ASLA 2012 Professional and Student Awards Program
Concealed Identification and Credit Form
This information is concealed from the jury during consideration of submissions, but will be used
to contact you and in all promotions if the entry is selected to receive an award, so please be
specific, check your spelling, and attach additional pages if necessary. Submit a hard copy of this
completed form along with the official entry binder and CD-ROM. Remember to save a copy of
this form on the CD-ROM in a word-processing application (rich text format, Word, WordPerfect,
etc.). NOTE: failure to submit this form will lead to disqualification of entry.
Entry Number: 457
Project Title: Loma Larga Residential Mixed-Use Development
Official Entrant: Design Workshop
Lead Designer (if applicable): Todd Johnson, Design Workshop; Todd Wenskoski, Design
Workshop (during the time of the project)
Landscape Architect of Record/Firm (if applicable): Todd Johnson, Design Workshop
Client/Owner (if applicable): Artemio Garza, Francisco Milmo—to be mentioned only as “a
group of local developers who are the owners of the land.”
Please indicate if you wish client name to be kept confidential: X yes ___no
Photography credit:
Image 1: Illustrative Master Plan (Site Plan) Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 2 Aerial View of Development Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 3 Views and Destinations Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 4 Site Context and Assets (Google Earth base image) Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 5 Two Worlds: Residential and Village Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 6 Value Proposition Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 7 Barranca Section Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 8 Barrancas: Water Conservation and Amenity Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 9 Barranca Landscape Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 10 North/South Section Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 11 Residential Tower Access Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 12 Site Connectivity Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 13 Site Model Views Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 14 Mixed-Use Village Choices and Convenience Design Workshop, Inc.
Image 15 Comprehensive Sustainable Goals Design Workshop, Inc.
For Students, please list full name(s) of faculty advisor(s): NA
For Student Team entries, please list the full names of all team members: NA
Additional Project Credits:
Design Workshop Team Members: Principal: Todd Johnson, FASLA
Project Manager: Allyson Mendenhall, RLA
Project Planner: Todd Wenskoski, RLA
Project Landscape Architect: Chon Supawongse
Project Landscape Architect: Paula Espinosa
Project Assistant: Heather Fritton
Graphic Designer: Nino Pero
Editor: Natalie Grillo
Consultants (direct to the client): Claudia Harari, Harari Arquitectura y Paisaje
ASLA 2012 Professional Awards
Analysis and Planning Category
Descriptive Data Summary
Entry Number: 457
Project Title: Loma Larga Residential Mixed-Use Development
Project Location: San Pedro Garza Garcia, Monterrey, Mexico
Project Type: Master Plan
Project Statement: In a country of isolated developments, limited master-plan use and an indifference to
combining urban living with nature, this 64-acre development stands apart, modeling the integration of
natural systems and community amenities within a dense urban context. Located on a dramatic ridge with
stunning mountain views, it connects a mixed-use village and private residential area with 15 acres of
open space and trails. The development incorporates its assets to create value centered on sustainable
practices.
Project Narrative:
UNCOMMON INTEGRATION OF SYSTEMS AND USES | Loma Larga’s emphasis on integrating systems and
connecting a mix of uses is unusual yet vital. The design firm brought a systems approach to the planning
and development of the project so the potential of this extraordinary site could be realized, enabling
people to live densely within nature—connected to both amenities and each other. The firm’s ability to
translate all design products into Spanish was essential. This 64-acre parcel is located within the dense
business district of San Pedro Garza Garcia in metropolitan Monterrey, Mexico is the country’s third most
populous city. It is one of the last parcels of undeveloped land remaining in San Pedro and the only one
with such significant size. Located on an undulating ridge that divides San Pedro from greater Monterrey,
the site’s steep terrain—over 400 feet from its lowest to highest points—affords stunning views past the
city and on to the mountains.
URBAN LIVING WITHIN A NATURAL LANDSCAPE | The client envisioned a first-class, mixed-use destination of
high-rise and high-density buildings, designed to the highest architectural and sustainability standards.
When complete, Loma Larga will be distinguished from other developments in the district by its vision of
urban living within a natural landscape as well as by its treatment of its landscape assets. Loma Larga’s
sustainable approach to development, integration of natural systems and community gathering places,
sensitively located structures, and mixed-use choices create a sense of place that drives the value of the
project. Balancing building mass and natural areas in order to retain the landscape as a dominant feature
of the development was a key objective. The opportunity to live in an architecturally distinct high-rise
tower set within a wealth of amenities is unusual in Monterrey. Residents and visitors will be able to
traverse the site via sidewalks and pedestrian trails, maintaining an intimate connection to the landscape,
achieving fitness, enjoying the visual qualities of water and diverse plantings, attending performances and
community events, and frequenting the village with its convenient mix of uses and services. The total
development area, without parking, is 3.4 million square feet; the program proposes 1,724 residential
units.
The natural assets of the site--distinctive topography, stunning views to the surrounding mountain ranges
and natural drainages in the valleys called barrancas—are the foundation of the project’s identity. They
also are the organizing elements of the development. The site is divided into two worlds—the upper
private residential area where residential towers are located on ridgelines and the public mixed-use
village at the base of the development. The barrancas stitch the two worlds together. At public plazas,
water features and cascades of terraces conceptually extend the topography and water of the barrancas
into the village. The entire site is linked by a road graded to minimize impact to the existing topography.
THOUGHTFUL SITE DEVELOPMENT | As phased construction of road and residential towers disturbs the
Loma Larga site, trees and additional understory species will be introduced to enhance the garden
environment. Taller trees will be introduced to provide shade along with understory shrubs and grasses to
bring color, texture and visual interest. Planting around the barranca pools will be augmented in order to
function as cleansing wetlands for captured water.
ASLA 2012 Professional Awards
Analysis and Planning Category
Descriptive Data Summary
In the 52-acre private residential area, 14 tall, slender buildings will be situated delicately in order to
minimize impacts to the undulating ridgelines and scaled to avoid overwhelming the defining landscape.
Orientation of each tower considers near and distant views and maximizes solar and wind, while
minimizing grading impacts. Small, medium and large units provide a spectrum of price points, with
higher-end residences located according to the higher-value attributes of the site and containing fewer
units per building. All residential buildings are accessed via the loop road that connects the private
residential area to the village. In most cases, the driveway approach is from above the building in order to
minimize cuts into the existing slopes—a stark contrast to neighboring developments which have scarred
the landscape. Amenity decks are green roofs with parking levels below and are organized to maximize
views either to the barrancas, to the village or to the distant mountain ranges.
At the southern end of the site, the public mixed-use village features a wealth of choices and
convenience, including retail, restaurants, a hotel, a fitness club, a grocery store, office space, public
plazas, parking and generous sidewalks that connect uses. The total development area of the village—
without parking—is 22 acres. The master plan proposes that all buildings in the village have green roofs
to support the greater principles of sustainability and garden environments that have guided the planning
process—a requirement which will reinforce the project’s identity. Ground-floor space is dominated by
retail, activating the village with diverse offerings ranging from small local shops and galleries to larger
anchor retail and a grocery store. Restaurants and cafes will occupy ground-floor areas as well as upper
levels, which is more common in Mexico. At the ground level, café seating will activate the streets and
sidewalks. At the upper levels, generous terraces will afford views to diners. Village buildings will be
double loaded so that these uses front both the internal village streets and the sides facing the main
access road and mountain ranges. Office space typically will occupy the levels above the ground-floor
retail. The village program includes 210 residential units occupying the upper floors of the village
buildings. A hotel is planned for the western end of the village and will overlook the entry plaza. Its
location on the plaza and at the edge of the natural landscape offers views and vitality conveyed by
proximity to the central public space. A fitness club, whose important location at the seam between the
village and residential area serves to unify the community, will be developed on the east side of the entry
plaza at the base of the western (main) barranca. The club will link to a trail system—both as secure
access to the private residential area and for exercise on the trails.
THE EASE AND POWER OF CONNECTION | An important community-building and placemaking principle of the
Loma Larga development is the importance of connecting people to people and people to nature. The
plan allows for easy access to community destinations, 15 acres of open space and 1.7 miles of
pedestrian trails within the residential area. The western barranca boasts the highest level of activity and
community destinations, featuring many trails, an 80-person capacity amphitheater and overlooks that
offer views to near and distant landscape and the village below. The barrancas become progressively
less programmed and less domesticated further east and the landscape becomes more passive. In the
village, public plazas and streetscapes are civic spaces for community interaction. At the intersections of
these two worlds, residents and visitors are presented with plazas that combine experiences of nature
and village life.
USING WATER FOR AMENITY AND SUSTAINABILITY | While sustainability efforts including green roofs and
preserving the natural landscape are inherent throughout the entirety of development, Loma Larga’s use
of water makes it stand out. Surface water is unusual in the Monterrey area; therefore, the presence of
surface drainage in the barrancas provides an opportunity to capture water for reuse and as a landscape
amenity. In each barranca, stormwater will be captured in a series of reservoirs contained by the natural
topography on the uphill side and gabion walls on the downhill side. Planting will be augmented with
drought-tolerant species to provide shade and a variety of colors and textures so that the water-filled
pools become a habitat and an attractive natural feature for residents—both those passing by on trails
and those viewing from the towers above. These functional wetlands will cleanse water as it passes
through the system. The pools in each barranca will be connected by underground pipes so that overflow
water can travel down the chain. In addition the reservoirs will capture rainwater and store it for reuse for
site irrigation and for building cooling. The celebration and reuse of water is central to the sustainable
strategies of the Loma Larga plan.
Page | 1
Loma Larga Loma Larga Residential Mixed-Use Development
San Pedro Garza Garcia, Monterrey, Mexico
457-01: The mixed-use development includes a 52-acre private residential area comprised of 14 towers
settled into dramatic topography with trails and a 22-acre public mixed-use village featuring retail,
restaurants, hotel, fitness club, grocery store, office space, residential, public plazas and parking.
457-02: View looking north, highlighting towers sensitively situated in a natural landscape of ridges and
valleys (barrancas) connected by pedestrian paths. Barrancas define the landscape experience and bridge
the private residential area with the public village where they terminate as plazas.
457-03: Positioned on the dividing line between greater Monterrey and the high-end San Pedro district, the
site offers stunning views to the surrounding mountain ranges, including the iconic Saddle Mountain, and
enables the orientation of buildings along significant view lines.
457-04: The site is one of the last undeveloped parcels in the district. In contrast to new neighboring
developments, Loma Larga’s loop road will be graded to minimize cuts to the existing undulating ridges and
valleys (barrancas) which define the landscape.
457-05: Two worlds (a mixed-use village and a private residential area) join at a seam that lets nature
through in several locations. In the residential area, natural drainages are enhanced for water reuse and
amenity. Their extensions into the village form civic spaces.
457-06: The natural assets of the site–distinctive topography; stunning views to surrounding mountain
ranges; and the opportunity to capture, recycle and create an amenity from water–are the foundation of the
project’s identity, placemaking capacity and value.
457-07: East/west section showing relationship of where people live to nature. Residential towers are located
on ridges, connected by a loop road and trails and surrounded by enhanced landscapes and community
features.
457-08: A system of reservoirs within the barrancas will capture rainwater and store it for reuse as site
irrigation and for building cooling. The pools will be augmented with planting, which will cleanse the water
and also serve as a landscape amenity.
457-09: View toward village from overlook at top of western barranca, which emphasizes the verdant
barranca landscape and presence of water as an amenity for residents. Pedestrian trails connect residential
towers to community destinations within the barrancas, such as an amphitheater.
457-10: North/south section showing the relationship of residential towers located along a ridgeline
descending down to the mixed-use village.
457-11: Series of diagrams showing access to residential towers, drop-off and concierge location, parking
levels, lobby, and building core. Typically, the driveway approach is from above the building in order to
minimize cuts into existing slopes and to preserve the natural distinctive topography.
457-12: Over 1.7 miles of pedestrian trails provide access to community destinations, such as overlooks and
an amphitheater. An goal of the master plan was to connect sidewalks with trails as an integrated system to
increase walkability among residences and village.
457-13: Images of the physical site model from various vantage points.
457-14: A view of the village shows a comfortable and lively pedestrian environment enhanced by
streetscape, ground-floor retail and restaurants, upper-level residential units and office spaces, and a hotel
and sports club anchoring the western end of the village.
457-15: Comprehensive sustainability goals are identified and physically located on the master plan to
ensure accountability to the project’s sustainable vision in all phases of marketing and implementation.
