Dena van der Wal, PLA

Dena is a Landscape Architect and project manager with experience working on diverse landscape projects across the Midwest, spanning public spaces, nonprofits, corporate campuses, residential developments and commercial properties. Additionally, she has worked on a range of streetscape projects, public parks, and mixed-use developments with on-structure amenity decks and green roofs.

Dena approaches landscape architecture with an environmental focus, looking beyond aesthetics to ensure a site design supports the entire ecosystem of living things, from plants and animals to living soils and humans. She pays close attention to the interdependencies that exist within a landscape and advocates for site-sensitive design that celebrates the history and unique qualities of each place while respecting the broader landscape context.  

Prior to becoming a Landscape Architect, Dena worked as a website and graphic designer, and changed careers to honor her love of nature and desire to bring green spaces into the built environment. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Chicago. She is a licensed Professional Landscape Architect in Illinois and Michigan and a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects.