From our newest team members to the founding principals who began their practices in the 1960s, RDG Planning & Design is a multifaceted network of design and planning professionals. Diverse in knowledge and experience, we are united in the pursuit of meaning for our clients and ourselves. Over fifty years of dedication to success have taken us around the world. Today, our commitment to communication and technology allows us to engage our clients anywhere they may be from our offices in Omaha, Nebraska; Des Moines and Iowa City, Iowa; St. Louis, Missouri; and Denver, Colorado and remote staff working across the country. Whether we're creating a regional park or reimagining a city street we strive to create places for people. We believe in applying new ways of thinking and innovative approaches to the preparation of plans that address community and regional issues. At the same time, plan recommendations must be based on a realistic assessment of the practicality of implementation. The resulting product, as evidenced by our numerous successful planning efforts and awards, is an innovative plan with an emphasis on implementation.

Western Technical College Integrated Technology Center Courtyard, La Crosse, Wisconsin

Western Technical College has made significant campus improvements over the last two decades. To realize the goals of the Stormwater Management Campus Master Plan, improvements have been made to 8th Street and Lots F and H and the Integrated Technology Courtyard. The goals of the master plan included:

 
• Integrating low-impact development on all projects.
• Identifying opportunities to integrate living laboratories.
• Attempting to meet or exceed the credit thresholds for the City of La Crosse stormwater utility.
• Reducing flow for the 10-year storm event.
• Reducing total suspended solids.

University of Connecticut
Athletic District, Storrs, Connecticut

Over the decades-long history of UConn athletics, the facilities that supported the Husky programs had become outdated. UConn envisioned a new athletic destination in the west district of the University's existing Storrs campus to serve as the home for its soccer, baseball, and softball teams and become a powerful recruiting tool by creating a focus on the experience. The Athletic Village's location at the edge of campus offered many challenges and opportunities. One of these primary challenges was the need to design four new fields and a performance center on the site of existing soccer, baseball, and softball venues. In the design phase, 16 different site permutations were analyzed for solar orientation, traffic/circulation flow, and geological exploration of large below-grade granite deposits. Existing infrastructure was incorporated into the new design that avoided disturbance to well-established pathways and wayfinding. The site plan, once realized, offered opportunity for each gendered sport for greatness. The Husky Athletic Village is comprised of Elliot Ballpark, home of UConn baseball, Joseph J. Morrone Stadium, home of UConn soccer and lacrosse, Burrill Family Field, home of UConn softball, as well a shared practice field and the state-of-the-art Rizza Performance Center. Collectively, the Athletic Village embraces the rugged beauty of the site to create sports venues that are picturesque and stunning.

University of North Dakota University Avenue Streetscapes Improvements, Grand Forks, ND

The reconstruction of University Avenue focused on improving circulation, pedestrian safety, lighting and transit throughout the campus corridor. During the design process, several key strategies were developed to achieve these goals and create a sense of place on campus. Before improvements, prospective students visited the University of North Dakota and encountered a wide, bleak, four-lane road that was difficult to maneuver. The University, in partnership with the City of Grand Forks, recently completed a $13 million renovation of a one-mile stretch of University Avenue through the heart of campus. The design converted this unimpressive entrance road into a prized asset. Three key motivators drove the design process of this complete streets project: improve safety, establish a front door for the campus and ensure a maintained interest and durable structure during winter months. A family of furnishings for the complete street was developed based on creating a cohesive, celebratory, and unique campus environment. The design focused heavily on creating long views along the corridor. Special care was taken to keep sidewalks aligned and consistently wide enough to allow four people to walk side by side. Winters in Grand Forks are long and intense, so winter interest and durability of the streetscape elements were a high priority. Hardscape elements, light columns, decorative planting urns and other features continue the appeal year-round. The plantings, monuments, fencing, additional trees and lighting were placed to accent the rhythm of the long views.