Rethinking America's Streets
Re:Streets is a multi-disciplinary collaboration focused on the planning, design and construction of streets as a method for improving our built environment. The project pushes beyond the current standards to explore the future of streets and what America’s roadways would be like if they were designed for living, instead of driving. For more information and to register for the charrette, please visit the project website:
www.restreets.org
Ibach Park is a Winner!
Rain or shine, Ibach Park has a play area kids will be begging to go. Their award-winning playground is also an interactive educational experience that'll teach the little ones the natural history and culture of the area. learn more...
Hoping to develop downtown’s empty spaces?
In 2005 the city of Dallas and Hunt Consolidated discussed razing Reunion Arena, which was still years away from being reduced to rubble, and engaging in a land swap that would have led to the creation of an “entertainment district” between the Dallas Convention Center and the Hyatt Regency. But despite months’ worth of hype and hoopla, thanks in large part to would-be developer Billy Bob Barnett, nothing ever came of it. Reunion was torn down in November 2009. What remains is a nice green patch of empty. learn more...
Glendale Children's Center Awarded Sustainable Innovation Award - Materials + Resources
The Los Angeles Chapter of the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council launched its Sustainable Innovation Awards last night during the chapter's 7th Annual Green Gala-with over 500 guests in attendance. Projects were awarded across seven categories, recognizing exceptional achievement and innovation in each LEED category for countywide certified projects from the past two years. Read more...
MIG's groundbreaking West Village Master Plan for UC Davis is getting built!
MIG led a multi-disciplinary team to develop the West Village Master Plan for the University of California-Davis campus. This bold mixed-use project is the largest planned Zero Net Energy community in the country. Phase one opened in the Fall Semester of 2011 and serves as a model for new university housing and mixed-use development nationwide. Instead of following typical residential development patterns, MIG’s planning and design includes a range of housing types and densities; innovative mixing of uses at a neighborhood center; cutting-edge energy production and water conservation strategies; special attention to habitat; and open space and urban-agriculture edge boundaries. The West Village is an integrated and sustainable community that is environmentally, socially and economically beneficial. Read more...
Hal Brown Park at Creekside
Hal Brown Park is a favorite Marin County park. The recently renovated park provides recreation spaces for the community and habitat for sensitive native plant and animals species. Read more...
Implementation of the Charlotte Center City 2020 Vision Plan
One of the six Focus Areas of the 2020 Vision Plan, The Ballpark Neighborhood, scored a major win when the Charlotte City Council voted to contribute $8 million toward the construction of the Knights Baseball Stadium. The minor league stadium will break ground in October 2012 and the first pitch will be thrown out April 2014! learn more...
AZA Toledo Zoo
Nature's Neighborhood is a place for children and their families to explore the indoor and outdoor habitats of Ohio. The Toledo Zoo has just won top exhibit honors from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Read more...
Outdoor Water Conservation CPRS 2012
The California Parks & Recreation Society featured an article on MIG's research into cost-saving design measures to conserve water at a community park in Apple Valley, California. The article highlights low-cost and higher investment water saving solutions for park landscape irrigation.
Learning Landscapes: Recreational and Educational Farm Parks in Oregon
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Magazine, Spring 2010 issue, featured an article written by MIG's very own Cindy Mendoza and Jon Pheanis. The article addresses the positive influence farm parks have on the public and their need to be developed in compliance with state land-use requirements.
Integrating People and Nature Through Design
In an overlooked area of Tacoma, adjacent to tribal lands and a public housing project, Metro Parks Tacoma (MPT) and PierceCounty co-own a 383-acre property known as Swan Creek Park. The park is an irregular-shaped, sparsely developed greenspace that protects the riparian corridor. It’s also a place with a unique WWII history that is extremely important to nearby residents and groups, including school children, volunteers, recreation enthusiasts, the Puyallup Tribe, and immigrants from around the world who live in the adjacent Salishan Redevelopment Community.
Regenerative Landscape
The Regenerative Landscape approach involves managing the landscape as a living ecosystem and focuses on restoring the ecological health of that ecosystem, beginning with the soil. Through careful choice of plants, habitat is increased and plant health is maximized. A regenerative landscape is a sustainable system that builds and maintains a high quality landscape without using synthetic inputs, such as chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.
Conventional landscaping methods, combined with construction activities, have had many adverse impacts on soils. These impacts result in soils that are devoid of microbial life, depriving plants of the nutrient cycling and disease prevention that takes place in a healthy landscape ecosystem. The absence of microbial activity also decreases soil structure, causing water runoff and leaching of nutrients. Conventional landscaping techniques require excessive consumption of fossil fuels and energy; pollute water, air and soils; and create overburdened landfills.
MIG implements strategies that nurture the soil, allowing the biology in the soil to function properly, which in turn sequesters carbon and reduces carbon emissions, minimizes landfill waste and water use, increases biodiversity and habitat, and maximizes the overall health of the landscape. MIG utilizes a creative approach that looks at each project individually, assessing site conditions and project goals, and subsequently crafts solutions that maximize health and ecology while minimizing maintenance and other costs.
