STUDIO
LOCUS pursues big ideas that expand what a landscape can be.
Our landscape architecture and urban design practice starts with a site’s ecology, history, and people, then asks what else is possible. We turn those possibilities into places that are distinctive, expressive, and a little unexpected.
Beauty draws people in. Planting, material, light, and movement create immersive landscapes that stir curiosity, connect everyday life with nature, and make you want to stay.
Technical rigor makes those ideas last. We care as much about what happens beneath your feet as what catches your eye. Healthy soil, thoughtful drainage, and precise detailing carry bold design through construction and help it grow richer over time.
Collaboration makes the ideas stronger. We bring curiosity, candor, and a clear design vision to our work with clients, communities, and project teams, from the first ambitious sketch through the decisions that get it built.
Rachel Wilkins, RLA
Founder, LOCUS Landscape Architecture and Urban Design
Rachel Wilkins is a New York–licensed landscape architect and urban designer with 15 years of experience. Her career at OJB Landscape Architecture, SWA Group, and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) connects conceptual design, technical development, and construction across complex landscapes.
Most recently at BIG, Rachel led landscape and urban design for the Northwest Battery Park City Resiliency Project in Lower Manhattan. Her work integrated public space and planting with structural and flood-protection systems through design development, technical detailing, and close agency and consultant coordination.
Previously, she spent nearly a decade at OJB and SWA in Houston, working on parks, streetscapes, mixed-use developments, residential landscapes, and institutional and corporate campuses. Projects include Levy Park, Brackenridge Park, and Alief Neighborhood Center and Park.
With a background in architecture, Rachel works at the intersection of landscape, architecture, infrastructure, and ecology. She brings a multidisciplinary perspective and a commitment to carrying strong ideas through detailing and construction.
