New urbanists have designed mixed-use office districts

New urbanists have designed mixed-use office districts and retrofitted suburban office parks by adding walkable town centers. The transformation of an existing suburban office park into a mixed-use urban workplace district has never been attempted, yet that’s the plan created in a recent charrette in Rockville, Maryland. The 20-acre site, called the Upper Rock District, designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. for developer JBG Companies is planned to include a 1,500-foot-long, sweeping, curvilinear sound wall. In addition to cutting off noise from I-270, the wall will be designed to harvest wind and solar power, and its plantings will make a strong aesthetic statement, according to architect Andres Duany. The site, which has two existing office buildings that will be retained, is adjacent to King Farm, a Charter-Award-winning new urban development. In addition to office space, the Upper Rock plan includes 750 loft-style housing units, shops, and restaurants. JBG was planning to submit the project for approval in July 2004.