(About) — Growing since 2009
We design with time.
Understory began as three landscape architects in a Chinatown walk-up with one belief: a landscape is judged not on opening day, but in year ten. Today we are a studio of ten designers, ecologists and planners in New York.
Our work sits where public space meets climate infrastructure: tidal parks, cloudburst streets, schoolyards that hold stormwater, and plans that help cities decide where water should go. We name the understory because it is the layer that does the quiet work: shade, soil, habitat, time.
(01) — Approach
Three commitments that shape every project, from a rain garden to a ten-mile shoreline.
01
Start with the ground
Soil, hydrology and history come before form. We read a site through every season before we draw a single line.
02
Plan for year ten
Every project ships with a growth timeline, a maintenance plan and metrics, so the landscape keeps getting better after we leave.
03
Credit everyone who builds it
Engineers, growers, crews and neighbors are listed on every project page. Landscapes are made by many hands.
(02) — Process
Five seasons of a project
01 · Listen
Walks, workshops and interviews with the people who already know the site best.
02 · Read the site
Hydrology, soils, habitat and history mapped across a full year of seasons.
03 · Design & test
Iterative design with models, mock-ups and test plots before anything is built.
04 · Build with care
On site weekly through construction, working hand in hand with crews and growers.
05 · Steward & measure
Seasonal visits, monitoring and a public "how it's growing" record for every project.
(03) — Awards & recognition
Recognized by peers, proven by seasons
FAQ
Frequently asked
What types of clients does Understory typically work with?
How does Understory structure its design process?
Does Understory offer post-construction monitoring or stewardship services?
