We are a landscape architecture and urban design practice, deeply committed to the creation of connected and livable communities.

Our why

As our world urbanizes, our cities densify, and our personal and private spaces diminish, public space becomes increasingly vital. The shaping of these spaces as vibrant, enduring communities of social energy is the heart of what we do. Our work draws people into the public realm, inspiring them to spend time outside and connect with their world.

We are agents for public space. Our aim is to deepen the attachment between people, their communities, and their environments across the whole of North America. We do this by revitalizing forgotten spaces, turning them into dynamic, intricate parts of a larger connected whole. This is the alchemy of what we do.

Our philosophy

Hapa means many things: half, mixed, or hybrid. Originally a pejorative term for someone of part Asian ethnicity it is, by extension, anything shaped by the collision of cultural influences. Hapa can be defined as an intentional disruption – an explosion – that creates space for something new. It’s a fitting description for Vancouver’s cosmopolitan complexity and the hybrid nature of our profession: landscape and architecture, art and science, nature and culture. It’s also a Japanese word for ‘leaf.’

Who we are

Hapa is a contemporary voice for landscape architecture and a fresh alternative to traditional firms. Our studio of fifteen designers is a daily collaboration between people with different backgrounds and training, and a mix of skills and specialization. This diversity is present in our process and represented in our built work.

Collectively, we design flexible and transformative environments that are inclusive, inviting, memorable, and beloved. There is no greater marker of success than watching the richness of everyday life spill out into a well-loved, thoughtfully designed space.