CNU32 kicked off in Cincinnati, OH in Mid-May this year.
DPZ’s busy 2024 calendar continued throughout the late spring and into the summer with public and private sector projects. CNU32 in mid-May drew over 1,000 New Urbanists to host city Cincinnati, OH. Following last year’s trend, the event saw many new attendees bringing renewed energy to the sessions.
Meanwhile, DPZ has been pleased to welcome a mix of new and familiar faces to our offices in Miami, DC, and Portland.
To read and learn more in depth about our work this past year, check out the other posts on the DPZ Pulse.
CNU32 – Cincinnati, OH
As DPZ partner Matt Lambert assumed his new role as chair of its board of directors, the 32nd Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) annual conference took over downtown Cincinnati, OH, in mid-May.
Quite appropriately for a 19th Century city that has witnessed the rebirth of many historic neighborhoods, the theme was restorative urbanism. Many of the sessions focused on the management, design, and policy tools new urbanists are employing to bring about much-needed revitalization in our urban cores.
DPZ helped “restore and energize” the attendees once again with our #NotABooth coffee lounge. While not taking in the sights of new and old urbanism in the area, DPZers were moderating sessions, participating in panel discussions, and sharing some of DPZ’s architectural and urban know-how in special presentations.
Click here to read more about DPZ’s participation at this year’s CNU conference.
Walton County 2040 Community Engagement Charrette
This past May, a team led by DPZ and Walton County held a community engagement charrette that welcomed opinions and insight from local community members to provide an evaluation and appraisal update to the comprehensive plan, and propose a physical vision.
The county’s goal is to ensure the anticipated growth and development over the next few decades can be well balanced with the preservation of the environmental and natural resources. Topics included preservation, infrastructure, traffic, Smart Growth, and more.
The Assessment of the Comp Plan is expected to be completed mid-2025, and will build upon the impactful Comprehensive Plan “South Walton TRUST Plan”, also completed by DPZ in 1996.
Click here to read more.
Winnipeg, Canada
This June, DPZ led a workshop to help draft a new zoning code for the City of Winnipeg, Canada. Among the goals of the future form-based document was the enabling of by-right development along corridors and for large shopping center and mall retrofits, aimed at providing housing.
Regulations for the Malls and Corridors, along with some missing middle infill, will be adopted later this year.
For the workshop, the goal was to have 6 sample sites analyzed and designed to represent different conditions around the city. By weeks end, there were 9 studies — this was a result of multiple developers and mall operators interested in having their sites redesigned. Co-designing with DPZ and producing roughly half the site studies was the Calgary-based office of B&A Studios, led by Geoff Dyer and Laura Young.
Friday Harbour, Innisfill, Canada
In the two decades since DPZ’s initial consultation on the project, Friday Harbour Resort has undergone various evolutions. Its latest planned development, proposing greater amenities and a higher density beach area featuring a hotel, marks a new phase.
Nestled around a man-made marina off Lake Simcoe, this latest evolution embodies Friday Harbour’s commitment to developing a year-round, amenity-rich resort destination.
The goal is to strike a balance between well-planned density that supports retail, restaurants, and other activities and land conservation that celebrates the surrounding natural beauty.
Click here to read more.
HUD Innovative Housing Showcase – Washington, DC
This June 6-7, Andres Duany and several other DPZers participated in the Innovative Housing Showcase on the National Mall, managed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R).
DPZ partnered with New Amherst Homes, 21st Century Home, and the No-Nonsense Housing Company to design and build model units for “The Bento” and “The C.I.E.R.S. House”.
Click here to learn more about the event.
Above: Poundbury, Dorchester
NTBA UK Immersion Trip with Senen Antonio
DPZ Partner Senen Antonio embarked on an International Immersion Tour this past June with the National Town Builders Association (NTBA) in Hertfordshire and Dorchester, England, UK.
Characterized by its picturesque countryside, charming towns and cities, and close proximity to London, Hertfordshire has long been considered to be an extremely desirable place to live, work, and visit. In 2008, DPZ was invited by the University of Hertfordshire to run the Hertfordshire Planning Charrette to engage the general population in a debate about the county’s future design and growth.
The tour also included Poundbury, Dorchester, where DPZ designed a code and regulating plan in 1989, as well as an introduction to The King’s Foundation. The King’s Foundation provides holistic solutions to challenges facing the world today, and has a history of collaboration with DPZ since it was initially called The Prince’s Foundation.
Senen also hosted a Central London Walking Tour that explored a number of landmarks and hotspots.
DPZ attends the Hagamos Ciudad (Let’s Make a City) Conference in Leon, Mexico
Organized by long-time DPZ clients, the Gómez family of León, Guanajuato, the Hagamos Ciudad conference took place last May in León, the second of what is becoming a biennial event to promote New Urbanism in Mexico. Over 300 local developers, financiers, and architects eagerly attended two days of presentations at the beautiful campus of the Academia Renacimiento, a music school for local underserved children operated by the Gómez family.
Opening the conference, Andrés Duany shared a history of the New Urbanism, the lessons learned, and possible applications for Mexico, including DPZ’s takes on the Latin American courtyard typology across the housing spectrum. Developer Héctor Leal presented his Leon Krier-designed new town of Cayalá, Guatemala. Frequent DPZ consultant, Joe Minicozzi of Urban3, explained his analysis of the impact of mixed-use urbanism and good design on a city’s tax base. The presentation by DPZ collaborator Fernando Pages of CNU Latino covered a number of relevant topics, including owner-built housing.
Other speakers included Alejandro Restrepo, chief architect and planner for the city of Medellin, Colombia, and DPZ’s own Milena Bingre, who presented her master’s thesis on the issue of urban security in Latin America and possible architectural solutions. Finally, Architect Miguel Gómez of Mi Ciudad discussed the importance of form-based codes in promoting good regional planning and walkable urbanism. The event concluded with a panel moderated by Miguel where conference participants addressed audience questions about New Urbanism and its solutions to local challenges.
DPZ would like to express our gratitude to Juan Carlos, Alonso, and Miguel Gómez for their hospitality, as well as our admiration for their cultural and civic leadership.
Vero Beach Adopts Downtown Master Plan
The City Council of Vero Beach adopted the DPZ Downtown Master Plan at their July 23rd meeting. The nearly unanimous approval indicated Council support for revitalizing the heart of the city by enabling more affordable housing downtown for younger residents.
The focus now turns to crafting two referendum items for the November 5th ballot. One would raise current downtown density and another would establish a program to allow the transfer of development rights (TDR) from one property to another so it could develop at a higher density.
Developer Proposes Single Family Homes at Vista Field
DPZ client the Port of Kennewick has approved a proposal by developer BlueChart Homes to construct nearly 300 housing units at the port’s Vista Field site. The former general aviation airfield that DPZ reimagined as a town centre in 2014 should be off to a great start with a mix of single family homes in a variety of detached, attached, and townhouse types.
Read more about this next phase of Vista Field development here.
Windsor North Village Launch
The launch of the North Village — the final phase of development at our community of Windsor near Vero Beach, FL — is being promoted with a summer newsletter that is already garnering international media attention.
The North Village’s focus on ecological sensitivity is highlighted in the inaugural newsletter. A piece by DCN, a Canadian news outlet for the construction industry, provides a more detailed profile on the new neighborhood’s design, and particularly its emphasis on sustainable architecture best practices.
The issue can be read here. The DCN profile can be accessed here.
Norton Commons’ Main Street Live-Work Units
Public Square is once again showcasing our Norton Commons project in Kentucky, and its emerging North Village which is known for its small-scale mixed-use buildings.
The article focuses on a new row of live-work units lining the village’s main street (Meeting Street), the latest addition in the community’s growth.
Read the full article here.
Hampstead, AL Fosters Social Atmosphere
A CNU spotlight has been placed on Hampstead for promoting community interaction and wellbeing by emphasizing uses that energize the civic realm.
Known for its preservation of the natural environment, Hampstead is deserving of renown for activiting its social enviornment by creating “third places” of quality.
Read more from the CNU Public Square article here.
New 2024 DPZ Team Members
DPZ has welcomed some new faces to several of our offices this year, and we wanted to take the opportunity to spotlight these individuals.
Madison is a recent graduate of the University of Oregon where she received her Master of Architecture with a specialization in Urban Architecture and Urban Design. Her interest in sustainability, adaptive reuse, urban design, and historic preservation inspired her to pursue her studies. Her current career goals include becoming a licensed architect so she can work in the future of sustainable cities and learn how to build on existing infrastructures.
Carson joined DPZ as a designer in November starting in the Miami office and transitioned to the DC office this past February. He has a BS in Architecture from Kent State University and a Masters in Architecture from the University of Miami. He additionally has an MRED+U Certificate (Real estate Development + Urbanism).
This past December, Camille rejoined DPZ as an urban designer in the Portland office. She has a BS in Architecture with a minor in Ecosystem Science Policy from the University of Miami. Her experience spans across various project types, including revitalization and vision plans for downtown cores, regional structure plans, form-based codes, publications, and more.
Méabh has joined the DPZ Miami office as a Summer Intern from Dublin, Ireland, continuing the rich tradition of the internship program. She is a final year BA student of History of Art and Architecture at Trinity College Dublin, with a keen interest in the social impact of architecture and urban planning. Her internship at DPZ is part of the Laidlaw Foundation’s Undergraduate Research and Leadership Development Program.
Hall of Honor Goal II Award (Intellect) at Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr
Lizz Plater-Zyberk has been selected to receive an induction into the Hall of Honor for lifetime excellence and achievement in intellect at her alma mater, Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr.
The nomination-based award honors an alumna who has achieved success and distinction in her professional career. She was chosen among dozens of nominations for her category.
Congratulations, Lizz!
Lizz and Andrés in France
This summer, Lizz and Andrés have retreated to their second home in Uzès, France, from where they continued to work, of course, but in a calming atmosphere with a refreshing change of pace.
Throughout their stay, they periodically sent photographs and updates to share their experiences.
Aside from work on various DPZ projects, such as the St. Thomas School master plan, Andrés and Lizz kept busy with various writing projects like the DPZ monograph.
They also played host to a number of visitors all summer. Among them were Dhiru Thadani, who is working on a book about Uzès with Andrés, and Clemente Garay, a Spanish architect and artist who worked with DPZ in the late 80s and early 90s crafting the beautiful wood models on display in the Miami office.
Additional guests throughout the summer have included former Dean of Architecture at the University of Maryland Steve Hurtt and his wife Carole; Buff Chace from Providence with his son Ben; Donna Murrain from London; and Hertfordshire clients Robert and Hannah Gascoyne-Cecil, Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury with their daughter Catherine and three children from New Orleans. Robert and Hannah were accompanied by friends Jonathan and Alex Hill.
Aside from work, there has been bright, unseasonably cool weather to complement such an inspiring place. We expect many more photos and stories upon their return.
Third Photo: Clemente Garay with his painted book
Fifth Photo: Dhiru Thadani’s scale comparison between the plan of Uzes and a typical U.S. mall
