Key Facts
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2003
Designed
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8,800 ac.
Project Size
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Loreto Bay Company and Trust for Sustainable Development
Client
About Loreto Bay
Loreto Bay is a resort village on the eastern coast of Baja California Sur, near Loreto, Mexico. Bounded by the Sierra de la Giganta mountains on the west and on the east the Sea of Cortez, a designated World Heritage Site, more than half of the property is preserved for conservation and recreation. Pursuant to a national economic policy encouraging touristic development in specific locations, Loreto Bay was initiated with goals of sustainable and regenerative design.
Six compact neighborhoods and a town center are planned for the land bordering the sea. Each neighborhood has a mix of housing types with basic amenities in walking distance of the residents. Small blocks of courtyard houses are grouped around shared plazas and green spaces. Golf course greens and waterways run between neighborhoods. A small number of footprint-limited houses are allowed within the preserve.
The town center provides a focus for commercial space, with housing at a higher density than the surrounding neighborhoods. Beyond the mixing of uses and the pedestrian-friendly plan, an extensive sustainability program addresses environmental, social and economic goals.
Development Approach
- Habitat protection: conservation of significant acreage in the Sierra foothills
- Resource efficiency: passive solar design and ground source heating, extensive use of renewable resources, and solar-powered electric carts for primary transport
- Social amenity: walkability and destinations encouraging wellness, civic spaces at many scales encouraging gathering, locations for educational and health facilities
- Economic benefit: Loreto Bay Foundation funding local businesses, supporting organic farm including experimentation with salt water cultivation
Defining Design Details
- Architecture: traditional Mexican masonry construction with courtyards and roof terraces
- Landscape: promoting biodiversity in a desert climate
Plan