|
Our services include site analysis, land use planning, site design, urban design and sustainable site systems consulting. Plandesign specializes in sustainability, safety, accessibility and context-appropriate design. Our projects include but are not limited to urban spaces and streetscapes, parks and recreation facilities, religious facilities, academic and corporate campuses, outdoor living/gathering spaces, commercial and retail sites, and multi-family and mixed-use developments.
Analyze
Land has a story—a complex interaction of existing conditions and influences that shape our perception of a place and impact its future. Plandesign understands these complexities, from the “big picture” context to the minute details, and uses a highly trained eye to interpret and share this story in an easily accessible manner. [More/Less...]
Site analysis begins with the thorough review of existing or new reports, studies, map and survey data regarding such conditions as:
- soils
- topography
- water
- wetlands
- natural areas
- existing utilities
- adjacent land uses
- existing facilities
- nearby amenities
- community connections
- area demographics
- pedestrian & vehicular circulation
- historical & cultural resources
On-site analysis and visual inventory reveals further conditions such as:
- wildlife
- adjacent uses
- local character
- grading & drainage
- condition of existing facilities
Transforming all the data collected into something meaningful is the final step in site analysis. A Site Opportunities and Constraints Diagram graphically depicts how existing conditions may influence future site development.
Visualize
What do you envision? Visualization is truly one of the most exciting parts of the planning and design process, and it happens at every step, from land use planning to materials and finishes selection. [More/Less...]
Early on, visualization may take the form of a programming session, where we explore with project stakeholders the myriad of possible uses that may be desirable for a site. Later visualization may take the form of a design workshop, where the design team works with stakeholders to quickly test how programmed land use options may interact on the site within the framework of site opportunities and constraints and project goals and objectives. As a project moves from planning to design to implementation, visualization is used to continuously focus closer on various levels of detail.
Communicate
How can you share your vision? What is the value of a great vision without the means to communicate it to those who will support, fund, design and implement it? Communication is the nervous system of a project. Skilled communication, the ability to receive, interpret and disseminate information both verbally and graphically, allows a project team to move purposefully and efficiently toward a desired set of goals yet be able to respond fluidly to new information or influences.
Plan
How clear is your road map for the future? Through the planning process Plandesign brings together broad goals, specific objectives, opportunities and constraints, and the visioning process to produce a very clear road map for the development of a site, campus, corridor, community or region. [More/Less...]
One of the first steps is to work with project stakeholders to establish broad project goals such as “enhance the local community” or “reflect the values of our institution.” Specific objectives are then outlined to support each goal; for instance “provide safe, accessible community connections” or “design to nationally recognized standards for sustainable site development.” Site analysis follows and provides another critical piece of the framework within which a master plan will be developed.
Next, we explore various configurations of program elements within the project boundaries. Concept alternatives demonstrate how each configuration may alter the balance or prioritization of project goals and objectives. Through various review and feedback opportunities, one alternative or one hybrid of alternatives is chosen to be refined incrementally to reach the final master plan. The final plan typically includes possible phased implementation strategies, an estimate of construction costs, and possible funding opportunities through grants if applicable.
Planning plays a crucial role in the development or redevelopment of any land and is typically required by local municipalities or funding sources. Plandesign assists in the development of a wide variety of planning deliverables such as:
- Site Master Plans
- Campus Master Plans
- Corridor Plans
- Neighborhood and Community Plans
- Regional Plans
- Downtown Plans
- Park & Recreation: Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation & Open Space Plans
- General Development Plans
- Planned Unit Development: Design & Architectural Guidelines
Design
How do you transform a vision into reality? Turning a master plan into a well-executed, highly-functional development that meets and even exceeds the goals originally established begins with design refinement. Every feature of the plan is explored; designs are continuously refined to produce a set of construction documents and specifications that clearly communicate to the construction team the design intent and performance requirements of the final built product. [More/Less...]
Plan Drawings illustrate proposed grading and drainage, describe the spatial relationships between site elements and identify the location of all site elements such as monuments and signage, terraces and plazas, site walls and fences, site lighting, steps, walks, plazas, site furnishings and plant material. Enlarged detail plans, cross sections, elevation drawings and written specifications further describe each element’s physical characteristics, such as dimensions, materials, patterns and finishes.
|
