A small Naples studio. Design and build, integrated.
Knäak Design Group is a Naples design-build practice led personally by registered Landscape Architects and Certified Building Contractors. Twenty-one years of work across the Southwest Florida coast — Naples, Bonita Springs, Marco Island, Port Royal, Pelican Bay, Mediterra.
The decision the firm is built on.
Most luxury outdoor work is split between two firms — a landscape architect who designs the project and a general contractor who builds it. The handoff is where things break. The plant choices the architect specified get value-engineered out. The hardscape detail the architect drew gets simplified. The relationship between the family and the design dies the moment a different team shows up to build.
Knaak doesn't work that way. The team that walks the site is the same team that pours the foundation. The principal who sketches the pergola is on the property when it goes up. The plant palette the architect selected is the plant palette that gets installed.
That is the central decision the studio is built on. Everything else follows.
Design, build, install. All under one roof.
Most luxury landscape work splits across two firms — an architect who designs and a contractor who builds. Knaak handles all three integrated stages with one team. The result is design intent that survives intact from sketch to install.
Design
Master planning led by registered Landscape Architects. Site analysis, schematic design, design development, construction documents. The drawings the build team works from are the drawings the principal sketched.
Build
Florida-licensed construction. Pool installation, hardscape, structural work, electrical, plumbing, irrigation. The contractor on site is part of the same firm that designed the project — no value-engineering away the design intent.
Install
Proprietary install team for landscape, lighting, outdoor kitchens, fire features. The plant palette the architect specified is the palette that goes in the ground. The lighting plan is calibrated on the property, not sent to a sub.
Two decades on the Southwest Florida coast.
The practice was founded in 2005 to do one thing well — design and build original outdoor environments for Naples-area families who want their property to feel inevitable, not assembled. Twenty-one years later that mission hasn't changed.
We work selectively. A small number of projects per year. Each one led personally by the principal — never handed to a project manager and forgotten. Most of our clients call us back for phase two.
Eleven consecutive Best of Houzz awards. The longest unbroken run in Southwest Florida.
From 2014 through 2024, Knäak Design Group has earned Best of Houzz every year — service quality and client experience scored by the people we worked with. No other Southwest Florida luxury landscape practice has matched that consistency.
Our Cape Coral "Boater's Paradise" renovation won HGTV's People's Choice Award, a recognition voted by the public, not the trade.
Credentialed, licensed, and certified.
The practice is led by a Registered Landscape Architect who is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and holds CLARB certification, the national standard for licensed landscape architecture.
ASLA Member
CLARB Certified
A small studio. Personally led.
Every Knaak project is led personally by the principal — never handed off to a project manager. The team that walks the site is the team that builds it.
Robert B. Knäak
Robert Knäak brings a passion for creating meaningful outdoor spaces to every project. After earning his degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, he worked with top resort developers, refining his expertise in high-end residential and estate design. In 2005, he founded Knäak Design Group to deliver that same level of detail and craftsmanship to private homes, communities, and commercial spaces. Robert remains actively involved in every phase of the design-build process, ensuring each project reflects both artistry and function.
Sarah H. Knaak
Sarah Hernandez brings over 18 years of experience in sales, marketing, and franchise consulting to Knaak Design Group. With a focus on strategic storytelling and brand growth, she leads the firm's marketing efforts and client brand positioning, ensuring each project resonates with creativity and market insight.
James M. Towery
With over 30 years of experience, Jim Towery is known for his hands-on approach and deep expertise in landscape construction and site development. A graduate of Michigan State University, he has led the design and management of residential golf course communities and estate projects across Florida. Jim's strengths in site evaluation, construction oversight, and plant selection ensure every project is delivered with precision and lasting impact.
Katherine Corral
Katherine brings a thoughtful and organized approach to every design project, along with a genuine appreciation for collaboration, creativity, and meaningful connections. With experience in executive support, real estate, and business operations, she has developed a strong ability to bring people and ideas together with professionalism and care. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Katherine enjoys supporting the design process, fostering strong relationships, and helping create exceptional experiences for clients and teams.
Proudly serving clients across Southwest Florida and nationwide.
The team that walks the site is the same team that pours the foundation. The principal who sketches the pergola is on the property when it goes up. The relationship between the family and the design never gets handed off.
Rob — if you want to swap this for your own philosophy statement, send the copy and we'll drop it in.
Concentrated on the Southwest Florida coast.
Twenty-one years of working a defined geography. The studio takes a small number of projects each year, almost all of them within thirty miles of the Naples coast. We know the soil. We know the saltwater exposure. We know the HOA architectural review boards by name. That focus is the difference.
The Naples coast.
Where the city meets the gulf. Waterfront estates, intimate village blocks, historic homes carrying the original Naples identity.
- Port Royal View →
- Aqualane Shores
- Olde Naples View →
- Park Shore
Naples estate communities.
Gated communities and golf-course frontage. The Tuscan villa vocabulary of Mediterra, the mature canopy of Grey Oaks, the architectural depth of Pelican Bay.
- Pelican Bay View →
- Mediterra View →
- Grey Oaks View →
- Fiddler's Creek
The wider coast.
Barrier island estates and the golf-and-marina communities north and south of Naples. Salt-tolerant work, hurricane-rated structures, the discipline of a coastal climate.
- Marco Island View →
- Bonita Bay
- Bonita Springs
- Estero · Naples Reserve
If your property sits anywhere on the Southwest Florida coast — named neighborhood or not — we would be glad to begin a conversation.
Begin a conversation.
Introduce the property — location, vision, timeline. Rob personally reviews every inquiry and typically responds within two business days.
Inquire