As urban areas expand, degraded lands robbed of natural resilience and biodiversity often lie in development’s path—presenting both challenges and opportunities. The Flewellen Creek Restoration project transforms a derelict 130-acre ranching ditch into a vibrant 3-mile ecosystem, anchoring the new 3,200-acre Cross Creek Ranch community.
Rooted in biomimicry and fluvial geomorphology, the design re-establishes natural creek dynamics. Reintroduced meanders double the creek’s length, creating a 450 to 600-foot-wide floodplain corridor, which shielded surrounding homes during Hurricane Harvey. A 50-acre polishing pond and water treatment facility feed the creek while filtering community irrigation water.
Indigenous vegetation replaces invasive species, establishing riparian forests, prairie meadows, and water-cleansing wetlands. Wildlife has returned in abundance, with native fish, turtles, and migratory birds thriving among strategically placed habitat structures. The endeavor yields impressive annual results: a 65% decrease in mowing expenses, an 81-ton reduction in fertilizer use, 4 million gallons of drinking water saved, and 184 tons of carbon sequestered per acre.
With 42% of residents living adjacent to the re-naturalized space, multi-use trails, boardwalks, and platforms invite exploration of the ecotones. The Arbor Park Sports Complex and disc golf course nestled amid the natural beauty further enhance daily life in this community. This multi-award-winning project is a paragon of restorative excellence, proving that nature and community can gracefully coexist. It demonstrates how conscientious designers can transform environmental challenges into opportunities, creating sustainable, resilient spaces that benefit both ecosystems and residents.
Shady Canyon
Shady Canyon is a 1,070-acre residential community and land preservation project in the heart of bustling, master-planned Orange County. The project carefully integrates the natural environment into every aspect of the community which consists of 400 custom and builder homes, a golf course that preserves important biological resources, swim center, recreation ...
Almaza Bay Beach Town
Located on the tranquil and pristine Mediterranean coastline in northwest Egypt, Almaza Bay Beach Town redefines the concept of a resort town. Seamlessly integrating the intimate and relaxed feel of a beach community with the entertainment and excitement of a walkable retail district, this mixed-use development offers an exceptional lifestyle that enriches the...
Magee Ranch
The project site is a beautiful 540-acre hillside ranch in suburban Contra Costa County, California. It was slated for development by the City of Danville as a clustered planned community. The development concept was to preserve the essential beauty of the ranch and to allow some 300 homes to be built with the least possible impact. The City’s Planning C...
Santaluz
This planned community 30 minutes north of San Diego is a testament to the collaboration of a visionary client, talented land planner, and creative designers and marketers. Set gracefully on its rolling site and preserving over half its acreage as open space, Santaluz is both a model of environmental planning and a financial success, out-performing all its loc...