Matt
Shawaker
Urban Designer
Matt Shawaker’s experience as both a design consultant and developer has given him a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of great landscape architecture and urban design in the development process. With this unique perspective, Matt is able to create more thoughtfully integrated design solutions for clients in our Urban Design/Landscape Architecture Studio.
As an urban designer in RNL’s Urban Design/Landscape Architecture Studio, Matt applies nearly two decades of experience in the planning and urban design of sustainable mixed-use, community infill and development projects.
Matt’s diverse development and planning background lends to a strong understanding of the entire real estate development process, helping him more effectively problem-solve and produce impactful solutions for our clients. Since joining the firm in 2012, Matt has been responsible for significant work on the St. Anthony’s Redevelopment in Denver as well as the landscape design for the redevelopment of the Brighton Blvd streetscape. He is also currently active in the Downtown Denver Partnership and the Urban Land Institute.
Before joining RNL, Matt served as a design consultant and as Manager of Planning for Lend Lease Communities. In these roles, he was able to see projects from master planning and entitlements through to the detailed design of streetscapes and public spaces. In particular, Matt led the planning and design of Horizon Uptown, a 500-acre, LEED-ND certified mixed-use community in Aurora, Colorado. With Lend Lease, he completed the master plan, design standards and guidelines, design of the first neighborhood, and 40-acre Central Park, resulting in innovative new development standards and partnerships with the City of Aurora and Aurora Public Schools.
Matt originally came to landscape architecture by way of golf (he actually once beat Tiger Woods at a round as a youth golfer). Matt’s initial goal was to use a Landscape Architecture degree to design golf courses. His professional aspirations expanded while attending UofA, however, and he ultimately became passionate about the possibilities that existed within landscape architecture and urban design. He went on to receive his master’s in Arts, Housing and Urbanism (with Distinction) from the Architectural Association School of Architecture, London.