We see communities in a regional context, as interconnected systems of mutually dependent resources. Caring for the character and health of places requires adaptive planning and design that is in harmony with the land. Climate change brings a heightened urgency to this task. Our approach is to craft sustainable solutions to our changing relationship with nature. From the neighbourhood, city, and regions to global scales, improving the balance of the natural and built environments is the only appropriate solution.
We begin the master planning process with an analysis of the site’s biophysical and cultural resources. Environmentally or culturally sensitive locations are deemed unsuitable for development. This protects the most precious resources, and it also provides features that form the core of public open space or community amenities. Competing uses are addressed and resolved, with the goal being highest and best use within the context of the project’s vision.
Land uses and development form and character are planned to meet the objectives of the community, e.g., promoting a sense of community, adhering to principles of sustainability, providing a unique community character that reflects the site resources or location. Our community planning work typically involves extensive consultation, which we design with multiple opportunities for participation. Our GIS is an important tool in the land evaluation, design, and visualization processes. The visualizations themselves, still and moving, help in planning and in the presentation of proposals.
Project Types
Community Master Planning
Development Planning
Official Community Plans
Campus Planning
First Nations Community and Cultural Planning.