Buddhist Landscapes of India and Tibet, with Zasep Tulku Rinpoche Three lectures, George Ignatieff Theatre, Trinity College, University of Toronto, 1998 Temple Gardens of Kyoto. Today's Japan Exposition of Contemporary Culture Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, 1995 Designed Sacred Landscapes – Foundations in the Buddhist Traditions Four lectures, Design Exchange, Toronto, 1995 Gardens of the Enlightenment Spirit of Sustainability Symposium, San Rafael, California, 1993
Publications	Shades of Engagement (Pioneer Valley: Outpost Press/Wayfarer Books: 2024) “Spirituality of the Sexually Charged Landscape” in Exploring Sexuality and Spirituality Phil Shining and Nicol Epple, ed. (London: Brill Publishing, 2020) A Third Shade of Engagement With Landscape www.acsforum.org 2019 Where Landscape and People Place their Heart: The Kogi and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta www.acsforum.org 2018 Utopia as Heaven from the Twilight Zone to the Buddha Fields www.acsforum.org 2017 “Regarding Sacred Landscapes and the Everyday Corollary” in Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Thomas Barrie, J. Bermudez and P. Tabb, ed. (Farnham: Ashgate, 2015) Georgia O’Keeffe and Spirituality of Sexually Charged Landscape www.acsforum.org 2015 Searching for the Heart of Sacred Space. (Toronto: The Sumeru Press, 2104) Reinventing Cities as Sacred Landscape: the Case for an Eco-Centric View of Infrastructure, with Roberto Chiotti. www.acsforum.org 2013 Creating Centres of Cosmology with Stone and Sand. www.acsforum.org 2012 Pretapuri: Sacred Landscape of Western Tibet and Expression of Spiritual Practice (Dubai: 2A Architecture & Art, Spring 2011) Journey to Bodhgaya: Garden of the Enlightenment. www.acsforum.org 2011 Pretapuri: Sacred Landscape of Western Tibet and Expression of Spiritual Practice www.acsforum.org 2010 Regarding Sacred Landscapes and the Everyday Corollary www.acsforum.org 2009 New Garden Helps Complex Continuing Care Unit at TEGH to Become a Home (Toronto: Hospital News, Feb 2004) The Extended Sadhana of Cittamani Tara with Zasep Rinpoche (Toronto: Gaden Choling Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre, 2003) “Lessons from the Japanese Garden” in Landscape Trades (Milton, Ontario: Landscape Ontario, Vol. 20, No 1, January 1998) Designed Sacred Landscapes: Study of Pretapuri in Western Tibet ASLA Annual Meeting Proceedings. (Washington: ASLA, 1996) “The First Buddhist Monasteries.” Tibet Journal. (Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Vol. XIII, 1988) “Buddhist Meditation Gardens." Tibet Journal. (Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Vol. XII, 1987) Milarepa Buddhist Meditation Center, Barnet, Vermont. (Ithaca: Master of Landscape Architecture Thesis, Cornell University, 1984) Freshwater Wetlands Inventory Maps for Tompkins County, New York. (Ithaca: Tompkins County Department of Planning and Environmental Management Council for NYSDEC, 1982) Administrative Handbook: State Environmental Quality Review (Ithaca: Tompkins County Department of Planning, 1980) Environmental Management: Framework for Analysis and Recommendations for Rapati Zone Rural Area Development. (Kathmandu: U.S. Agency for International Development, 1979) Six Mile Creek, Tompkins County Study (Ithaca: Tompkins County Environmental Management Council, 1978) Lehigh Valley Railroad Rights-of-Way, Inventory and Proposed Uses (Ithaca: TCDP and TCEMC, 1977-78) Fall Creek Corridor Management Plan. (Ithaca: Tompkins County Environmental Management Council, 1977) Unique Natural Areas Inventory with Craig Tufts. (Ithaca: Tompkins County Environmental Management Council, 1976) Environmental Image: Framework for Environmental Analysis with Garrison Evans. (Ithaca: TCDP and TCEMC, 1975)
Teaching	Making and Meaning of Sacred Landscape, Ryerson University Life Institute, 2015 Sketching the Landscape, Tales of the Earth Seminar, 2008 Creating the Art of the Japanese Garden, Tales of the Earth Seminar, 2008 Experiences of Naturalistic Space, Tales of the Earth Seminar, 2007 Experiences of Classical Space, Tales of the Earth Seminar, 2007 Making and Meaning of Landscape, Ryerson University, 2006