What DEI Means in Landscape Architecture

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. These aren't just values or "buzzwords" or marketing boxes to check—they're the foundation of landscape architecture that truly works for all people. But these fundamental principles are now being challenged and politicized in ways that threaten the communities they aim to support. 

It goes against everything we stand for as landscape architects.

When we design with diversity, equity, and inclusion in mind, we create spaces that are not only beautiful, but meaningful, resilient, and responsive. Landscapes that genuinely improve lives and heal the ecosystem. Doing this begins with meeting people where they are — not just physically, but also linguistically, culturally, and emotionally. It begins with listening more than talking. And acknowledging that communities often know more than experts about what they need. This is essential to our work.

The result of these efforts is not just a new park or garden or green space, but greater innovations, more profound civic engagement, and a more just environment — for everyone.

The Benefits of DEI in Landscape Architecture

DEI Fosters Innovation. 

In nearly every project, we engage the community — through surveys, design workshops, public meetings, and online forums. We tailor the approach to fit the people we serve. And no matter the method, the result is always the same: we learn something. And that lets us do more. 

When you include more voices, you unlock more ideas. New perspectives lead to new possibilities — solutions beyond what any team, no matter how experienced, could arrive at alone. This principle doesn't stop at public outreach. It shapes how we hire, collaborate, and build our teams. We actively seek diverse viewpoints because we know they make our work stronger, smarter, and more responsive.

Sometimes, innovation starts with something as simple as making sure someone feels heard—regardless of their language. For example, in Lancaster PA, where we re-designed 3 parks, we invited Southeast residents to participate and brought in translators to ensure their voices shaped the project. That effort led to unexpected insights—and a design that truly reflected the community's values.

This kind of innovation doesn't always look like a "big idea." But it does always move the work—and the community— forward.

DEI Deepens Civic Engagement.

When we involve communities from the start, they're more likely to see themselves in the outcome, which means they're more likely to take pride in a place, which means they're more likely to care for it. That sense of ownership doesn't just strengthen the landscape as a meaningful public asset; it can also reduce long-term maintenance costs through community stewardship because the community values and cares for the project. We're not just creating landscapes, we're creating ambassadors.

But the impact often goes far beyond any single project. It can show the community new possibilities.

Take Lion's Pride Park—an all-ages, all-abilities playground in Warrington PA. To make the project a reality, Local sixth-grade students shared their ideas, helped fundraise, and advocated for the project. Two years later, that group—now eighth graders—stood proudly in the park they helped imagine. One told us, "The biggest thing I learned was that if I got engaged, I could make something happen."

That's what's possible when we consider diversity, equity, and inclusion in the design process. We're giving people a platform to participate. And we're helping them discover that they can shape the world around them through civic action.

That discovery can last a lifetime and have ripple effects beyond anything we can imagine.

DEI Promotes Environmental Justice. 

Environmental justice means more than just adding green space. It means addressing the legacy of policies that have systemically excluded communities—often communities of color—from access to clean air, shade, green space, and the benefits of a healthy environment.

We believe design can truly make a difference in addressing these historic injustices. More than that, it's about sending a signal that these communities are a rich and valued element of our society.

But this only works if we approach the process with humility. Even with the best intentions, we can't impose our ideas about what constitutes a fair or just landscape. We must be wary of even the most simple assumptions. Some communities value a dog park, but for others it invites problems.

Over the years, we’ve heard surprising answers when asking residents what they want in their neighborhoods. For example, counterintuitive opinions like “we don’t want new trees.” But when we listened more closely, the issue wasn’t the trees, but that residents worried they couldn’t care for the trees. 

That kind of insight has stayed with us. It reminds us that planting green space is only part of the work. Real change means growing the community’s capacity to care for that space—offering tools, knowledge, and support so people feel confident and connected, not burdened.

This has become a guiding theme in our work: helping neighborhoods get green and grow the capacity to stay green.

Designing Landscapes for the Future Means Designing for Everyone

All too often, landscape architecture follows a top‑down model: designers set the agenda, communities react, and critical voices remain unheard. This approach risks overlooking cultural nuances, everyday realities, and the expertise of people who know their neighborhoods—their own backyards— better than we ever will.

The important thing isn't to design for communities; its to design with them. People don't need to be "saved." They need to make a difference. This can only happen when we confront our own biases through collaboration and true, active listening — finding ways to communicate even when we don't speak the same language. That's what makes the difference between designing a landscape that isn't just beautiful, but beloved.

Too often, DEI is associated only with low-income communities. But this is a limiting view. Inclusion is for everyone. The goal isn't to use DEI as a marketing tool—it's to understand that the future of landscape architecture as a positive force for healthier and more beautiful places depends on how well we connect with the people who live, work, and grow in those places.

At Viridian, we say we heal ecosystems while making beautiful places for people. People—all people—are at the center of what we do. That's not a box to check. It's the core of our practice. And it's not changing.