Design for Impact

Design from Hope

The landscape architect’s position within community projects places us at the center of transformation that directly impacts people’s lives, and therein lies a prime opportunity to broaden our influence and create equitable, healthy neighborhoods.

Design For Impact is a scalable process framework that can be imbedded seamlessly and methodically into daily practice and tailored to our unique project types.

We’re working toward a mindset that puts wellbeing at the heart of every project, harnessing the power of hope and possibility in every community.

The transformative potential of systematic, sustainable design is well-established in the profession, with documented benefits in areas like stormwater management, water quality and urban heat island effect.

D4I is a way to achieve, document and replicate consistent results, even on challenging sites with limited budgets.

Delicate Empiricism

In addition to a linear approach rooted in the physical sciences, our approach is influenced by Goethe’s concepts of “Delicate Empiricism,” a more holistic awareness of the natural world based on empathy and creativity: a more disordered order, one that more closely represents the unpredictable nature of designing spaces for and with human beings.

Indicators of Hope

This includes seeing the possibilities that lie inherent in every community. In our projects we see these cues as Indicators of Hope, and we respond with design gestures that grow organically along the lines expressed by the community.

The Beauty of Restraint

Delicate empiricism also allows for project assessment that explores the impact of restraint, a willingness to allow the natural world to express itself without excessive interference.

Strength in Numbers

Partnerships are critical to the success of most projects, especially where resources are scarce. By using the D4I process to link local organizations to project communities, multigenerational programs and amenities can be added to foster social cohesion and increase the likelihood of the long-term success of the project.

The Experiential

Experiential learning is a proven concept, and we can apply those same principles to the design process by immersing project communities in the process alongside the practitioners and partners to co-create the work.

Opportunities for Organic Outcomes

Co-creating relevant spaces and forging partnerships gives rise to beautiful human stories about what can happen with opportunity and support. They can reverberate through time and space as each outcome prompts another.

By applying this methodology we aim to be more intentional and impactful in our work, open doors to other opportunities, and tell all of those stories.