About the Studio
We believe — that well-designed landscapes elevate our lives and inspire connections: with each other, and with the world around us. We embrace ecological health as a guiding principle on every scale, from residential gardens and small urban parks to large rural estates and working landscapes.
We value — design with purpose. Collectively, gardens and landscapes can address some of today’s most pressing environmental challenges, including habitat loss, soil health, carbon sequestration, water conservation, stormwater management, and wildfire resiliency. The choices we make in shaping our outdoor spaces can enrich human life while supporting vibrant, productive ecosystems.
We embrace — curiosity, experimentation, and a collaborative, conversational process to create environments full of life. We uncover and reveal the history of a place, tell its story, and distill its unique character—celebrating and amplifying the interconnected lives of people, plants, and place. We encourage the use of raw, locally sourced materials, and enjoy discovering new ways to creatively reuse materials found on-site.
We contribute — to our local community. Beyond board service, Outcrop commits 2% of our profits bi-annually to organizations serving the Bay Area and surrounding communities.
At Outcrop, every project is an opportunity to create meaningful, lasting landscapes that nurture both people and the environment.
Why Outcrop?
An outcrop is a physical rock formation that integrates with and emerges from its surroundings, providing warmth in the sun and shelter from the wind. We draw inspiration from this structure.
Our goal with every project is to thoughtfully design spaces that integrate seamlessly with their environment, that tell the story of a place and the people that inhabit it.
words we’re chewing on
tactile, reciprocal, nuance, care, attention, beauty, abundance, repair
OUR PERSONALITY
curious, optimistic, adventurous, thoughtful, purposeful, rigorous
liz richmonD
owner and principal
Liz is a registered Architect and Landscape Architect with over twenty years of experience. Her unique interdisciplinary background allows clients to benefit from a holistic approach at the intersection of landscape and architectural design. Before founding her own practice, she spent twelve years contributing to award-winning projects at design-driven firms in Charlottesville, Boston, and San Francisco.
At the core of her work is a desire to cultivate meaningful connections between people and the outdoor spaces they inhabit. Liz strives to be a thoughtful steward of both built and natural environments, exploring the dynamic relationship between the two. She carefully integrates architectural space with vibrant ecological habitats, creating gardens that are layered, cohesive, and welcoming.
In every project, Liz fosters trusting relationships with clients and collaborators, bringing a strong sense of material craftsmanship and deep plant knowledge. Her process-driven approach, grounded in attentive listening, ensures that each outdoor space reflects and celebrates a client’s unique needs, interests, and personality.
A mountain girl at heart, Liz grew up in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. She has lived in the Bay Area since 2010 and enjoys exploring the outdoors with her husband and two young sons. She also loves jumping into the cold waters of the Bay whenever she can.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Master of Architecture from the University of Virginia.