Coen+Partners: Contextual Minimalism

Whether emulating the geological formations and dense birch forests of his home state of Minnesota or abstracting agricultural and historical patterns across the Midwest and beyond, Shane Coen is a leading proponent of a new modern American landscape design that features geometric forms, local materials, and a sensitivity to the environment. Coen+Partners pursues "contextual minimalism" in both the public and private realms, with projects as diverse as home gardens, a public library, a churchyard, urban parks and civic plazas, and a border land entry station. Shaping local landscapes as well as sites farther afield, in Arizona, California, and Louisiana, and as far away as Singapore and Saudi Arabia, Coen's powerful designs are rooted in place and steeped in connection and calm.