Schmidt Design Group

San Diego, CA; Denver, CO
by

Civita; San Diego, CA
What was once a sand and gravel quarry is now Civita, a mixed-use project in San Diego's Mission Valley neighborhood. The project transformed 230 acres into a sustainable, walkable, high-density urban village with a park-like character. The 14.3-acre flagship Civita Park provides numerous amenities for the community, including a community garden, two large playgrounds, and three sensory gardens with over 150 native and drought-tolerant species. The park's southern edge is anchored by a large civic plaza that includes an interactive water feature, a stage and turf amphitheater, games, and multiple seating opportunities. Since opening, the park has been honored with nine local and state awards. Photo Credit: John Durant

AMP30; San Diego, CA
AMP30 is a mixed-use multi-family apartment complex that characterizes the eclectic demographic and lifestyle of San Diego's North Park neighborhood. The unique neighborhood culture shows through expressive materiality stitched together to form an abstract quilt of colors, textures, and individuality. The development features public gym access, retail, and an outdoor dining terrace along the streetscape. Within the building, the third-floor podium includes six shared amenity courtyards. Along 30th Street, three interconnected courtyards provide sunset views, gathering areas of various sizes, a shaded outdoor kitchen, fire tables along the railing, vintage outdoor games, and a cantilevered spa overhanging the adjacent street, creating a dialogue between residents and the streetscape below. Photo Credit: Michael Auda, Auda Photography

Fox Point Farms; Encinitas, CA

 
Fox Point Farms is a new, 21.5-acre Agrihood community that reconciles housing demand with land stewardship by centering a working farm within a walkable multifamily community. The landscape framework prioritizes productive and educational spaces - including an edible paseo, gardens, trails, a discovery garden, and an event lawn - while integrating water-quality treatment as publicly experienced green infrastructure. By strategically arranging development footprints to protect agriculture and maximize open space, the project creates shared amenities that serve residents and the broader community. The result is an agrihood model where climate-forward systems are embedded in daily routines. Recognition: Merit Award, ASLA San Diego; Teen Jury Orchid Award, San Diego Architectural Foundation. Photo Credit: Maria Russo

Mira Costa Health and Wellness; Oceanside, CA
The Allied Health & Wellness Hub at MiraCosta College comprises a new Gymnasium, Allied Health Building, and KHAN (Kinesiology, Health & Nutrition) Building. The landscape design establishes a wellness centered framework that connects movement, community, and nature across the campus. Organized around a primary pedestrian promenade and a series of courtyards, lawns, and trails, the site supports both structured athletic programming and informal daily use. The design emphasizes accessibility, flexibility, and climatic responsiveness, with shaded gathering areas, clear circulation, and plant communities that reinforce a connection to place. Recognition: Best Project Award, ENR California. Photo Credit: Lawrence Anderson

Pacific Sky; San Diego, CA
Pacific Sky - a new, ground-up elementary school - celebrates its adjacency to native open-space canyonlands with multiple playgrounds, outdoor educational space for each classroom, outdoor dining, and a large multipurpose field for physical education and school events. The playgrounds mimic the canyonlands by including mounding and play slopes that are home to climbers, slides, and natural boulders. The site design utilizes multiple strategies to sensitively respond to the adjacent wildland interface including fire protection and brush management measures. The campus includes an integrated stormwater treatment strategy and the use of native vegetation and recycled materials. Awards: Honor Award, ASLA San Diego; Orchid Award, San Diego Architectural Foundation. Photo Credit: Devon Boutte

Pacific Highlands Ranch Library; San Diego, CA
Pacific Highland Ranch (PHR) Library brings 18,000-square-feet of artful, community-focused library space to Pacific Highlands Ranch. The project redefines the public library experience by seamlessly integrating indoor and outdoor spaces. The "front porch" offers shaded patios, flexible gathering areas, and native gardens that extend the library's mission beyond its walls, providing inclusive, multigenerational environments for reading, collaboration, and cultural events. Sustainable design strategies - including drought tolerant plantings and recycled water irrigation - underscore the library's commitment to environmental stewardship and long term resilience. A collaborative planning process ensured that the outdoor spaces reflect local values and community needs, while the artful entry courtyard commission by artist Janelle Iglesias celebrates cultural heritage and place. Photo Credit: Michael Auda, Auda Photography

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Civita; San Diego, CA
What was once a sand and gravel quarry is now Civita, a mixed-use project in San Diego's Mission Valley neighborhood. The project transformed 230 acres into a sustainable, walkable, high-density urban village with a park-like character. The 14.3-acre flagship Civita Park provides numerous amenities for the community, including a community garden, two large playgrounds, and three sensory gardens with over 150 native and drought-tolerant species. The park's southern edge is anchored by a large civic plaza that includes an interactive water feature, a stage and turf amphitheater, games, and multiple seating opportunities. Since opening, the park has been honored with nine local and state awards. Photo Credit: John Durant

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AMP30; San Diego, CA
AMP30 is a mixed-use multi-family apartment complex that characterizes the eclectic demographic and lifestyle of San Diego's North Park neighborhood. The unique neighborhood culture shows through expressive materiality stitched together to form an abstract quilt of colors, textures, and individuality. The development features public gym access, retail, and an outdoor dining terrace along the streetscape. Within the building, the third-floor podium includes six shared amenity courtyards. Along 30th Street, three interconnected courtyards provide sunset views, gathering areas of various sizes, a shaded outdoor kitchen, fire tables along the railing, vintage outdoor games, and a cantilevered spa overhanging the adjacent street, creating a dialogue between residents and the streetscape below. Photo Credit: Michael Auda, Auda Photography

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Fox Point Farms; Encinitas, CA
Fox Point Farms is a new, 21.5-acre Agrihood community that reconciles housing demand with land stewardship by centering a working farm within a walkable multifamily community. The landscape framework prioritizes productive and educational spaces - including an edible paseo, gardens, trails, a discovery garden, and an event lawn - while integrating water-quality treatment as publicly experienced green infrastructure. By strategically arranging development footprints to protect agriculture and maximize open space, the project creates shared amenities that serve residents and the broader community. The result is an agrihood model where climate-forward systems are embedded in daily routines. Recognition: Merit Award, ASLA San Diego; Teen Jury Orchid Award, San Diego Architectural Foundation. Photo Credit: Maria Russo

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Mira Costa Health and Wellness; Oceanside, CA
The Allied Health & Wellness Hub at MiraCosta College comprises a new Gymnasium, Allied Health Building, and KHAN (Kinesiology, Health & Nutrition) Building. The landscape design establishes a wellness centered framework that connects movement, community, and nature across the campus. Organized around a primary pedestrian promenade and a series of courtyards, lawns, and trails, the site supports both structured athletic programming and informal daily use. The design emphasizes accessibility, flexibility, and climatic responsiveness, with shaded gathering areas, clear circulation, and plant communities that reinforce a connection to place. Recognition: Best Project Award, ENR California. Photo Credit: Lawrence Anderson

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Pacific Sky; San Diego, CA
Pacific Sky - a new, ground-up elementary school - celebrates its adjacency to native open-space canyonlands with multiple playgrounds, outdoor educational space for each classroom, outdoor dining, and a large multipurpose field for physical education and school events. The playgrounds mimic the canyonlands by including mounding and play slopes that are home to climbers, slides, and natural boulders. The site design utilizes multiple strategies to sensitively respond to the adjacent wildland interface including fire protection and brush management measures. The campus includes an integrated stormwater treatment strategy and the use of native vegetation and recycled materials. Awards: Honor Award, ASLA San Diego; Orchid Award, San Diego Architectural Foundation. Photo Credit: Devon Boutte

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Pacific Highlands Ranch Library; San Diego, CA
Pacific Highland Ranch (PHR) Library brings 18,000-square-feet of artful, community-focused library space to Pacific Highlands Ranch. The project redefines the public library experience by seamlessly integrating indoor and outdoor spaces. The "front porch" offers shaded patios, flexible gathering areas, and native gardens that extend the library's mission beyond its walls, providing inclusive, multigenerational environments for reading, collaboration, and cultural events. Sustainable design strategies - including drought tolerant plantings and recycled water irrigation - underscore the library's commitment to environmental stewardship and long term resilience. A collaborative planning process ensured that the outdoor spaces reflect local values and community needs, while the artful entry courtyard commission by artist Janelle Iglesias celebrates cultural heritage and place. Photo Credit: Michael Auda, Auda Photography

Schmidt Design Group (SDG) is an award-winning landscape architecture and planning firm with offices in San Diego, CA and Denver, CO. Since its founding in 1983, the firm has been guided by the philosophy of balancing artistic design with environmental stewardship. These ambitions are reflected in the firm's commitment to realizing Positive Change by Design, which continues to inform and inspire their craft. SDG's work spans the Western United States with thousands of projects across multiple markets. The firm is known for its community-focused parks and civic spaces, commercial campuses, market-rate and affordable housing, retail and lifestyle environments, healthcare, and K-12 and university campuses. A dedicated staff of 40 professionals includes 11 licensed Landscape Architects, a LEED accredited professional, a SITES accredited professional, two (2) ISA-certified arborists, a certified playground safety inspector, a qualified SWPPP developer/practitioner, and a certified landscape irrigation auditor.
Employees: PLAs (11), Principals (7); Total (40)

As seen in LASN magazine, August 2026.