MDI Landscape Architects

07/07/2026

At Bellewood Park, summer planting brings colour, texture, and habitat into the heart of this residential landscape. The design creates a lush setting for residents while supporting native pollinators and strengthening the character of the site.
Along Pentrelew Place, boulevard rain gardens provide a planted buffer to the private residences and help manage street runoff as part of the landscape.

A thoughtful approach that brings together planting, water, and everyday use.

06/24/2026

In our second installment of Planning and Design for Healthy Watersheds, we use animation to explore how water moves through an undeveloped forested watershed typical of coastal British Columbia. In this video we cover how interception, evapotranspiration, infiltration, depression storage, and interflow slow and moderate the flow of water to support aquatic life year-round.

Check out the full video, and previous videos in this series, at the link in our bio 🌳

06/22/2026

Such a wonderful celebration! MDI is so honored to have been a part of this project. 🧡

06/22/2026

At MDI, we work with the land to shape landscapes that are grounded in place and designed to last. At Rainbow Hill Townhomes, that meant retaining and highlighting existing Garry oak trees as defining elements of the site.

Located just south of Christmas Hill and connected to a larger Garry oak ecosystem, the site called for a careful and responsive approach. The landscape design preserves many of the mature canopy trees and integrates single family homes, townhomes, residential towers, and roads into the site around them. Split-rail fencing helps protect sensitive areas, while surface-based rainwater design directs water where it can support these ecosystems over time.

The result is a landscape that reflects the character of the site and helps sustain it for years to come.

06/04/2026

Last week we popped into the recently finished South Langford Elementary School project! The native and naturalized planting in the rain gardens is starting to fill in and flourish 🌸 The rain gardens will clean and manage the stormwater runoff from the adjacent parking lot. Rain gardens can remove the pollutant 6-PPD-Q which is toxic to Coho Salmon and Cutthroat Trout. Given time to grow, the many newly planted tree will shade and cool many play areas on the school grounds.

The logs you can see on the slope of the rain gardens are one way we like to deal with grade change on site in a naturalized way! It is much more economical than concrete and it provides nutrients and habitat for a variety of beneficial plants, insects, and animals.

06/01/2026

We’re so thrilled to have been a part of the design team for Caledonia!

🔹Province announces completion of Fernwood housing project, and updates public on two additional housing investments🔹

More from the Province:

More people and families will have access to a total of 478 affordable, family-oriented rental homes with the opening of Caledonia in Victoria, and with construction starting on two other developments in the region.

“People need more affordable housing options, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering through our Community Housing Fund,” said Christine Boyle, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “These homes are built through strong partnerships and give people more choice and stability. They help families, seniors and individuals stay close to work, school and the communities they’re part of.”

The opening of Caledonia in Victoria adds 158 new affordable homes. Construction is underway on two additional developments in Saanich and Central Saanich that will deliver another 320 homes. These projects are part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has more than 95,000 homes delivered or underway, including more than 8,400 homes in the Capital Regional District.

All of the homes are funded through the Province’s Community Housing Fund (CHF) and are being built in partnership with Capital Region Housing Corporation, which will own and operate the homes. Under the CHF program, most rents for these homes are set at no more than 30% of a household’s income, helping people keep housing costs affordable.

“Caledonia is a shining example of what we can achieve through collaboration with local and provincial partners, creating much-needed housing opportunities in our region,” said Zac de Vries, chair, Capital Region Housing Corporation. “Together, we delivered 158 safe, quality homes, turning housing insecurity into hope for individuals and families in Victoria. We are also excited to have 320 more homes on the way through the Verdier and Cedar Hill affordable housing projects.”

Opening of Caledonia in Victoria

Located at 1211 Gladstone Ave., Caledonia includes 158 affordable homes, made up of 97 apartments and 61 townhomes. More than half of the homes have two, three or four bedrooms, helping meet the need for larger rental homes for families.

Residents and the community will benefit from large, landscaped areas, rain gardens and spaces for urban gardening. There is also an outdoor playground and a 135-square-metre (1,450 square foot) amenity space.

People began moving into their new homes in March 2026.

More homes on the way

Two more affordable housing projects are now underway in Greater Victoria:

Verdier, 1183 Verdier Ave., Brentwood Bay (Central Saanich): This project will provide 110 rental homes for people with low and moderate incomes in the heart of Brentwood Bay. More than half of the homes will have two or more bedrooms. The building will also include a child care space for up to 16 children on the ground floor. The project is expected to be completed in 2028.
Cedar Hill Library and Affordable Housing, 3950 Cedar Hill Road, Saanich: This mixed-use project will include a new, 2,700-square-metre (29,315 square foot) public library on the ground floor, along with two residential towers providing 210 rental homes. Nearly half of the rental homes will have two or more bedrooms. The project is expected to be completed in 2030.

05/25/2026

Welcome to the first installment of our ‘Planning and Designing for Healthy Watersheds’ video series! In this series we want to share information about BC’s urban watersheds, how they have changed over time from development, and why many no longer support healthy streams and salmon populations.

Check out the whole video on YouTube at the link in our bio!

05/15/2026

At Glenyon Norfolk School, the landscape design provides opportunities for students to engage and connect with the beach, nature, and the ocean on this stunning waterfront site. Playground areas, amphitheaters, a grassy mound, and an oceanfront walkway are oriented to maximize the ability of students to get outside and engage in meaningful play. Rain gardens and permeable brick pavers treat runoff from the site before it is released to the ocean.

The materials selected for the landscape feature natural, durable materials that tie into the historic architecture of the Junior School Campus. Refined granite and brick juxtapose with natural plantings and open views towards the water, tying the historical elements of the site together with a new, contemporary design that celebrates nature!

05/12/2026

Almost 10 years later, we're happy to see the Courthouse Green project still thriving!

In 2016, MDI was retained to help the Provincial Government – owners of the Victoria Courthouse Green site - to rapidly design this landscape, that went from schematic design through to completion within 6 months. This project features a robust playground, an Afghan War Memorial, and lots of native and pollinator planting.

Our role as the principal designers was to integrate the proposed playground and Afghan War Memorial in a manner that was respectful, and at the same time playful. Given that the site's soils were found to be contaminated, we also helped to coordinate the soil remediation process with engineers and the soil remediation contractor.