37 North partners with Arkansas architecture, engineering firm

Little Rock, Arkansas-based architecture and engineering firm Ecological Design Group has penned a partnership with 37 North Expeditions LLC, which was founded in Springfield seven years ago.

EDG called the agreement with 37 North a "strategic partnership" in a news release issued yesterday. Additionally, 37 North co-founder Danny Collins has been hired by EDG.

Addie Gibson, director of marketing for EDG, clarified that the agreement with 37 North is not an acquisition.

"Danny will still play an active role at 37 North but has a team to handle the day-to-day operations so that he can focus on his new role with EDG," Gibson said via email.

The agreement calls on EDG to incorporate 37 North's expertise on in outdoor recreational programming into its designs, with outdoor space design feeding into the long-term functionality and user experience of those projects, according to the release. The partnership also will work alongside Studio Drift, EDG's nonprofit that focuses on outdoor recreation project development in the Arkansas Delta.

“At EDG, we believe in designing spaces that invite people into nature, and now we can go a step further – by programming and designing experiences that maximize the impact of our designs," said Martin Smith, EDG co-founder and principal, in the release. "The combination of EDG’s expertise in design, 37 North’s strength in programming and Studio Drift's focus on rural community engagement creates an offering unlike anything else in the industry and in the state.”

At EDG, Collins is taking on the role of director of experience. He's based in the company's Rogers, Arkansas, office, said Gibson.

"I think our work has the power to do something profound: to invite more people into nature through design and planned experiences, all while ensuring that these places we love are still thriving for generations to come," he said in the release.

Founded in 2018, 37 North is a guided experience company that provides curated expeditions, such as hiking, biking, horseback riding and kayaking, according to past reporting. The company now operates in Springfield and Bentonville, Arkansas.