Notable Project Submission: Starkey Ranch
In place of the traditional community amenity, the parks at Starkey Ranch compose a system of contextual open spaces, honoring the land’s history, creating a sense of place, and connecting people to nature and each other.
Beauty in function: the historic Starkey family homestead and other elements of the land’s history provided inspiration for the design of residential amenities in the new community. The new architecture and elements are meant to be simple, functional, raw, and beautiful.
The preservation of existing trees was paramount to the community's overall sense of place. Open spaces and playgrounds situated under the shade of an oak canopy provide a unique amenity.
A planted swale meanders along natural contours in the park to convey stormwater and define edges of the playground. Wood boardwalks provide connections across the swale that offer additional opportunities to explore.
Numerous native plant mixes were created to respond to the environmental factors of light, shade, and water. The “grass mix” pictured here incorporates cordgrass and goldenrod. Another combination—the “oak mix”—includes firebush and beautyberry.
The design team preserved natural Florida plant communities—in this case, pine flatwoods—and thoughtfully located community amenities to bring people closer to nature, such as the boardwalk and bench that extend from the residential street in the background.
Numerous native plant mixes were created to respond to the environmental factors of light, shade, and water. The “grass mix” pictured here incorporates cordgrass and goldenrod. Another combination—the “oak mix”—includes firebush and beautyberry.
by Kody Smith, PLA
Starkey Ranch exemplifies a new model in greenfield development. Wishing to avoid conventional land development practices that too often have resulted in placeless strip-center shopping and tract housing, the Starkey family donated a large portion of their ranch land to create a permanent wilderness preserve. They then engaged a design team, Dix.Hite + Partners, that embraced their vision: to develop an adjacent master-planned community that honors the land’s history, connects people to nature, and creates a sense of place celebrating a ranching character.
