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Cultivating Elevating Reimagining Designing Community Connections Resilience Change

Site Design Group is a landscape architecture and urban design practice where innovation and imagination are grounded in real-world experience and a culture of collaboration. We combine a future-facing outlook and creative flair with a true understanding of people and communities. This, combined with a dedication to teamwork and a can-do attitude, means we are committed to making every project a success for clients and end-users alike.
our approach

Our Values

01 Forward-thinking focus

With deep technical knowledge and a broad perspective on our industry’s societal impact, we lead with innovation. Our ideas are grounded in real-world potential to inspire and make a difference.

02 Practical mindset

We approach every challenge with creativity and pragmatism. Our solutions are rooted in what’s achievable, and we only commit to what we know we can deliver.

03 Culture of collaboration

We believe in the power of partnership, inside and outside our practice. We see ourselves as an extension of our clients’ teams, working together toward shared goals.

04 Expertise at every level

We bring a complete understanding of the process, from concept to construction. Our team works seamlessly together at every stage, ensuring continuity and cohesion throughout.

05 Invested in the end goal

For us, success goes beyond delivering on time and within budget. We are passionate about seeing projects through and ensuring that end-users experience them as true successes, too.

Our History

Site Design Group, Ltd. was founded in 1990 by Principals Ernest Wong and Robert Sit, who first met while working alongside their fathers, Y.C. Wong of Y.C. Wong & Associates, a protégé of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Sam C. Sit of PACE Associates, a frequent Architect of Record for Mies. With complementary backgrounds in Landscape Architecture and Architecture, Ernie and Robert built the firm on a foundation of technological innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The firm’s earliest projects were rooted in Chicago’s Chinatown community, beginning with streetscape renovations and later one of its landmark projects, Ping Tom Memorial Park, launched in 1996. From these beginnings, Site Design Group’s portfolio expanded in both scope and geography, taking on an increasingly diverse range of projects across the city and beyond.

In 2004, the firm moved to its current home at 888 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, a location chosen in part because the number eight is considered lucky in Chinese culture.

As the firm grew, so did its leadership. Brad McCauley became Principal in 2013, followed by Hana Ishikawa as Design Principal in 2015. In 2023, Rob Reuland and Jenna Jones joined the leadership team as Principals, ushering in the next era of the practice.

From its inception, Site Design Group has embraced diversity as a defining value—both in its design approach and its team. Today, the firm brings together professionals from around the world, representing a wide range of disciplines, lived experiences, and perspectives. In 2022, Site Design Group joined the Hire Ukrainian Designers initiative, collaborating with individual designers and the architectural practice, VKA. Most recently, the firm expanded internationally with the opening of its Tokyo office, continuing its trajectory of growth, exchange, and connection.

Who we are

Our diverse team of creative thinkers works together to create inclusive, culturally rich places, championing equity and resilient design for a better future. We are certified as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) through multiple local, statewide, and national agencies.
Meet the team Careers

A proven history of success with 255 award-winning projects

  • 2026
    Millennium Park Cloud Gate Grainger Plaza Gardens
    Perennial Plant Association Landscape Design Awards, Award of Merit
  • 2026
    National Public Housing Museum
    Nominee, USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards Best New Museum