About wild spaces institute

Do you wrestle with the disconnect between the commercial real estate we create and the spaces we enjoy outside of the office, on weekends, and when we travel?

I feel most alive when I’m breathing in the aroma of a lush forest, experiencing the fresh mountain air on a ski lift, or exploring colorful sights in an ocean tide pool. Growing up on the edge of San Antonio, TX, like so many kids “back in the day,” I spent most days playing outdoors and exploring the nearby woods. I spent summers in the mountains of New Mexico with family and at my aunt’s hermitage in rural Idaho, there were endless fields of flowers that we would press into cards. My early desire was to become a Marine Biologist. A desire that was probably fueled by visits to my grandparent’s house on the Oregon coast, where we could watch whales from their dining room window.

So many of my experiences prepared me to launch Wild Spaces Institute. I’m an urban dweller at heart who’s personal and professional journey has blossomed through connection with nature.

As I began to travel with my then high school sweetheart, I soon discovered the big mountains and joys of skiing during college. After getting married, we moved so I could work at WATG, a global hospitality design firm, at their headquarters in Orange County, CA. Being at WATG was a ‘geography lesson’, with every new project in a yet-to-be-discovered locale. Branching out to diverse, international projects, I was taught a design philosophy that was intensely focused on its unique place and creating authentic experiences for visitors to that destination.

My almost two decades of dedication to architecture projects that connect people with nature and merge pockets of landscape into the city followed my family and me back to Austin, TX, where I’ve worked on a wide range of projects from custom homes, boutique hotels and resorts, corporate workplaces, campgrounds for Texas Parks and Wildlife, LEED Platinum-rated affordable housing, and numerous restaurants, bars and breweries.

The latest, and most influential step, in my wild journey from a kid who traveled in his grandparents’ RV, into a multi-passionate architect and entrepreneur, was a relocation to the foothills of Denver, CO. Denver is the epicenter of outdoor recreation and the mecca for people who blend contemporary urban amenities with consistent experiences of wild nature. Denver is an amazing and fitting home for Wild Spaces Institute and for our family.

I hope you join Wild Spaces' passionate and inspired community. Whether you learn how to connect with nature from our emails, register a first-of-its-kind pilot project, or explore our biophilic design framework for your next project, we'd love you to join us as we advance nature-connected real estate.

Hi! My name is Maddi Pritchard. I am a passionate mental health advocate, marketing executive, and nature lover. I enjoy bringing my passions together to help grow meaningful businesses with bold missions, like Wild Spaces! 

Prior to working with Matt, I was a senior account executive at a marketing agency, working with all types of businesses and startups. Before that, I helped support community engagement efforts for the Colorado Avalanche NHL team.

In my free time, you can find me in the yoga  studio, at the gym, out exploring nature with my partner, or working on a  new art piece. While I currently reside in Fort Collins, Colorado, I  love to travel and find beauty throughout the world. 

Elizabeth is currently pursuing an MBA at the  University of Denver with a focus in Sustainability. During her  childhood Elizabeth found a passion for the outdoors and a strong desire  to support sustainability and environmental conservation.  She joins Wild Spaces to create resources that helps bring awareness to  rewilding and biophilic practices in urban design. She is also  fascinated by the utilization of biomimicry in product generation and  design solutions. 

Outside of Wild Spaces, Elizabeth can often be  found in the mountains hiking, rock climbing, skiing, and adventuring to  new destinations.