We routinely convene, lead and collaborate with extensive multidisciplinary teams to shape the overall form of neighborhoods, park systems, waterfront districts, urban redevelopments, cities, and landscape infrastructure. Throughout this process, we pay close attention to the ways in which open space, ecological, and multi-modal transportation systems can shape urban form and human experience. Within each context, economic implications are vigorously considered; how to support existing programs or generate new kinds of revenue streams and opportunities for the community. In either case, we maintain a critical eye toward doing no harm, actively working to avoid displacement and gentrification while enhancing the health, wellbeing and quality of life for all people.

It’s critical that public spaces perform in myriad ways so that they are lively and active throughout the day and night (and through all seasons of the year). In order to achieve diverse and robust community participation and high levels of site activation, our team is invested and well-versed in interactive public processes that step far outside traditional meetings. Each space is unique, and our public participation strategy is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach; our engagement process is tailored to the specific needs and histories of a place. Our approach is people-centric, creative, hands-on, and iterative; we strive to empower people to engage how, when and where they feel most comfortable, always ensuring we are inclusive and representative of the diversity of voices in any community—generational, cultural, spiritual and socio-economic. We utilize both in-person and online tools in combination to reach a wide and diverse audience, ensuring the process is engaging, effective and safe.

Our team begins with the foundational belief that infrastructure should do as much as possible, that resiliency investments should provide multiple social, environmental and economic benefits. We are pioneers in designing for climate adaptation and have extensive experience planning and implementing projects in a range of environments; from coastal and riverine waterfronts prone to flooding, to arid landscapes, to those that oscillate between these two extremes. From our perspective, designing for climate resilience in all its forms, drought, flooding, stormwater inundation and heat island effect, demands an multi-layered and integrated strategy that applies diverse types of protection methods in combination to achieve success—including green infrastructure, grey infrastructure and ‘living with water.’

We often work with clients to envision what’s next. Whether resiliency strategies, open space planning, pre-design brainstorming and testing, or helping to define project goals and outcomes, our team routinely works in an advisory capacity for public, private, academic and non-profit entities. Helping selecting artist, architect or engineering partners or advising on design competitions, our team relishes the opportunity to provide insight and guidance that further a client’s agendas.

RESEARCH