Houston Concept Neighborhood Framework Plan

In close collaboration with Houston-based landscape architecture office Dept., Utile developed a scatter-site master plan for forward-thinking developer Concept Neighborhood that leverages their portfolio of sites to frame a public and active promenade connecting the MetroRail Green Line (Coffee Plant/Second Ward station) to the Buffalo Bayou eastern riverfront trail. The master plan carefully weaves new development sites and scenarios around existing historically-significant warehouses slated for adaptive reuse so that both mutually complement and enhance each other.

For each of the roughly dozen new development sites, Utile created test-fit scenarios that explored multiple combinations of building typologies and programs, including multifamily over garage and retail, townhouse, high-rise office, stand-alone retail, and other publicly oriented uses. Test-fit scenarios were closely aligned to the proposed framework plan such that ground floor retail, parking, and vehicular access were strategically located to best enhance the pedestrian experience, particularly along the promenade.

To assist Concept Neighborhood communicate the vision of the framework plan, Utile created highly-detailed illustrative aerial views of low-density and high-density buildouts of the master plan.