One of Work5hop's specializations is master planning. Many of the things that designers do are easily comprehensible -- architecture, interior design, and a host of related fields are well understood.  Master planning, however, isn't.  That's unfortunate, because master planning is the step most critical to the success of building projects and how they relate to larger goals.  This is true for a project as small as home renovation and as large as a university campus.  My perspective on master planning relates directly to the belief that what you build should be translated directly from those larger goals.  Read on for details.

If you live in or have visited San Antonio, you've probably heard about the acequias.  Ever wonder where they were?  On a visit to the Alamo, have you ever wanted to know where the historic limits of the mission were?  Did you know that San Antonio had 90 ( ninety! ) miles of streetcar lines in the late 1920s? Context is an important thing, and San Antonio has more of it than any other city in Texas.  Learn more about what was there by exploring this map, which overlays historical features on a modern map.

San Antonio has seen significant increases in property values over the past three years.  That affects more than just your property tax: public policy adapts as well to address the changes in actual versus perceived land value.  But dollars are only half of the equation for public entities.  Just as important are how we want our city to develop and the kinds of places we want to create here.  As a city, we should make decisions about public land which take quality of life into consideration, not just money.  Read on for more thoughts.

Flasher Equipment Company is one of the largest landholders in Tobin Hill, and their property is the linchpin to the next phase of changes coming to one of the city's rockstar urban redevelopment precincts.  As their property changes hands -- and character -- what should happen to make the most of it from an urban planning perspective?

We believe that it's best to think about cities, and how they are run, as a means of improving the quality of life of all of the people who live in them.  This analysis examines questions of density and financial sustainability and how they relate to the choices that we make about cities, drawing the perhaps counterintuitive -- but supported by data -- conclusion that developments that are more dense and on smaller lots are the best performers from a financial perspective.

We have worked for several years both for and alongside the Christian Assistance Ministry (CAM), a San Antonio nonprofit which provides support to those in need or facing crisis.  They particularly focus on providing a safety net for vulnerable and at-risk populations.  Read on to learn about our work for CAM and on improving McCullough Avenue.