Dahlin Group Architecture Planning

Bringing Livable Communities to Fruition

By Deborah Teramis Christian

The Dahlin Group, founded by Doug Dahlin nearly 30 years ago, provides a full spectrum of planning, urban design and architecture services. Of these services, their Northern California architectural and community planning team works particularly close with developers and builders to create livable communities appropriate to the urban setting being developed.

"Years ago we started out in high-end, guard-gated communities like Blackhawk," says principal Mark Day, "but we haven't stayed there. Today's market demands walkable communities and sustain- able design. We go where our clients lead us." These clients include builders and developers working in cities and counties that demand innovative, smarter growth and development.

Day, with 20 years' experience crafting residential communities and custom homes, is enthusiastic about creating livable urban settings, seeing a developer's idea from concept through planning, architecture and construction. "I've seen people at one end of a community walking down their steps, and at the other end, walking into a Starbuck's - the rhetoric about creating walkable communities is coming true. On a personal note, that drives us."

Colleague and principal Lauri Moffet-Fehlberg, with 20 years designing office, retail, residential and development planning projects, shares this passion for urban design. "In planning and urban design, there are a lot of new labels being thrown around, like 'new urbanism.' We prefer to create good urbanism and great livable places and not label ourselves as one thing or another. We always start with the land and the context we're working in, and design with that understanding as a base. Our goal is to create a strong, memorable sense of place."

Sensitivity to context is a fundamental starting point for Dahlin Group Architecture Planning. "If you have tremendous topography on the site, maybe a strict new urbanist grid isn't really the most appropriate thing to put on it, but in an urban context, it may be," says Lauri. "We go in and look at what the special site features are that can be an asset for the new community."

Beyond this initial visioning, the Dahlin team partners with developers and builders to work with community groups and jurisdictions on the project and gain entitlement for the development. This is not merely an exercise in getting permits, but an interactive process that brings developers and community members into dialog, building relationships that support the project. "We're not just the developer's consulting team," notes Lauri. "We're often the public face of the new community as well."

This approach to community integration is reflected in the planning and designs generated by this team of professionals. Their work has won multiple national awards and has been considered as a community development model by many cities and jurisdictions such as the city of Roseville. "We work really hard with our clients to craft and create a strong vision for the community. It's not just a collection of buildings, land uses and density. It truly is place making." This vision is successfully shared with local communities and cities. "Our track record of having projects built is much higher than a lot of other planning firms," says Mark. "We want to see things come to fruition. We get involved at all staff levels in the jurisdictions, and create the right solutions for all interested parties, not just our clients."

This approach to community creation is rather unusual for an architectural firm. Dahlin's planning services in Northern California evolved in response to client demands, taking large-scale developments to the next level of urban planning and community integration. Culturally, Northern Californian developments are more neighborhood-oriented than those in many areas. Day and Moffett-Fehlberg have found it a logical progression to assist builders in conceptualizing and planning the development that they will then architect. "In this office, we're not a planning studio that does urban design and hands off the plans to someone else to work with. We take the project from concept to completion. We have a commitment to the project until the last house is sold."

This community focus does more than simply facilitate the architectural work. "You have to understand the community you're going into," notes Lauri, "particularly with the larger scale plans, because they have so much impact on the neighborhoods and the greater community. One example of this orientation is seen in the approach to a development in Marina at the former Fort Ord. The new community plan is a sustainable, walkable, urban village that establishes a beach character theme, in plan with a beach boardwalk, Village Square and mixed-use Promenade, and also through the strong beach character of the architecture."

Context-sensitive planning is the hallmark of Dahlin's integrated urban design, combining different housing types and price points to create a sustainable urban setting. Known for their work with Northern California developers and builders, the Dahlin team also does projects outside the area, going where client interests lead them. Regardless of location, good urban design prevails. "People want that sense of a livable community. It doesn't mean housing that gives the buying public only one option, but provides opportunities for all incomes and lifestyles. People are looking for that ability to connect with other people. We create that."

The Dahlin Group's San Ramon office is located at 2671 Crow Canyon Road. You can contact them at (925) 837-2543, or dahlingroup.com

October 2005 Builder Architect Edition Issue

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