Celebrating
60 Years
To our clients, partners and collaborators: thank you. Your trust and shared vision have shaped this journey.
As we celebrate our 60th year, we honor the people and partnerships that have fueled our purpose and also look ahead with renewed passion for what’s possible.
We invite you to explore our shared story. A story that has been shaped by so many people – past, present and future. We hope you’ll continue to be a part of this story and come alongside us for whatever journey is next.
Our Beginnings
A Legacy of Vision. A Future of Possibility.
60 Years of Creating Meaning Together.
Our journey began in Omaha, Nebraska, where architect Charlie Wilscam started a solo operation from his home in 1965. Within a year, Don Mullins joined Charlie to create Wilscam and Mullins Architects.
Then, in 1966, in Des Moines, Iowa, Ken Bussard and James Wilkins teamed up to form Wilkins Bussard Architects.
Though they began separately, both firms were rooted in a shared belief that design has the power to create a meaningful, lasting impact. And, over the next six decades, those early efforts grew into something even greater.
A Brief History of RDG
Through continued evolution, collaboration and a steadfast commitment to a shared purpose, these firms (and a handful of others) came together under a unified mission: to create environments that are meaningful, inclusive and designed to endure.
1965–1975: Laying the Groundwork
Following the creation of Wilscam and Mullins Architects and Wilkins Bussard Architects, future firm leaders began to arrive. In 1973, John Birge joined Wilscam and Mullins, initiating a mentorship that would define the firm’s culture for years to come.
By 1977, these early firms had crossed paths, marking the beginning of a powerful connection and foreshadowing the formation of a firm that would go on to shape environments and enrich communities across the country.
1976–1989: Collaboration Takes Root
Throughout the 1980s, the firms continued to evolve, pushing boundaries through innovative work and openness to emerging technologies. Notably, as one of the first firms in Iowa to hire interior designers into its practice and among the earliest to integrate computers into its design process.
In 1989, these longtime collaborators came together under a new name: Renaissance Design Group (RDG) — a title that honored their collective history while looking ahead to a shared future.
1990s: Expanding Scope, Deepening Impact
As the firm matured, so did its ambitions. The 1990s saw RDG broaden its capabilities and forge new partnerships, including key hires in planning and a merger with a nationally recognized senior living design firm. New studios began to take form, including early explorations into pre-design services under the Foresight RDG banner, an early signal of the firm’s forward-looking mindset.
2000–2009: Becoming RDG Planning & Design as We Know It
By 2002, the growing complexity of multiple identities prompted a pivotal unification: the firm formally adopted the name RDG Planning & Design. This era marked a significant expansion of services, with civil engineering, lighting design and integrated public art added to the firm’s offerings.
Key partnerships during this decade included the merger with landscape architecture firm Cross, Gardner & Associates (which, coincidentally, was also founded in 1965), and the additions of RDG Dahlquist Art Studio in 2006 and Wetherell Erickson in 2008, whose roots stretch back to 1892.
RDG Today: Vision, People, Purpose
RDG is a dynamic interdisciplinary collective committed to creating meaningful spaces and lasting relationships.
From our offices in Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin, we partner with clients nationwide to shape inclusive, sustainable environments that reflect the people and places they serve.
Today, RDG is defined by:
Interdisciplinary Collaboration. Our teams work seamlessly across markets and disciplines — architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, lighting, civil engineering, urban planning, public art and more — to deliver integrated solutions with lasting impact.
Community-Focused Design. We design with empathy and intention, creating spaces that support connection, revitalization and resilience.
Curiosity-Driven Innovation. Inquiry fuels our process. We ask, explore and iterate, pushing boundaries while honoring design’s role in shaping lives.
A Culture of Growth. We invest in our people. Through mentorship, learning and leadership, we cultivate a workplace where everyone contributes to our collective evolution and success.
Celebrating 60 Years: Milestone Projects
Our legacy is measured not just in years, but in impact. Over six decades, RDG has helped shape vibrant communities and dynamic campuses, public parks and civic spaces, places for learning, healing and gathering.
Each project is a reflection of the people who envisioned it and the purpose that brought it to life.
COMING SOON
As we look ahead, we remain grounded in the same principles that sparked our beginning: creativity, collaboration and care for the communities we serve.