Landscape Architecture

Discipline

Landscape architecture at PLH is more than green surroundings – it is an integrated part of the overall architectural vision. We take a holistic approach to the transitions between building and urban space, between function and aesthetics, between climate and quality of life. With strong expertise in botany, materiality and planning legislation, we create robust, value-adding solutions. We integrate landscape thinking from the earliest stages, strengthening projects both in approval processes and in the final user experience. The result is vibrant places that promote well-being, biodiversity and community.

Landscape architecture has always been an essential part of PLH – and a discipline of growing importance as demands for sustainability, biodiversity and quality of life continue to increase. For us, landscape architecture is not an add-on, but a prerequisite for creating coherent, holistic projects. It forms the foreground of the building, the framework for everyday life and the link between architecture, people and context.

The whole creates the value

The most successful projects emerge when landscape architecture is integrated from the very beginning. The earlier we work with terrain, planting, transition zones, connections and outdoor spaces, the stronger the overall result becomes – functionally, aesthetically and strategically.

The transition between indoors and outdoors is essential. Interior circulation areas have their counterpart in exterior edge zones and outdoor living spaces. When these transitions are designed consciously, seamless connections emerge that create cohesion and identity.

We work with context as an active collaborator – whether in the dense city, the open landscape or the transformation of existing structures.

At the same time, landscape architecture plays a significant role in planning approvals and local development plans.

Requirements related to biodiversity factors, preservation-worthy trees, stormwater management and biodiversity are becoming increasingly important. With in-depth knowledge of planning legislation, climate adaptation and ecological systems, we strengthen projects early in the process and help ensure a smooth development journey – creating solutions that both meet requirements and add lasting quality.

From aesthetics to function – and beyond

We work with landscape architecture across residential projects, hotels, workplaces, research institutions, educational facilities and retail – in both new-build and transformation projects. Our work ranges from courtyards, urban spaces and rooftop gardens to masterplans, logistics, climate adaptation and technical solutions integrated into the landscape.

For us, aesthetics and function are inseparable. Waste management, fire access routes, deliveries and technical installations are necessary elements – but they can be integrated in ways that support rather than disrupt the overall experience. We see opportunities rather than limitations and work creatively within the given conditions.

Climate adaptation is a clear example. Cloudburst protection, stormwater management and coastal resilience can either become purely technical systems – or integrated landscape interventions that simultaneously create experiences, places to stay and a strong sense of identity. We turn challenges into potential and create robust solutions that are both practical and sensory.

People at the centre

Our approach always begins with people. Research and experience show that green surroundings positively influence well-being, learning, creativity and the working environment. Nature integrated into everyday life enhances quality of life – at home, at work and in the city.

Materiality, planting and spatial sequences shape the way we experience a place. A mature tree may hold greater biological and experiential value than a hundred newly planted ones. Biodiversity, variation and the changing seasons create living environments that people connect with.

A landscape project only truly comes alive when it is used. When residents, employees, guests or children take ownership of a place, communities and identity emerge. That is why we design with diverse user groups in mind and with a focus on how architecture and landscape can support movement, pause, encounters and contemplation.

Collaboration across disciplines

Landscape architecture at PLH is developed in close collaboration with our other disciplines: architecture, interior design, strategic consultancy, wayfinding and branded spaces.

Together with architecture, the landscape creates the overall spatial narrative. Building and landscape are interwoven – in courtyards, atriums, rooftop gardens and green roofs – and in the way buildings meet the city.

Within interior design, we increasingly see how green elements are integrated as a natural part of interior spaces. Outdoors and indoors are connected – visually, functionally and atmospherically.

Through strategic consultancy, we contribute knowledge about nature, environmental requirements and planning frameworks, ensuring that sustainability ambitions are embedded early and translated into tangible qualities.

And through wayfinding and branded spaces, the landscape can support identity and orientation – not by dominating, but by making environments intuitive and inviting.

Responsible shaping of the future

Landscape architecture is a living project. It grows, changes and evolves over time. That is precisely why we have a special responsibility to design with care.

We work with biodiversity, resilient planting strategies and solutions that support nature’s own processes. We utilise rooftops and overlooked areas to create new green spaces. We transform existing structures and give them new life. And we think long-term – in relation to climate, operations and use.

When larger developments or buildings are introduced, landscape architecture can help anchor them in their surroundings and reduce resistance to change. Through the conscious shaping of terrain, planting and outdoor spaces, we create cohesion and identity – turning necessary change into a positive contribution.

Broad expertise with a holistic perspective

Our landscape architects are trained in botany, material knowledge and planning legislation, working at the intersection of the sensory and the technical. This gives us broad expertise and a holistic perspective that strengthens projects across typologies and scales.

We believe the greatest value is created through interaction – between nature and building, between strategy and design, between people and place.

That is why landscape architecture at PLH is not simply about green solutions. It is a strategic and architectural approach that completes projects, enhances their value and creates environments where both people and nature can thrive.