Who We Are

Designing with intention. Rooted in place.

PWL Partnership is a studio of landscape architects, urban designers and site planners with a shared purpose: to design places that give back—to people, nature, and future generations.

Working across Canada and the Pacific Northwest, we collaborate with communities, institutions, and interdisciplinary teams to create landscapes that are resilient, inclusive, and grounded in the cultural and ecological context of place.

Our work focuses on climate adaptation, blue-green infrastructure, and the design of public landscapes that connect people to water, ecology, and community life. It spans waterfronts, housing communities, campuses, parks, and civic spaces, places where social life, ecology, and culture intersect.

How We Work

We approach each project with curiosity and care.

Our process begins with listening, to communities, to Indigenous partners, and to the stories embedded within a landscape. Through research and engagement, we work to understand the histories, ecologies, and aspirations that define a place.

Rather than imposing a signature style, we respond to context. Each project is shaped through collaboration, bringing together designers, engineers, ecologists, artists, and community voices to develop site-specific design responses.

We guide projects from early visioning through detailed design and construction, working across disciplines and scales to deliver landscapes that are thoughtful, grounded, and enduring.
 

Our Expertise

Our work brings together landscape architecture, urban design, and planning to shape environments that respond to climate change, support community life, and guide long-term growth.

Climate adaptation & blue-green systems

Designing landscapes that manage water, restore ecological systems, and respond to climate change. Work includes stormwater infrastructure, coastal adaptation, and nature-based solutions integrated into the public realm.

Waterfronts & resilient shorelines

Shaping waterfronts that reconnect people to water while responding to dynamic environmental conditions in rivers, coastlines, and urban shorelines.

Public realm, mobility & accessibility

Designing streets, plazas, and civic spaces that support movement, gathering, and inclusive access. Projects integrate active transportation, walkability, and universal accessibility into the fabric of cities.

Parks, open space & play environments

Creating parks and open space systems that support recreation, biodiversity, and everyday use. Projects include playgrounds and water-based play for all ages and abilities.

Civic, cultural & community landscapes

Designing landscapes that support public life through schools, cultural centres, and community and aquatic facilities.

Housing & community-led development

Shaping outdoor environments that support health, belonging, and multi-generational living. These landscapes support daily life, social connection, and long-term livability.

Indigenous partnerships & cultural landscapes

Working alongside Indigenous clients and partners to support cultural expression, stewardship, and connection to land. This work is grounded in long-term relationships and collaboration.

Master planning, urban design & visioning

Guiding long-term change through integrated planning and urban design frameworks, supported with early-stage visioning and collaborative processes that shape ideas, align priorities, and define future directions.

Sustainability in Practice

Designing for a livable future is central to how we practice.

At PWL, sustainability is embedded in the way we think about landscape, from water systems and habitat restoration to material choices and long-term performance. Our work integrates ecological processes into the built environment, supporting climate adaptation and environmental resilience over time.

We combine ecological knowledge with technical design expertise to deliver landscapes that perform, managing water, supporting biodiversity, and contributing to long-term environmental health.

Our team brings expertise in:

• LEED® AP and LEED® Green Associate credentials
• Greenshores trained and certifed professionals
• Sustainable Sites Initiative® (SITES) accreditation
• Salmon-Safe design principles and training
• Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) membership and involvement

Our Values

Equity, reconciliation & inclusion

We design for belonging. Our work prioritizes partnership, cultural visibility, and the inclusion of voices that have historically been excluded from shaping built environments. We are committed to working alongside Indigenous communities in ways that respect knowledge, culture, and self-determination.

Read our commitment to equity and anti-racism

Designing for regeneration

We believe landscapes should contribute more than they consume. Our work focuses on restoring ecological systems, supporting biodiversity, and strengthening the relationships between people and the natural world.

Collaboration as practice

The best ideas emerge through dialogue. We value interdisciplinary thinking and open collaboration with communities, clients, and project teams.

Learning as a lifelong act

Landscape architecture is always evolving. We approach our work with humility and curiosity, continually learning from the places we work and the people we work with.

Our Roots

PWL was founded in Vancouver in 1976 at a time when the city was beginning to reimagine its waterfronts and public spaces. 

Over five decades, the studio has contributed to the transformation of parks, waterfronts, and civic landscapes across the region.

Today, PWL continutes to evolve under the leadership of partners Margot Long, Grant Brumpton, Derek Lee, and Katya Yushmanova, bringing together decades of expertise with new perspectives on climate resilience, community engagement, and inclusive design.