A multinational company, a developer of location systems, needed a new manufacturing facility on a large, previously-graded rural site in central Texas. The owners also sought LEED certification. Requested program goals included a social plaza space in front of the building; usable, passive open spaces; and restoring native landscape for the large remaining surrounding area. The owners wanted the landscape to be free from regular supplemental irrigation, if at all possible.

Our final design envisioned these goals within the framework of mapping apps: "Home", "Local Neighborhood", "Destination Pin", etc. The spatial presentations flow from structured, paved spaces adjacent to the building, to transitional buffalograss lawn spaces, to a more secluded patio space away from primary work and social activities. Map-related elements are included throughout the design: contrasts in paving color and texture to create a compass rose at "Home"; paving joints that play with two-point perspective to emphasize distance and travel; and a plaza in the more literal shape of a map app's "pin" symbol.

Other notable features include diversion of storm runoff into native landscape areas, limited edible landscape features, and a small pollinator garden elsewhere on site.