The Dynamism of Living Systems
This 165-acre restoration agriculture project in Albemarle County, Virginia, exemplifies the power and beauty of a productive landscape attuned to underlying natural patterns and character. Starting with a comprehensive landscape planning process, NBW developed a holistic strategy to integrate sustainable agriculture, the siting of residential and annex structures, and ongoing ecological stewardship. The plan established a vision of the land as a dynamic living system, supporting productive land use while revealing its native processes and character.
In response to challenges with current and future access across a freight rail line, NBW proposed an alternative approach route that became a generative design move: reorienting circulation around a central, bowl-shaped field while connecting new building sites within the existing lay of the land. This field, replanted as a native meadow of warm-season grasses and wildflowers, now anchors the site both visually and ecologically. Ongoing stewardship and implementation strategies include controlled burns as well as livestock grazing and regenerative farming practices.
