RHI

Looking for a fun way to cool off during these hot summer days? We’ve got the place! Reservoir Park Recreation Center, opened in June, is Washington, D.C.’s newest city park, complete with an indoor pool, playground, a restored fountain, and splash pads! Reservoir Park is an exceptional example of the creative reuse of municipal infrastructure. The development of this community amenity involved the complex transformation of the early 20th-century McMillan Sand Filtration Site, a historic public works landmark. The facility filtered Potomac River water for D.C. households until 1986, when operations ceased. Preservationists fought to save the site as open space and a community park. After years of discussion and planning, the 6.2-acre park now welcomes the community as a recreational space while honoring the site’s industrial heritage. We are proud to have contributed to the landscape architectural design and construction of this unique public space, collaborating with Gilbane Building Company and Quinn Evans to realize the Master Plan and concept design developed by Perkins Eastman DC and Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects. Visitors to the park can cool off at the multiple splash pads, picnic, swim, and enjoy the amenities, all while learning about the history of the former filtration site. The park preserves the iconic silos, and views into the original sand bins, filtration cells, and other structures have been retained. Future development surrounding the park will include new housing and retail. Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser praised the new park: “For the first time in decades, this site is not only back to productive use, but open to the public. Today, we are celebrating the transformation of underutilized land into a beautiful new recreation center and play space for the community.”

Congratulations to the diplomatic community and the numerous professionals who worked on the design and construction of the new U.S. Embassy in Honduras. RHI is proud to have provided landscape design services for the SHoP Architects-led team. Crafting safe, beautiful, and cultural landscapes for federal projects is one of the most gratifying areas of our practice.

This November, we recognize the rich history, resilience, and contributions of Indigenous communities in America. Our team at RHI is especially honored to have partnered with the Akwesasne Tribal Nation of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe on their journey to create a future Heritage Culture Center—a space dedicated to preserving and celebrating their culture for generations to come. In collaboration with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EPR, P.C., we: 🔹 Co-facilitated community and technical workshops 🔹 Engaged with community leaders and the project's steering committee 🔹 Drafted a comprehensive Next Steps Memo to guide future progress This project is a testament to the power of partnerships and community-driven planning. We're inspired by the vision and dedication of the Akwesasne people and grateful for the opportunity to support this meaningful initiative.

Data, Parking, Public Engagement, and Pizza! As the public engagement consultants on the Arlington Performance Parking Pilot Project, RHI worked with Arlington County Government Department of Environmental Services (DES) to organize a novel community engagement event – Code the Curb: A Parking Data Hack Showcase. In partnership with Northeastern University Arlington, Arlington DES, and eleven-x, RHI invited students, data scientists, computer scientists, and transportation enthusiasts to develop and showcase tools, analyses, and other parking-related projects using the data collected through the Pilot’s parking sensors in metered parking spaces. There were seven fascinating presentations on a range of topics, including tools that help commuters find a space close to Metro to park and ride to work, tools that recommend optimal parking spots based on likely availability and distance to destination, an analysis of how community events may impact parking trends, and more. We were happy to have more time to meet the presenters in a networking session following the presentations. A special thanks goes out to the fantastic presenters for their hard work as well as Northeastern University Arlington for sharing their space and resources to make Code the Curb a smashing success!

Thank you to everyone who joined us last week to listen and discuss the Cville Plans Together process and how engaged topics of housing access, affordability, and equity. If you weren't able to make the live webinar, the recording is available on YouTube, at the link below: https://lnkd.in/eqdv6MmQ

'Tis the season of giving! At RHI, we’re kicking off Thanksgiving with purpose! This year, we’re proud to support the Capitol Area Food Bank with an office-wide food drive, helping to spread some holiday cheer to those in need. We also came together for our monthly office meeting, where we shared a festive Thanksgiving meal, celebrating gratitude and community. What's your favorite dish for this festive occasion? 🦃 🍗 🍁 #RHI #OfficeCulture #Thanksgiving #SeasonofGiving #Friendsgiving #TeamsGiving

Join RHI Principal Jennifer Koch, AICP, CODE STUDIO INC's Christy S. Dodson and the City of Charlottesville's James Freas to discuss the development and impacts of Cville Plans Together! This groundbreaking process included the development of an affordable housing plan, comprehensive plan update, and new zoning ordinance. Expect a lively and poignant discussion about how zoning can enable affordable housing and reinforce more equitable outcomes. Charlottesville's new zoning code uses a range of strategies that allow for diverse housing types, by-right in all neighborhoods in the City, and requires affordable units in larger projects.

In celebration of Diwali last week, we’re excited to spotlight a project that reflects the strong bond between the United States and India. RHI, in collaboration with WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism, designed the landscape for the new US Embassy campus in New Delhi. The design prioritizes security and resilience while incorporating sustainable, water-efficient features. A central landscape corridor connects the historic and new embassy campuses, with the iconic Chancery building showcasing a renovated landscape that blends old and new materials. We’ve used native plants and local materials, while also incorporating water-saving systems like wastewater recycling for irrigation and a stormwater basin, reducing water usage by over 30%. Our team had the privilege of exploring New Delhi’s rich heritage, visiting landmarks like the Taj Mahal, Humayun's Tomb, and the beautiful Lodhi Garden.  #landscapearchitecture #sustainabledesign #diwali