Kurt Friesen, PLA, has joined Ayres’ Development Services division as landscape architecture lead. He began work on December 31.

Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Friesen works closely with our Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Fort Collins landscape architecture professionals as well as Development Services teammates in the Southeast, Midwest, and West to strengthen the division’s already wide expertise in planning, environmental services, and landscape architecture.

Development Services Vice President Matt Ashby said Friesen is perfectly aligned with the firm’s OneAyres approach of providing complete solutions to clients through the wide breadth of multidisciplinary experts Ayres assembles to multiply the positive impacts of each project. With proven success managing complex projects and mentoring multidisciplinary teams, Friesen is ready to be part of Ayres’ collaboration machine.

Friesen brings over three decades of professional experience to this position, along with the industry visibility he has built through frequent speaking engagements on urban design and resilience. Friesen is a Colorado registered professional landscape architect and an active member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the National Recreation and Park Association, and the Urban Land Institute.

His experience mirrors Ayres’ strengths, ranging from parks, trails, and master planning to urban redevelopment and transportation projects. Ayres has previously worked with Friesen on projects such as the East Pershing Boulevard and Roundabout project in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Ayres team!” Friesen said. “Having worked with Ayres in the past, I’ve seen firsthand the collaborative, can-do, and entrepreneurial spirit that drives the firm. I’m eager to bring my experience from both public and private sectors to the table.”

Friesen has won awards from the Colorado Chapter of the American Planning Association, the American Society of Landscape Architects Colorado, the Colorado Parks & Recreation Association, Fort Collins Urban Design, Grow-N-Explore, the Wyoming Association of Municipalities, the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute, EDAW Innovation, and the California Downtown Association.