about

Considered Design Inc. is a landscape architecture studio based in Vancouver, British Columbia, working across Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the Okanagan, and Northern British Columbia. As Vancouver landscape architects, we focus on contemporary private residential projects, market and non-market multi-family housing, and select commercial commissions where landscape plays a central role.

Led by Julian Pattison and Alison Magill, the studio is grounded in the idea of genius loci — the particular spirit of each site. Every project begins with close observation: of light, topography, existing vegetation, views, and the patterns of daily life that the landscape must quietly support. From this, clear, confident design frameworks emerge, balancing architectural structure with nuanced planting and a restrained material palette.

Julian brings more than three decades of experience in the UK and Canada, and is a registered member of the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects. Alison holds Master’s degrees in Landscape Architecture and in Landscape Planning and Management, and has over 25 years of practice in both countries. Together, they navigate projects from early concept through to detailed design and construction, maintaining a consistent level of rigour at every stage.

Since establishing Considered Design Inc. in 2008, following their move to Canada in 2006, the studio has realized landscapes that are designed for longevity — from private gardens and intimate courtyards to rooftop spaces and larger, more public-facing environments. Across this range of work, the ambition is consistent: to create landscapes that are quietly expressive, designed to endure, and deeply rooted in their context over time.

Process

Ideas are everywhere. The ones that endure are those in which ingenuity and creativity have been distilled to something clear and essential. We work collaboratively with architects and designers to strip away the superfluous until the underlying concept is revealed. We begin broad, then refine, moving from the overall framework to the smallest detail, considering hard and soft materials in equal measure. Longevity and permanence are always set against the subtleties of changing seasons and the slow evolution of a place over time.

Bringing a garden, rooftop, park, or street into being is a collective act. It calls on the skills and determination of many, and it takes time, resources, and patience. Our role within that process is to observe closely, to listen, and to offer clear direction on behalf of our clients.

For us, building is not simply the realization of an idea, but the beginning of what that idea can become. The life of a project should invite joy, wonder, and moments of quiet surprise. If we can create environments that people value and choose to care for, it is, arguably, the most sustainable outcome we can achieve.

Publications.

Reside, Contemporary West Coast Houses. By Michael Prokopow 2024

East Van Residence, Vancouver - Dwell 2023

East Van Residence, Vancouver - Dezeen 2023

Designers of the Year 2013 - Western Living Magazine

Also see individual project pages.