Crafton Tull, a regional engineering and design firm, announced today that its planning team is joining its landscape architecture division, which operates under the name Prism Design Studio. The combined team of 16 people creates the largest Arkansas-based planning and landscape architecture studio by number of licensed professionals and certified planners.

Prism Design Studio was founded by Jenny Burbidge as an independent company in 2022, then acquired by Crafton Tull in 2024. Burbidge, based in Fayetteville, will continue to lead the actively growing landscape architecture team as vice president. Julie Kelso, who’s been with Crafton Tull since 2008 and is based in Little Rock, will lead Prism Design Studio’s planning team as vice president.

Kelso, a licensed landscape architect and certified planner, has 29 years of experience providing planning services to cities, counties and other organizations. Her team’s award-winning work includes parks and outdoor recreation plans, active transportation plans, long-range community planning and urban design. The team’s planning work complements the landscape architecture services already offered by Prism Design Studio. The planning team will operate primarily at citywide and regional scales, such as their recent work on the Maumelle Pinnacles Recreation Master Plan. The landscape architecture team will continue to design projects for large natural spaces, both public and private developments, with a focus on responsive site design and urban ecology. The team recently completed site design and landscape plans for Oz Trails Bike Park in Bella Vista.

“Prism Design Studio was founded on a passion for outdoor places that contribute to the quality of life in everyday experiences,” Burbidge said. “Julie and her team of talented planners share this same passion. We’re excited to combine forces and make a collective impact across the state and region.”

Burbidge and Kelso are accomplished landscape architects, having pushed the profession forward in the state. Burbidge is a past president of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, while Kelso currently serves on the Arkansas Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers.

“By integrating our planning team with Prism Design Studio, we are strengthening the design influence on our planning work,” Kelso said. “Our clients get the benefit of a team with more depth, more resources and added creativity.”