Indigo: Master Plan
Richmond, Texas
Summary
Indigo is a health-driven and resilient community celebrates the quality and connection between the people and the natural environment. It was inspired by and embraces principles of traditional neighborhood development [TND] and sustainable design. Here, TND focuses on creating complete neighborhoods by using traditional town planning principles which include higher densities, a variety of housing types, interconnected street grids, and a legible town center located within walking distance of private homes. Indigo committed to sustainable design and livability by focusing on efficiently using resources, protecting the natural environment, and encouraging social equity.
"How can intentional community design positively impact the health of its residents and environment? "
Project Stats
Project Size:
235 Acres
Project Type:
Planned Community
Project Scope:
Community Performance Metrics
Master Planning
Visioning
Client:
Collaborators :
The Agri-Hood
Challenges Can Provide Opportunities For Suburban Communities
Everything is bigger in Texas… Including its appetite for constant growth. Over the last few decades, Houston and its accompanying suburbs has continued to sprawl by creating wider roads, larger home sites, and commercial “power centers". The combination of rising land values and construction costs combined with the growing desire to live a healthier and more urban lifestyle have challenged this style of development.
Master Plan
Human-Centric: Dense, Diverse, Well Connected
Indigo prioritizes quality of life through human-focused planning and design while being inclusive of all types of people and family formations. Diversity is not only reflected by those that will live here, but in the homes, energy offerings, and amenities found throughout this walkable community. There are eight distinct types of attached and detached homes that range from a 800 square foot cottage to a 3,100 square foot traditional home. Attainability is achieved through higher densities and smaller building footprints, which allow for more generous and well-connected green spaces. Several homes live directly on communal linear greenways called mews.
Mews connect residents' front doors to linear parks and amenities like Indigo Commons (to the west) and nature parks like Bullhead Slough and recreation pond (to the east). A neighborhood centric mixed-use area, Indigo Commons, is sighted to be a hyper-local pedestrian-centric commercial center located in the heart of the community. The first phase includes a working farm, community barn, plaza, and temporary sporting fields. These elements create a well-connected, inclusive, and people-centric community that is desired, intentional, and resilient.
Reimagine | Reuse | Regenerate
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Up to 100% of the water needed to irrigate neighborhood green spaces can be upcycled from the water exported from the wastewater treatment plant.
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Access to community farm, education programs and social events…
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Bioswales and raingardens planted with a diverse range of native species can be found throughout the community. This allows plants to clean and improve water qualify before water is released back into the soil.
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Diverse range of housing options ranging from efficiency apartments to single family homes allowing residents age in place.
