Urban Design
Our urban design practice provides the foundation for De Novo's placemaking strategies and the firm's efforts to preserve and enhance the character of the communities we work in. Urban design is woven into our long-range plans—General Plans, Specific Plans, and Zoning Codes—through creative policy guidance which addresses local concerns, such as quality of the public realm, streetscapes, interface of different land uses, design guidance, and building form and function. By considering urban design in our land use planning projects, our goal is to promote resilient neighborhoods that reflect the values and priorities of communities.
We listen carefully to community members and stakeholders to understand the context of the local urban form and use a variety of hand-drawn and computer-aided design techniques to record existing conditions and illustrate future perspectives. We can prepare photo simulations, form and massing graphics drawn by hand or in 3-D modeling programs, and artistic renderings. These efforts help our clients imagine the "art of the possible" and are powerful public communications tools.
URBAN DESIGN PROJECTS
• Community Character Element, Colusa
• Land Use & Community Design Element,
City of La Verne
• Land Use & Community Design Element,
City of Manteca
• Community Design Element, City of Milpitas
• Community Character Element, City of Sebastopol
• The Springs Specific Plan, Sonoma County
• PA-1 Specific Plan, City of Brentwood