At Ideal Wilderness Studio, design begins with observation and information — understanding landscape, infrastructure, architecture and human experience as one continuous field. Every place carries an inherent structure shaped by terrain, time, and culture; our work reveals and enhances that structure rather than imposing new form. We approach cities, natural systems and people as co-evolving ecologies — dynamic, layered, deeply functional and human.

Ideal Wilderness Studio’s philosophy reflects a contemporary form of critical regionalism — one that recognizes the intelligence of local landscapes and the civic potential of everyday environments. In application, this approach is deeply collaborative and technically integrated: we align mobility modeling, traffic analysis, and infrastructure planning within a unified urban design framework that prioritizes spatial legibility, multimodal connectivity, and landscape continuity.

Ideal Wilderness was founded by Kathleen Fogler in 2025 as a design practice dedicated to integrating natural and built environments through contextual, place-based design. Her approach weaves the unique characteristics of each site with a deep understanding of global forces—market dynamics, transportation systems, and technological change—to create innovative, authentic, and enduring places.

Prior to founding IWS, Kathleen served for over twelve years as Director of Urban Design at Tryba Architects in Denver, leading complex mixed-use projects across urban, suburban, and greenfield contexts. Her ability to merge Urban Design, Architectural Design and financial insight enables her to generate bold yet grounded strategies for resilient, implementable development.

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