Planning Design Studio

Great landscapes take time to grow 🌿

Located within the Mississippi River floodplain, Chain of Rocks Park was uniquely designed to work with its environment. Native prairie plantings create a valuable habitat for pollinators and wildlife, improve soil health with deep root systems, and reduce long-term maintenance. The site’s bioretention basin helps capture stormwater, helping the park remain resilient during periods of heavy rainfall and potential flooding while supporting its natural hydrology.

Planning Design Studio was proud to collaborate with Great Rivers Greenway and a talented team of engineers and industry professionals to bring this vision to life. After two years of the park being complete, it’s rewarding to see the landscape continue to mature and provide lasting ecological, recreational, and community benefits.

Happy National Parks and Recreation Month! 🌳

Planning Design Studio has had the pleasure of partnering with numerous parks and recreation organizations over the years on a wide variety of parks, trails, and recreational facilities. Creating spaces where communities can gather, connect, and make lasting memories takes thoughtful planning, strong partnerships, and, above all, collaboration. It's a process we're passionate about and one that continues to inspire the work we do every day.

This month, we not only celebrate the parks and public spaces that bring people together, but also recognize the dedicated parks and recreation professionals who work to keep them thriving. Thank you for your commitment to creating places that make our communities stronger and more connected.

We’re back with another construction update on the new Schroeder Park Playground! 🛝

The observation deck is coming together, and several of the play structures are now taking shape, bringing this exciting destination playground to life.

The playground will feature accessible structures for all ages, racing slides, swings, a large merry-go-round, a double zip line, a water play area, musical instruments, and more!

It’s exciting to see the incredible progress being made, and we can’t wait to share even more updates in the weeks ahead.

See a time-lapse of this progress: https://youtube.com/shorts/wCWJ91IBW0U?si=5CzS3YqxRhVKFSBU

Construction Manager: NAVIGATE Building Solutions
Civil & Electrical Engineer: Horner & Shifrin, Inc.
Structural Engineer: Forsyth Engineering
Water Play Feature: Hydro Dramatics
Contractor: Integra Construction Company

Originally envisioned as a standalone pedestrian bridge over Dardenne Creek, the Twin Island Trailhead project expanded when MoDOT identified the need to replace and elevate the existing Technology Drive bridge. The resulting project improved transportation infrastructure along with pedestrian connectivity to and from the Dardenne Greenway through roadway and bridge improvements, trailhead amenities, custom GRG signage, and various other components.

A special thank you to Great Rivers Greenway , City of O'Fallon - Government , and CDG Engineers for allowing Planning Design Studio the opportunity to contribute to another remarkable greenway project. 🚴

Summer has officially arrived ☀️

There’s no better time to get outside and get active! From greenways and parks to splash pads and sports facilities, these outdoor destinations offer plenty of ways to explore, connect, and make the most of the season.

•••••

Featured parks/amenities designed by Planning Design Studio.

As another class takes a step toward the future, so does the entrance to Lake Land College.

Construction is making progress on the new entry enhancements, transforming the Lake Land College campus entrance and arrival plaza into a more welcoming and memorable experience for students, faculty, staff, and visitors alike.

Congratulations to this year’s graduates, and here’s to creating an even stronger first impression for next year’s students.

On Wednesday evening, the Planning Design Studio team stopped by Weldon Spring City Park to enjoy an evening of live music and community activity at the amphitheater/event lawn our team helped design over two years ago, along with the restroom facility, pavilion, and several other park amenities.

With a strong crowd gathered and live music from The Bright Side filling the park, it was great to see the space being actively used and enjoyed by the community.

Lessons on Landscape Architecture ✨🌳

Principal Andrew Franke visited Brentwood Park to share insights on the planning and design process with Maplewood-Richmond Heights Elementary’s 5th-grade class. The presentation highlighted several key aspects that Planning Design Studio implemented at Brentwood Park, including the tunnel connection beneath Manchester Road, along with the park’s flood-resilient design strategies and the role of the central lake feature as part of the site’s stormwater management system.

We hope we inspired some future landscape architects!