Sustainability at Our Core
Designing with Purpose. Building for Tomorrow.
At WERK | urban design, sustainability isn’t a buzzword — it’s the soil our work grows from. It’s the thread that ties every site visit, sketch, and stakeholder conversation together. For us, designing sustainably means creating places that heal the land, serve the community, and stand the test of time.
Our Six Guiding Roots of Sustainable Design
- 🌱 Nature-First Design – Prioritizing native plant palettes, ecological restoration, and biodiversity
- 💧 Water as a Resource – Integrating stormwater strategies that conserve, capture, and cleanse
- 🌞 Low Impact, High Value – Minimizing disruption and maximizing long-term ecological return
- 🏗️ Smarter Materials – Specifying recycled, low-carbon, and locally sourced materials
- 🌿 Resilience by Design – Crafting flexible, climate-adaptive spaces for the future
- 🤝 Equity in Access – Designing spaces that are inclusive, accessible, and community-focused
How It Comes to Life
- 🌳 Silva Cells and Structural Soil
- Supporting healthy urban tree growth and managing stormwater beneath sidewalks and plazas
- 🚴 Mixed Use Path
Promoting active transportation, walkability, and low-carbon mobility in public and private spaces - 💧 Rain Gardens and Bioswales
Filtering pollutants, slowing runoff, and recharging groundwater naturally - 🪨 Permeable Pavers
Reducing surface runoff and improving infiltration with hardscape that breathes - 🌾 Native and Adaptive Plantings
Reducing irrigation needs while restoring biodiversity and habitat - ♻️ Reused and Recycled Materials
- Integrating reclaimed stone, wood, and concrete for a lower carbon footprint
- 🧠 Smart Irrigation Systems
- Using weather data and sensors to conserve water intelligently
- 🌲 Urban Tree Canopy Expansion
Improving shade, air quality, and comfort with strategic planting and long-term health planning - 🧱 Green Walls and Living Roofs
Providing insulation, stormwater capture, and biodiversity in vertical and rooftop spaces - 🏞️ Low Impact Grading and Drainage
Preserving natural landforms and reducing erosion through smart topographic design - 🛝 Nature-Based Play Areas
Incorporating natural elements into play for healthy child development and environmental connection - 🚌 Transit-Oriented Landscape Design
Creating pedestrian-friendly streetscapes that support public transportation - 🌾 Pollinator corridors that reconnect fragmented habitats
- 💧 Landscape grading that channels water to feed green infrastructure
- 🚶 Pedestrian-priority design that reduces reliance on vehicles
- 🔄 Adaptive reuse of hardscape materials from demolished sites
Proof in the Projects
Durango Campus Retrofit | Phoenix, AZ
The Durango Campus Retrofit transformed the Flood Control District of Maricopa County’s campus into a showcase for innovative green infrastructure and stormwater management.
The design reduced potable water use by over 50% through strategies like passive rainwater harvesting, permeable pavements, and Silva Cell systems that support healthy urban tree growth.
Serving as both a functioning campus and a learning lab, the site demonstrates next-generation flood control solutions for municipalities and design professionals alike.
Pushing the Edge
We don’t just follow best practices — we push them forward. From researching desert-adapted urban trees in Arizona to piloting water-harvesting modules in the Southeast, our teams actively explore the next generation of sustainable strategies. We’re LEED- and SITES-savvy, but we believe sustainability should go beyond checklists.
We collaborate with cities, universities, and communities to raise the bar for what landscape architecture can do.
Let’s Build a Better Future — Together
Looking to partner on a project that’s rooted in purpose and built to last? Want to learn more about our sustainable landscape architecture? We’d love to talk.