Horizon City Center - Aurora, Colorado USA

The community landscape at Horizon City Center used nearby natural vegetation and physiographic provinces as models for open space types.  For example, “piney terraces” were modeled after the topographic prairie outcrops of the high plains where Limber Pine naturally grow in rocky, fissured soils with low precipitation.  The particular character of this example provided the community with a locally compatible landscape type suitable as a buffer between two adjacent freeways and commercial uses.  Several other district types were conceived and integrated into the community in a similar manner.  All were adapted versions of locally xeric communities that helped achieve Horizon’s stringent sustainability goals for local landscapes and their water demand.  High plains wetlands were also developed for stormwater conveyance, infiltration, and filtering prior to discharge to local tributaries of Denver’s Sand Creek.  During his prior employment with RNL, LLG International’s Jeff Lakey served as the lead designer for Horizon City Center Parks and Open Space.