By ADRIENNE HORTON

Whether you’re booking it across hot pavement to your next meeting, or commuting through traffic in a stifling car, record highs across the country this summer highlight the critical need for parks as fundamental elements of our cities. An oasis of green space, parks provide havens for young and old alike, and serve as much needed refuge from the heat and stress of everyday life.

The comprehensive list of park benefits creates a compelling story for us to unite behind as their development, maintenance, and revitalization deserve our continued support.

Continue reading on the RVi Blog ››

BY ROBERT WHITTEMORE

RVi is proud to be partnering with Land Tejas on one of their newest communities. Designed to be reminiscent of the Texas Hill Country and Fort Bend County’s rich history, Vanbrooke is an approximately 250-acre master-planned community located along Highway 359 between the towns of Brookshire & Fulshear in Fort Bend County, Texas. The developer, Land Tejas, is bringing the community to life over the course of three phases in the coming years. RVi was consulted to provide an overall master plan and vision for the community’s parks and open spaces. Once a master plan was approved by Land Tejas, RVi was contracted to design and provide construction documentation for the marketing trail and recreation site of phase one.

The 250-acre site is an old cattle farm consisting of an existing pond, creek, grasslands, and large stand of trees. Land Tejas is restoring the existing pond at the center of the development to not only act as an amenity, but also to support the neighborhood’s storm water capacity. An existing creek with mature trees is being preserved to serve as a nature corridor throughout the development.

To facilitate the developer’s vision of bringing the Texas Hill Country vibe and small-town atmosphere to the grasslands of Fort Bend County, RVi’s design of monuments, buildings, and amenities utilized materials such as limestone, boulders, wood, corten, and metal. A serpentine rock wall monument elevated on berms with enhanced plantings and lighting greets residents and visitors along Highway 359. The entry boulevard consists of tree planting and trails, which connect home lots to various destination points throughout the community. The entry boulevard terminates at the recreation site where a large open-air pavilion serves as the key focal point.

Continue reading about this exciting project on the RVi Blog ››

BY KATIE HARRIS

As working professionals, many of us have a trusty notebook that we carry with us to different meetings and events. If your notebook looks anything like mine, it’s just a series of pages, ordered by date, with lots of chicken scratch inside. Or if you’re still on the bullet journal bandwagon, maybe you have an organized index followed by some short bulleted lists.

But take a peek inside Jeff Farr’s notebook, and you’ll see something very different. Jeff is a Project Manager and a very prolific and talented sketch artist. Rather than handwritten notes, Jeff’s notebook is peppered with all kinds of different sketches. “I sketch during meetings, but I am listening the whole time. It is my way of taking notes,” Jeff says.

In project meetings, Jeff’s tendency to sketch often surprises clients and colleagues who may not be familiar with his process. By the time the team finishes their discussion, Jeff often has a conceptual sketch that captures what was discussed. This allows the project team to see their ideas come to life right before their eyes. “I’m basically drawing what they’re envisioning during the meeting. It is a collaborative discussion, and by the end of it there is something to share that they are all vested in,” Jeff says.

Jeff’s sketching skills also bring an increased level of transparency to the design process. In an age where most of us turn to our computers to render a design concept, Jeff brings a project to life in real time. “I’ve found that clients get very excited when they see this kind of result. It gives them a level of comfort with us, to be able to see our design process and to be part of it,” he says.

Of course, Jeff’s notebook is also filled with many sketches that aren’t necessarily project related. From cowboys to caricatures, he captures them all.

Check out more of Jeff's Sketches on the RVi Blog ››