For immediate release: January 11,2005

Design Workshop selected to create sustainable plan for
Mexico’s largest new community

Urban design and landscape architecture firm Design Workshop has been selected by URBI, the second largest homebuilder in Mexico, to create a master plan for the new community of Valle San Pedro in the state of Baja California, the fastest growing region in that country.

The project will create residential and mixed uses on approximately 9,000 acres as part of the largest land development in Mexican history. URBI’s goal is to create a model sustainable community with world-class urban design that respects both the landscape and the ecology of the place.

“Our challenge is to position URBI as the leading new community developer in Mexico while facilitating a positive cross-cultural experience,” says Project Manager Maria Cagnina of Design Workshop’s Phoenix office. “Valle San Pedro will help URBI to capitalize on its extensive homebuilding experience in order to begin creating truly sustainable community development. Keys to success will include understanding the environmental implications, the economic realities and the cultural differences.”

Design Workshop’s Phoenix office opened in 1987 and has been involved in significant projects in the region, including master plans for Superstition Mountain and the Rocks at Pinnacle Peak. The Phoenix office has won numerous awards for its innovative work in creating sustainable landscapes from the Valley Forward Association, the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Gold Nugget competitions.