Norris Design
Norris Design is a 40-year-old, privately held landscape architecture and planning firm with nine offices across four states, serving real estate developers, municipalities, and senior living operators through integrated placemaking services and a proprietary ND Smartscape™ water-wise design methodology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Norris Design does
Norris Design is a privately held landscape architecture and planning firm founded by John Norris on February 2, 1985, in Denver, Colorado. For forty years the firm has provided integrated planning, landscape architecture, and branding services — branded collectively as "placemaking" — to real estate developers, municipal governments, senior living and healthcare operators, resort developers, and educational institutions. The firm operates nine offices across four states (Denver, Fort Collins, Frisco, and other Colorado locations; Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff in Arizona; Austin, Dallas, and Frisco in Texas), with a workforce in the 101-250 employee band. Notable project portfolio includes The Aurora Highlands (2,900+ acres), TerraSante (~4,500 homes), Edison Eastlake (1,000+ unit HUD Choice Neighborhood), Wind Crest senior living campus, and the Mountain Line Downtown Connection Center transit facility in Flagstaff.
The firm's core proprietary offering is ND Smartscape™, a registered water-wise design methodology that combines irrigation, landscape architecture, and construction expertise to produce landscapes that reduce water consumption while maintaining aesthetic quality. This methodology won a 2025 ASLA Colorado/Wyoming Merit Award in Research & Communications. Norris Design has accumulated 30+ industry awards across NAHB BALA, Gold Nugget, ASLA, ENR, MAME, and APA Colorado programs, which function as both marketing assets and credentialing signals in the firm's public-sector and developer RFP processes.
Revenue is generated entirely through professional services fees billed on a project-by-project basis, with pricing not publicly disclosed but presumably determined by scope, complexity, and engagement length. The go-to-market is relationship-led and field-based: the firm pursues enterprise and government clients through regional offices, industry conference participation, content marketing via its "Ideas" blog, and project case studies. There are no disclosed funding rounds, institutional investors, or M&A activity; ownership appears founder-anchored with a 2022 transition signaled by the promotion of five new Principals across the Denver, Fort Collins, and Frisco offices.
Norris Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Norris Design
- Legal name
- Norris Design
- Website
- https://norris-design.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Norris Design is a 40-year-old, privately held landscape architecture and planning firm with nine offices across four states, serving real estate developers, municipalities, and senior living operators through integrated placemaking services and a proprietary ND Smartscape™ water-wise design methodology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Norris Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Landscape Architecture & Planning Services
- NAICS
- Landscape Architectural Services (54132)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Residential Landscape Design (HSAIABAA), Sustainable/Green Building & LEED Consulting (BPAHAKAG), Irrigation System Design & Engineering (AFACAFAA)
Keywords
Where Norris Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
Norris Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Professional Design Services: Landscape architecture and planning services provided to developers, municipalities, home builders, and government clients on a project-by-project basis. Revenue generated through professional service fees for master planning, site planning, landscape design, and construction documentation services.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Norris Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Norris Design is a professional landscape architecture and planning firm that delivers placemaking, master planned community design, parks and recreation planning, urban design, and branding services to real estate developers, municipalities, home builders, and government entities. The firm differentiates itself through its proprietary ND Smartscape™ methodology, which combines irrigation, landscape architecture, and construction expertise to create water-wise, sustainable designs.
Product overview
Norris Design is a landscape architecture and placemaking firm offering integrated planning, landscape architecture, and branding services. Their core proprietary methodology is ND Smartscape™, a water-wise design approach that combines irrigation expertise, landscape architecture, and construction knowledge to create sustainable, resource-efficient environments. The firm specializes in master planned communities, parks, trails, residential developments, and commercial landscapes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ND Smartscape™: A proprietary process combining irrigation, landscape architecture, and construction expertise that allows the creation of beautiful solutions that support more people, use less water, and save money.
Products and services
- ND Smartscape™ A proprietary placemaking methodology that combines irrigation, landscape architecture, and construction expertise to deliver water-efficient, sustainable landscape designs for developers, municipalities, and communities in water-scarce regions.
- Master Planned Community Design Integrated master planning and landscape architecture services for large-scale residential and mixed-use communities, including site planning, neighborhood design, commercial hubs, civic amenities, and open space planning for real estate developers and home builders.
- Parks and Recreation Planning Public space and parks master planning services for municipal parks and recreation departments, including public engagement, stakeholder input, trail systems, and construction documentation.
- Urban Design and Streetscape Urban design and streetscape services for downtown districts, transit facilities, parking structures, and public realm improvements serving municipalities and private developers.
- Landscape Architecture Core landscape architecture services including site planning, landscape design, construction documentation, and construction administration for residential, commercial, healthcare, and institutional projects.
- Branded Placemaking Community branding and identity services that integrate planning and landscape architecture to create distinctive, marketable places with strong sense of place for real estate developers and municipalities.
Quantifiable outcome
- The Aurora Highlands: 2,900+ acre transformative master planned community with Gold Nugget Award for Best Community Land Plan
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Norris Design
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Norris Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Norris Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Texas Tech UniversityminorPartnership with Texas Tech University's Senior Landscape Architecture Studio, providing students real-world project experience while potentially generating future talent pipeline and research collaboration.
- Kansas State University College of Architecture, Planning & DesigncoreLong-standing partnership supporting APDesign through mentorship, financial resources, scholarship opportunities, internships, early-career employment, advisory council participation, and faculty-led research initiatives. Norris Design was named Firm of the Year for these contributions.
- Ware MalcombminorCollaborative participation in Pack to School volunteer events, packing backpacks for donation to Boys and Girls Club Beacon School. Nine-year volunteer program raising over $125,000.
- Jefferson County Open SpaceminorOngoing partnership supporting National Trails Day volunteer events, helping maintain and restore trails including accessibility improvements at Elk Meadow Park in Evergreen.
- JeffCo Open SpaceminorVolunteer partnership for National Public Lands Day cleanup of Clear Creek - 700 volunteers collected 13 tons of trash from 22-mile stretch.
- Natural RestorationsminorArizona-based nonprofit partnership for National Public Lands Day cleanup of Lower Salt River at Phon D Sutton Recreation Area.
- Valley PartnershipminorPhoenix team participation in Valley Partnership community project events benefitting House of Refuge nonprofit, including landscaping and mural creation.
- House of RefugeminorNonprofit providing homes to families experiencing homelessness - Norris Design volunteers contributed landscaping, planting, painting, and community gathering space creation.
- Metro CaringminorColorado's leading frontline anti-hunger organization - Norris Design Denver team volunteers at fresh foods market including meat counter, sorting/packing, and shopper assistance.
- Wish for Wheels / Bike Fort CollinsminorThird Annual Wish for Wheels FoCo event providing bikes to Poudre School District Title 1 second graders - Norris Design funded 10 bikes and participated in building/delivering 40 bikes total.
- Colorado State University Student Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (CSU SCASLA)minorCollaboration with CSU landscape architecture students on Park(ing) Day project including charrette at Fort Collins office.
- HomeAid ColoradominorParticipation in HomeAid Colorado's Builders for Babies event supporting homeless families.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Norris Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- AECOM: AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm with a sizable landscape architecture and planning practice. As a broad incumbent, it competes on large developer and municipal commissions while offering services far beyond Norris Design's core scope.
- Stantec: Stantec is a global AEC firm with a substantial landscape architecture practice among its broader engineering, planning, and environmental services. It competes with Norris Design on large master planned and municipal projects but offers a much wider service portfolio.
Direct peers
- LandDesign: LandDesign is a multi-office landscape architecture, urban design, civil engineering, and planning firm serving developers and municipalities across the U.S. Southeast and beyond. Its integrated placemaking services and developer client mix are directly comparable to Norris Design.
- MIG: MIG is a planning, design, and communications firm working on parks, trails, public spaces, and community master plans. Its municipal and public-sector client base and placemaking focus parallel Norris Design's government-facing work.
- Sasaki: Sasaki is a planning, landscape architecture, and urban design firm with a national footprint and integrated design disciplines. Its developer and institutional client base and master planning capabilities position it as a direct competitor for similar commissions.
- Design Workshop: Design Workshop is a landscape architecture and urban design firm headquartered in Aspen/Denver with offices across the Mountain West and Sun Belt. Its portfolio of master planned communities, resorts, and parks overlaps directly with Norris Design's Colorado-and-Arizona focus.
- OLIN: OLIN is a landscape architecture, urban design, and planning firm with offices in Philadelphia and other major U.S. cities. Its work on master plans, civic landscapes, and high-profile developer projects parallels Norris Design's practice areas.
- Wenk Associates: Wenk Associates is a Denver-based landscape architecture and planning firm active in Colorado River basin, river restoration, and master planning. Its Denver base and water-wise landscape focus match Norris Design's geography and water-driven design emphasis.
- SWA Group: SWA is a landscape architecture, planning, and urban design firm with a multi-decade history and offices across the U.S. and internationally. It is a direct peer to Norris Design in master planned communities, urban design, and parks work.
- SE Group: SE Group is a planning and design firm specializing in mountain resort and community master planning. It is a closely comparable peer for Norris Design's resort/hospitality work (e.g., Kindred Resort at Keystone) and mountain community design.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Norris Design social profiles
Digital presenceNorris Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Norris Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
Norris Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Norris Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Norris Design
What does Norris Design do?
Norris Design is a professional landscape architecture and planning firm that delivers placemaking, master planned community design, parks and recreation planning, urban design, and branding services to real estate developers, municipalities, home builders, and government entities. The firm differentiates itself through its proprietary ND Smartscape™ methodology, which combines irrigation, landscape architecture, and construction expertise to create water-wise, sustainable designs.
Is Norris Design a public or private company?
Norris Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Norris Design founded?
Norris Design was founded in 1985. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Norris Design based?
Norris Design is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Norris Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Design Services.
Who are Norris Design's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are AECOM and Stantec. Direct peers are LandDesign, MIG, Sasaki, Design Workshop, OLIN, Wenk Associates, SWA Group and SE Group.
Does Norris Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Norris Design.
What industry is Norris Design in?
Norris Design's product category is Landscape Architecture & Planning Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAC, Landscape Architecture & Site Design, with a secondary code of HSAIABAA, Residential Landscape Design. Its NAICS code is 54132 and its SIC code is 8700.