Landscape architect Anna Cheng Young, RLA, has been honored with a Merit Award from the New Jersey chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) for her design of the Morristown Green in the center of Morristown, New Jersey. The award, which commended the revitalization of the historic 2.5-acre green, was given in the Historic Preservation category.

Anna Cheng Young honored with ASLA award for Historic Preservation

 Landscape architect Anna Cheng Young, RLA, has been honored with a Merit Award from the New Jersey chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) for her design of the Morristown Green in the center of Morristown, New Jersey. The award, which commended the revitalization of the historic 2.5-acre green, was given in the Historic Preservation category.


Cheng Young has worked with the trustees of this private park for more than two decades. The renovation was designed to celebrate Morristown’s role as the military capital of the American Revolution. A series of installations were designed to raise public awareness by making the green’s historical significance tangible. 


“The Alliance,” a sculpture depicting General George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Marquis de Lafayette, was unveiled at the green’s dedication. To showcase the country’s melting pot origins, Cheng Young and the trustees collaborated to create a granite medallion that would be emblematic of the American spirit. The medallion is embedded in the center of the plaza with a map of the United States and the words “E Pluribus Unum, From Many, One.” These features, along with other improvements that include a 58-foot-long bench constructed in indigenous puddingstone, a center promenade, game tables, meandering brick paths, and improved lighting, enhance the park so that it continues to be a refuge for residents, office workers, and visitors, as well as the stage for community activities.


The Morristown Green’s history dates to the period of the American Revolutionary War. The site served as the headquarters for General Washington during his first encampment in Morristown in 1777, and was visited by the general again in 1779-80. The Morris County Courthouse and jail were located on the green for nearly 75 years, until 1827. Many political, military, civic, and cultural events have been held at the site throughout its history.


The ASLA commended Cheng Young, who is now a landscape architect in the Parsippany office of Dewberry, for her “noteworthy accomplishment” and “excellent work.” Dewberry supported the project with construction documentation and inspection services.  “Every successful project needs a good team composed of a client, consultants, and contractors who are committed to and capable of bringing a vision to fruition,” says Cheng Young. “This successful team effort enabled the client to tell a story that the public can relate to in a space they love.”


Cheng Young earned a Master of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Science in horticulture from National Taiwan University.