Urban Design & Planning

Through collaboration and community engagement, we create spaces that resonate deeply with the people who use them.

In urban design, every detail matters. A sidewalk isn’t just a path—it’s a space for commerce, mobility, and community interaction. A vacant lot isn’t just empty—it’s an opportunity to create a place of respite within the city.

At LaBella, we embrace these opportunities, using landscape architecture to transform urban spaces into vibrant, functional environments that blend artistry and utility, enriching communities and enhancing the surrounding urban fabric.

From compact pocket parks and urban plazas to reimagined Complete Streets, we integrate hardscape, green infrastructure, and sustainable design principles to meet the evolving needs of modern cities.

Talk to a LaBella Expert

Andy Rymph, PLA
Vice President
Albany, NY

(518) 266-7323

Chip Cannon, PLA
Senior Landscape Architect
Charlotte, NC

(704) 414-1520

Ryan Kelly, PLA
Senior Landscape Architect
Rochester, NY - Headquarters

(585) 672-5379

Innovative Solutions for Urban Spaces

Urban areas present unique challenges. Dense building networks, limited green space, and high-traffic corridors demand creative solutions to optimize land use. We address these challenges by using adaptive techniques like reusing existing materials, installing permeable paving, and incorporating low-maintenance plantings.

Our expertise in urban design includes:

  • Pocket Parks: Transforming underutilized parcels into green spaces that benefit both the environment and the community.
  • Urban Plazas: Designing civic spaces with integrated hardscapes, custom furnishings, and plantings that celebrate local identity.
  • Complete Streets: Multi-modal corridors that balance vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic while prioritizing safety and accessibility.
  • Sustainable Infrastructure: Incorporating bioswales, rain gardens, and green roofs to manage stormwater and promote ecological health.
  • Streetscape Enhancements: Upgrading corridors with lighting, ADA-compliant walkways, and vegetative buffers to improve both function and aesthetics.
Every park, plaza, and street we create reflects the possibilities of blending beauty, utility, and sustainability into vibrant urban environments.
Through innovative landscape architecture, we reimagine urban spaces to create meaningful environments that inspire and connect.
We bring the art and science of landscape architecture to urban planning and design. Every sidewalk, park, and plaza we design reflects the possibilities of urban life.
Each design respects the community’s character, reflecting its identity through thoughtful material choices, scaled plantings, integrated public art, and site furnishings.
We design pocket parks that serve as public gathering spaces, engaging visitors in activities such as live entertainment, art shows, and farmers markets.
We transform vacant lots into public plazas for programs, commercial use, and community events.
We ground every design decision in rigorous site analysis, considering factors like soil conditions and solar orientation to ensure practical, innovative solutions.

Take a Virtual Walk in the Park

A conceptual rendering of Union Square Park in Hornell, New York, was created to help the public visualize the layout and features of the new park.
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