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PROJECTS
PEDRA BRANCA
Santa Catarina, Brazil

Pedra Branca was selected as one of eighteen founding projects worldwide by the Clinton Climate Initiative for their Climate Positive Development Initiative. This program supports the development of large-scale urban projects that demonstrate that cities can grow in ways that are "climate positive." It is a high-density, mixed-use town center located in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina. Designed to be a sustainable, pedestrian-friendly hub. The development will be a first for the region and will provide a model for the design and construction of high-density, walkable town centers throughout Brasil. This compact, sustainable development offers a local alternative to suburban, sprawl-style development, creating a pedestrian-oriented community for residents and visitors and enabling the preservation of the region's open space and agricultural land. Pedra Branca's scale is unprecedented throughout Brasil, as the 120-acre development features residences for 30,000 people, 2,000,000 square feet of commercial development and civic amenities including a library, cultural center and hotel. The development is concentrated within two neighborhoods, each of which is designed to enable residents to fully access their retail, commercial and civic needs within walking distance of their homes. A university and an industrial area, with a focus on light industry and technology, border the two neighborhoods and offer additional employment opportunities. The architecture of Pedra Branca will be designed in consultation with the LEED standards, in order to achieve maximum environmental sustainability and efficiency. While a range of building types will be present throughout the community, the majority of the buildings will be multi-story, brick structures, with restaurants and shops on the ground levels and apartments and offices above. Many of these buildings wrap interior courtyards, which offer private and semi-private green space to complement the community's public green space. Green roof gardens will also be widely featured, and all parking will be accommodated in underground lots, located below each block.