In 2011, Kristy DeGuire founded DG2 Design on a straightforward conviction: that good landscape architecture makes life better. Not just more beautiful — though beauty matters — but more accessible, more connected, and more attuned to the natural world that surrounds us. Based in the St. Louis, Missouri, region, DG2 Design has spent more than 15 years designing parks, playgrounds, greenways, corporate campuses, and healing gardens across the region and beyond.

Every project starts with the same question: What does this place need to do for the people who will use it? The answer shapes everything — how we plan, how we plant, how we engage the community, and how we measure success.

We believe the best outdoor spaces aren’t neutral. They invite. They restore. They give kids a reason to run, workers a reason to step outside, and communities a reason to gather. We design with that intention at every scale—from a school playground in Webster Groves to a 31-acre stadium district in downtown St. Louis.

We also believe sustainability isn’t a checkbox. Native plantings, bioretention basins, permeable surfaces, and green roofs are tools we use because they work—for the site, for the budget, and for the environment. When a project earns LEED Gold or an ASCE Engineering Excellence Award, it’s because those principles were integrated from the start, not added at the end.

And we believe accessible design is non-negotiable. ADA compliance is a minimum standard, not a goal. Our goal is outdoor spaces that genuinely welcome everyone — regardless of age, ability, or background.

In 2011, Kristy DeGuire founded DG2 Design in the St. Louis region with a simple but powerful belief: when people are supported, they create better places.

With a one-year-old at home at the time, Kristy understood firsthand that professional ambition and family life are not competing forces — they must nourish one another. She set out to build a landscape architecture firm where collaboration, flexibility, and mutual respect were not perks, but foundational values; a place where team members could grow in their careers while still being present for their families and communities.

We Nourish our team by supporting professional growth, encouraging leadership, and honoring life beyond the office. Whether it’s attending a child’s school event or caring for a loved one, we rely on each other to ensure deadlines are met and clients remain fully supported.

We Restore balance — in our landscapes and in our workplace culture. We believe that healthy environments begin with healthy teams. By creating a culture rooted in trust and accountability, we foster resilience within our firm and within the communities we serve.

We Connect people to nature, to one another, and to meaningful experiences. From parks and greenways to civic spaces and campuses, our projects are designed to bring communities together. We also connect deeply with our partners — architects, engineers, and clients — becoming a reliable, responsive extension of their team.

Fifteen years and counting, Kristy and her husband, Jeremiah, continue to grow DG2 Design with this same philosophy at its core. We encourage our team to be active in their communities, pursue hobbies, maintain healthy lifestyles, and stay engaged beyond the workplace — because the more connected we are to life, the better we design for it.

DG2 Design is more than a landscape architecture firm. It is a culture built to Nourish, Restore, and Connect — within our studio and far beyond it.

Our team is experienced in delivering complex, multi-phase projects—from initial master planning through construction—as well as advancing and implementing master plans developed by others. We’ve led projects like the Gravois Greenway expansion — years in the making — that require patience, persistence, and the ability to keep stakeholders aligned through every phase.

Creative solutions don’t have to be expensive. We collaborate closely with architects, engineers, and contractors to deliver on the vision without unnecessary cost. Native plant design, phased construction, and sustainable infrastructure often save money over time while improving outcomes.

Our renovation of Forest Park’s Festival & Parking Plaza was completed on schedule in May 2015 — before The Muny season opened, as promised. That’s not a one-time achievement; it reflects how we manage every project.

Plans change. Budgets shift. Adjacent developments alter the context. We stay engaged long after the initial design is finished, adapting the landscape as conditions evolve and continuing to refine until the result is exactly right. Good communication isn’t a feature of our process — it’s the foundation of it.

Textbook ADA compliance and genuinely inclusive design are not the same thing. We’ve designed playgrounds, parks, medical campuses, and transit corridors with real-world accessibility in mind — spaces that don’t just accommodate people with differing abilities but actively welcome them.

Whether we’re helping a community center write grant applications, hosting a public open house, or returning to a campus years later to refine a planting plan, we measure success by what happens after we leave. If the space is thriving, we’ve done our job.