Design Charette #2 Denver, Colorado Dec 18 2006
Guiding Principles 1.
The community master plan should be a complete and integrated community containing housing, shops, work places, schools, parks and civic facilities essential to the daily life of the residents.
2.
Create opportunities for all neighborhoods, office buildings, retail centers, schools, etc. to be accessible by walking and biking. Minimize conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles.
3.
Provide a network of open space opportunities including street median greens, small block parks, linear greenbelts, community ball field, town square, and the large natural floodplain environment. Provide a system of sidewalks, trails and streets to all open space opportunities.
4.
Require Builders to implement Green Build or LEEDs principals and techniques to a degree that is economical, and provides long term benefits to the consumer.
5.
Implement practical solutions to combine storm water management systems, and water quality systems with open space amenities, and community assets. 1. Consider biogardens as a solution when ever practical 2. Use non-potable water sources for irrigation
6.
Assist residents of Whisper Valley, through education, prototypes, and literature to be better stewards of their community and home environment. Help them to become vested in being a sustainable place.
7.
Provide a diversity of housing types and densities, from affordable to estate homes. When practical, integrate different product types within the same neighborhood. Concentrate the highest densities around retail and office uses.
8.
Design with people in mind. Create human-scaled spaces to make people feel safe and comfortable.
9.
Allow a variety of architectural styles that explore opportunities for solar orientation, indoor outdoor living, shared private open space, garage access alternatives, and integrated front yard and landscaped public streets. The public street and its relationship to the home is an important element to the success of creating place.
10.
Create vista terminations for memorable, picturesque streets with the use of parks, civic buildings, churches, and iconic buildings.
11.
Organize the land plan to provide maximum flexibility to respond to market demand. Phase uses and infrastructure to respond to market timing.
Regional Context
Land Use Plan
Site Data Chart
Illustrative Plan
Town Center Plan
Northeast Area Plan
Village/Phase One Plan
Community Vision Plan
Park and Open Space Design Concepts Connect people with the environment and each other
Encourage interaction with the natural environment through access and education Green infrastructure as the framework for connecting neighborhoods and destinations Provide pedestrian connectivity to regional amenities Minimize pedestrian barriers Introduce the native landscape into the streetscape
Foster community identity Create a memorable and unique entry experience Establish community landmarks Generate a unique landscape character by introducing naturalized landscape into interior of the community
Create public spaces with form, purpose and meaning
Design habitable spaces Create a clear hierarchy of open space amenities Use landscape and landform to create structure Break the monotony of the streetscape with green space
Provide diverse recreation opportunities and experiences
Balance passive and active uses Incorporate multi-function spaces Design spaces to support the active outdoor lifestyle Provide walk-to recreation opportunities in all neighborhoods
Implement sustainable design practices
Preserve and protect existing natural resources and capitalize on them, ie transplant mature trees Utilize contextually sensitive, environmentally sustainable materials and consider life cycle costs Explore partnership opportunities for open space conservation, development and management Utilize regionally appropriate landscape materials Treat stormwater infrastructure features as amenities, water quality treatment Reduce potable water consumption in the landscape Re-vegetation of disturbed bottomland areas Site amenities to take advantage of solar orientation Utilize shade structures to create comfortable micro climates
Park Programming Park Classifications
Regional Community/Signature Neighborhood Pocket Trail Corridors Parkways
Potential Park Program Elements
Picnic – group, individual and family Restrooms Environmental education, outdoor classroom, etc. Interpretive programs – cultural + natural resources, other? Walking trails (low speed) Boardwalks and overlooks Multi-use trails Equestrian trails + facilities Promenade Gardens Community Horticulture Children’s Sustainable Sensory Performance amphitheater/festival lawn Water features Amenity ponds Piers/overlooks
o o o o
Community Playground Natural Accessible Inspiration Sensory Dog park Bike challenge course Disc golf Skate park Sports fields + courts Baseball/softball/t-ball Multi-use fields – soccer, football, etc Volleyball Basketball In-line skate Tennis
Park and Open Space Framework
Valley Walk Experience Zones Village Walk
Urban interface Developed Structured Pastoral views
Community Open Space
Leisurely/self-directed Focus on waterways Naturalized landscape Inward views
Signature Park
Active and passive Gateway to the Grove Street presence Developed and transitional landscape Views to the creek
Interpretive Walk
Solitude Education Community focus Native and agricultural, forest, meadow Re-vegetation
Community Elements
Community Elements
Monumentation and Entry
Landscape Character
Landscape Character
Parks and Open Space
Parks and Open Space
Signature Park Concept