We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ma’ayan Lifshitz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ma’ayan below.

Ma’ayan , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

I was drawn to Landscape Architecture and design after a transformative trip to France. Interacting with the exquisite gardens scattered across the country, I found myself pondering the minds behind these
meticulous designs—Landscape Architects. This curiosity led me to pursue Landscape Architecture in my
home country of Israel, at The Israeli Institute of Technology (Technion). There, I obtained both my
Bachelors and Masters degrees in Landscape Architecture, garnering several scholarships and awards
along the way, including the Azrieli and Balaban Glass scholarships.
During my masters studies, I delved into researching the profound impact of Lawrence Halperin on the
design of national parks in Israel. I unearthed lost archives and established a new library dedicated to
national parks at the Technion. My research spanned the archives of both the Berkeley and UPenn
universities.
Halperin’s visionary approach has deeply shaped my career trajectory. His unique
perspective on space, his keen observation of nature dissected into its
elemental parts, and his ability to seamlessly blend beauty with the natural environment have all left an
indelible mark on my professional ethos.
Following graduation, I joined BO Landscape Architects, where I had the privilege of
contributing to a diverse and remarkable portfolio of projects. My assignments
ranged from comprehensive neighborhood developments to the creation of city
parks, eco-tourism planning, pilgrimage sites, educational institutions, and
more. The operational ethos of BO profoundly influenced my vision for
establishing and managing my own studio.. Prioritizing a conducive work environment, emphasizing
continuous employee education, and fostering a culture of enjoyment and enrichment have become
pivotal principles in guiding my business endeavors.
In 2022, I founded Burlage Circle in response to the proliferation of mass developments in the Austin
area, which often demonstrated a glaring lack of consideration for proper design principles and landscape
architecture expertise. Many of these developments exhibited disregard for crucial factors such as
topography, natural water flow (water runoff), and visual hazards. While I fully endorse growth and
development, I believe it must be approached thoughtfully; especially, with due consideration for the
existing land and the community it serves.
Inspired by this conviction, along with the encouragement of my sister (who boasts considerable
experience in the business sector), —I decided to take tangible
steps to address these issues by establishing a landscape design studio. My mission is to infuse beauty,
aesthetics, and responsible design into every project, ensuring that our work enhances the environment
and enriches lives.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Around 2019 I started exploring moving out of Israel and where to. I wanted to find a place that aligned with the feelings of freedom and endless opportunity for my kids. Sarah (my sister, who was already living in the US) was exploring FL.

Growing up in Israel in the city of Eilat as well as a small town in the Jezreel Valley, Nature was an integral part of our lives. We used to camp and hike on weekends. Fish and cook our catch of the day. Scuba dive, bird watch and really any activity that involved being outdoors. Finding a similar place to move to in the US was very important to us. The Texas Hill Country’s beauty, nature and the wide open lush spaces were so similar to our home town in Israel it provided us with a feeling of home and peace.

Sarah and I both moved to The Texas Hill country in 2021 and In 2022 we opened our Landscape design studio, Burlage Circle in Dripping Springs, Texas. We now work all over the country as well as international projects. We see each project as the clients needs and wants and not ours. Though I am the professional and hold the knowledge the design is for the client and their desires and wishes are top priority when I approach a design.

As I mentioned, I graduated from the Technion with both a bachelors and masters degree in Landscape Architecture. Landscape architecture is not about plants. Plants are a tool. But knowing plants and understanding what can be used and how, is a huge advantage. I also worked at a plant nursery for 4 years. I really have a broad education on plants which is very helpful in my line of work. I love plants, the outdoors and aesthetics and I enjoy combining the 3 together. Because of my work experience in Israel and my education I am brining a more holistic design approach to Texas, one that I feel is very unique.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I didn’t have to look far or hard to find my business partner and cofounder as she is my sister. You often hear people say and warn you, don’t go into business with your family. But the way I look at it I wouldn’t want to work with anyone else. We compliment each other very well. We are very balanced. Sarah, is out and about traveling interacting with people from all walks of life. She understands people. Very high emotional intelligence. You could say I’m the water and she’s the fire. I’m “in the lab” crafting the designs, researching, studying. Precision is very important to me. We keep each other in check and very balanced.
We have a very strong bond. We never give up on each other and we never give up on our business. It’s very special. It’s what kept us pushing through tough times and helped us build a solid foundation, that allows us to now bring in more employees and expand.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Everything in Burlage Circle is driven by deeper meaning, creativity and a feeling. We were exploring different company names that had deeper meaning. We explored words in different languages and tried to find a combination of words that describe land, property, your home extending outside the walls of your house. That feeling you get when you pull into your driveway of calm, a deep breath, comfort.
One day we both looked at each other and said how about Burlage Circle. Burlage circle was the street our grandparents lived on. It was home. Just saying those two words growing up, would get us excited. Our company and our company name derive from a feeling. When we did a deeper dive into the meaning of the words Burlage Circle we discovered that In German, Bur is a dwelling. Place peasant farmer’ + Lage ‘open space or field within a forest. Circle – is a complete and perfect shape. That ties it all together. We couldn’t believe just how perfectly the street name described exactly what we wanted our company name to embody Our logo is the Bur Oak leaf, a Texas native tree. It all ties together and we feel it really represents us. There’s a lot of intention behind our company name and logo. Nothing is by mistake. The little details are really important to us, our logo and name represent that.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.burlagecircle.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/burlagecircle
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BurlageCircle

Image Credits
For portrait + Sister photo: Photographer- Sarvey Tahmasebi Rector For Landscape Photography: Dror Baldinger FAIA