Business Details
16 Years
experience
Expert Landscape Architecture & Civic Design Solutions
Karen Landscape Kiest Architect brings over 25 years of expertise in creating innovative outdoor spaces that balance aesthetic vision with functional design. Founded in 2010, our firm specializes in translating client needs into landscapes that prioritize material sensitivity, contextual appropriateness, and visual distinctiveness. With projects spanning the United States, the Caribbean, and Asia, we focus on civic and institutional design, integrating buildings and sites to enhance community environments. Our approach emphasizes resource efficiency, sustainable practices, and active community engagement through workshops and collaborative planning.Karen Kiest, a Harvard-trained landscape architect registered in four jurisdictions, leads a team committed to advancing environmental stewardship through certifications like LEED and the Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard. We maintain professional leadership roles, including participation in the Washington State Licensing Board for Landscape Architects and the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards. Our work consistently addresses diverse user needs while aligning with ecological, social, and economic project requirements.
Services
Civic Design
Landscape Architecture
Community Planning
Sustainable Sites
Urban Design
Details
- Year established: 2010
Highlights and features
- 25+ years of global landscape architecture experience
- Harvard-trained principal with multi-state professional registration
- Active community engagement in public planning processes
- Proven track record with sustainable certification standards
- Integrated approach to civic building and site design
Associations and certifications
- LEED
- Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard
- Built Green
- High-Performance School Buildings Standard
What people say
Innovative designs
Community-focused approach
Sustainable expertise
Professional leadership
Context-sensitive solutions
Services
Civic Design
Creating functional civic environments that integrate buildings and landscapes. Our approach addresses diverse user needs while maintaining budget efficiency. Projects include urban plazas, municipal facilities, and transportation corridors.
Landscape Architecture
Comprehensive landscape solutions combining aesthetic vision with practical implementation. Services cover site analysis, planting design, and hardscape development for residential, commercial, and institutional clients.
Community Planning
Facilitating stakeholder involvement through workshops and collaborative design sessions. We develop tailored engagement strategies that ensure community input shapes final design outcomes.
Sustainable Sites
Implementing environmentally responsible design practices that meet LEED and other sustainability standards. Focus areas include water conservation, native plantings, and eco-friendly material selection.
Urban Design
Shaping urban environments through streetscape improvements and mixed-use development plans. Our work enhances walkability, connectivity, and visual coherence in metropolitan areas.
People
Karen Kiest
Principal Landscape Architect
Harvard-trained landscape architect with 25+ years of experience in civic design. Registered in four jurisdictions, Karen leads sustainable projects while serving on national licensing boards and professional organizations.
Questions
What geographic areas do you serve?
We work throughout the Pacific Northwest, with completed projects in Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii. Our international experience includes Caribbean and Asian locations.
What sustainability standards do you follow?
Our projects meet LEED, Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard, Built Green, and High-Performance School Building requirements while maintaining design excellence.
How do you involve communities in design?
We employ vision workshops, site tours, and collaborative design sessions to ensure community input directly shapes project outcomes.
What project types do you specialize in?
Our expertise focuses on civic and institutional landscapes, including parks, urban plazas, transportation corridors, and mixed-use developments.
