Highland Lake

Center For Discovery

Rancho Cuchuma

Fairview Valley

Canyon Rim

St. Lucia Harbor

Bridle Path

Elk Run

Lyford Urban Village

Aspen Regional Study

Brooklyn Waterfront

Lower Manhattan

San Francisco Bay

 

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CANYON RIM DEVELOPMENT
MASTER PLAN

New River Gorge
Fayetteveille, WV

Developer: Optima Properties

Urban Planning: Nelson, Byrd, Woltz

Canyon Rim is a residential community which recognizes the need to steward the land in order to preserve the extraordinary qualities of the New River, renowned for its white waters and world-class rock climbing. Canyon Rim consists of over 815 acres of pristine forest land sharing a two mile border with the New River Gorge National Park. Only 150 homes will ever be built on this land. All will be built using sustainable practices that respect the local ecosystem and its natural environment. Canyon Rim will be the first carbon neutral community in West Virginia.

Our contributions to this project focused on an assessment of its natural qualities, earth energy, and orientation patterns. It identified sanctuary areas that need protection from development as well as buffer zones that can help create a more private community experience.