Authentic Design
We create distinct places that are true to their context, community and construction. Our design approach is founded in the traditional craft of our profession; tailored to meet today’s environmental, social, and technological challenges and pushes the limits of design through visionary thinking.
Honest Details
We think you should be able to understand a design from its details on up so we make designs that are legible and unique. We don’t think you need to compromise between great design and functionality so we look for interesting ways to use materials and construction strategies in order to do things differently.
Long-term collaborations
We build long-lasting relationships with every client, community, consultant and collaborator we work with. We know good work happens because of good partnerships and that collaborative communication is essential to creating places relevant and loved enough to be used and cared for long into the future. We work hard to deliver quality work that meets your goals.
Grounded Delivery
We aren’t here to over complicate – our process is always grounded in a creative reality that understands people’s needs, construction challenges and the opportunities of a site. We love to work on every aspect of a project, from imagining initial project visions to guiding the construction of new realities.
experiences shape who we are
We started AFLA because we saw a need for the landscape-driven practices that created so many of the lasting spaces we admire today. Design-driven firms are naturally collaborative, responsive, and visionary. We built our studio around two fundamental ideas: 1) a creative approach to using the tools and materials we design and build with and 2) a commitment to making spaces that elevate the experience of everyday living. This studio allows us to put design first and maintain the relationships and knowledge necessary to constructing a creative future.
our team
CJ Fernandez
Co-founder, PLA
Carlos is a founding partner of Aune Fernandez Landscape Architects (AFLA). Prior to starting his own firm, CJ practiced at a multi-disciplinary design studios and has a total of 19 years of experience in landscape architecture. His experience is wide ranging from master planning and urban design to small scale detail development in commercial, public, corporate, transportation, and private project types. Strong design skills and construction administration experiences provided a solid foundation for working closely with clients from programming through budgeting and construction.
Education:
Bachelor of Environmental Design, University of Minnesota
Master of Landscape Architecture, University of Minnesota
Jason Aune
Co-founder, PLA
Jason is a founding partner of Aune Fernandez Landscape Architects (AFLA). Prior to founding his own firm, Jason practiced at a multi-disciplinary design firm for 13 years. Jason has a total of 22 years of experience in landscape architecture where he has worked for many diverse clients and on many project types. Jason’s strong ability to design at different scales has been demonstrated through his work on large regional projects to very intricate site design details. Practicing these design skills is evident in every phase of a project and Jason takes pride in being able to see a project from process and concept to a valued built work.
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture, South Dakota State University
Master of Landscape Architecture, University of Minnesota
Kellen Kirchberg
PLA
Kellen spent several years designing sustainable homesteads and community gardens prior to joining AFLA. He worked closely with home owners and community members to develop working landscapes that match the unique needs and capacities of each client with their site. His passion for sustainable design helps him maintain a balanced approach to creating spaces for quality human experience that also respond to 21st century landscape challenges. His strengths lie in conceptual design, working across scales, and graphic representation.
Education:
Bachelor of Environmental Design, University of Minnesota
Master of Landscape Architecture, University of Minnesota
Ali Boese
Designer
Ali has four years of experience in landscape architecture and is a self-described “plant nerd.” Her background is in ecological design and studio art, with a focus on collaborative design and creative natural resource outreach. Her past projects include public outreach for pollinator habitat, native plants and creative visioning for residential and larger scale projects. She’s motivated to reveal a unique sense of place through a love of the intersection of materiality and plant communities.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, Hamline University
Master of Landscape Architecture + Ecological Restoration Certificate, University of Minnesota
Greta Mundt
Designer
Greta roots her design approach in her background in environmental science and her upbringing in St. Paul. She finds herself drawn towards exploring how communities interact with climate and ecology, and how we foster relationships between people and their environments. Recent academic projects include designing floodplain forest restoration research on the Mississippi River and exploring phytoremediation in industrial and post-industrial areas of Saint Paul. She likes to think across scales—ranging from micro-scales of organisms, hands in soil, and details of design, to macro-scales of ecological systems, cities, and communities.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science and Policy, Smith College
Master of Landscape Architecture, University of Minnesota