Dansko

Dansko, maker of premier ergonomic footwear, established its headquarters in southern Chester County in 1998 with the vision of a campus that reflected its corporate values of civic and environmental responsibility.  Looking to achieve a LEED Gold Rating for the buildings and grounds, the company turned to our team to devise solutions to achieve its lofty aesthetic, environmental, and functional goals.  Located on a large site with high use and traffic, Dansko presented us with amazing conceptual and practical challenges.

With the planting of sweeps and drifts of native and adapted plants, we sought to cultivate not only a sense of well-being in employees and visitors, but also visual interest at relatively low maintenance costs.  With extensive paths and parking lots, the site had inherent stormwater and runoff issues.  To manage them, we created rain gardens of shrubs and flowering perennials.  These landscaped depressions absorb rainwater, filter pollutants, and provide habitats for wildlife.  Through rain gardens, swaths of plantings, and a gardenesque style, we effectively married Dansko’s practical and aspirational goals, providing fantastic ergonomic shoes and supporting the vitality and lifestyle of the employees who create them.