MNLA believes that landscape architecture is more than a profession – it is an optimistic way of seeing the world and envisioning its possibilities to be both beautiful and responsible.  We practice landscape architecture as a medium capable of reinvigorating, healing, and mediating places.  Our work embraces catalytic and performative landscapes that deepen cultural expression through memory and hope. The recipient of nearly 100 awards in its 20+ years of practice, MNLA’s greatest reward is work that changes lives and strengthens and empowers communities.

What we value: MNLA is dedicated to uniting our clients’ needs with a clear and creative vision for the places they inhabit. Our designs have renewed the environmental integrity and transformed the quality of a wide range of spaces. We work with clients on projects large and small from master planning through realization and beyond. We believe that if the solution is right, it will enhance the environment and make it beautiful—people will use it, and it will endure.  We believe in advocacy and giving back – to communities, to the profession, and to the frameworks that govern our society.

How we work with clients: Every physical space is unique. We believe in the power of listening to our clients to understand the site and its fabric—social and environmental—into which it is woven.  Designs emerge out of rigorous research and continuous collaboration to develop innovative re-imagining of place and use. We thrive on responding to concerns, anticipating challenges, cutting red tape, and accomplishing our mutual visions. We are tenacious in achieving our mutual goals and continue to be engaged with our clients and their places long after our projects have taken root.

How we work in-house: A staff of 30 landscape architects and designers means that MNLA is large enough to command a wide range of design creativity and experience, yet small enough to ensure each project benefits from this expertise and mentorship. We marry accountability with accessibility, making it easier for clients to get attention and information. The firm principal that serves each project is the gateway to a team of MNLA collaborators who engage in questioning ideas and challenging conventional practice in favor of exceptional vision that results in better designs. Our teams also extend beyond our studio to the leading architects with whom we collaborate and the engineering and environmental experts with whom we partner.