Master Planning
Master planning sets the big picture for a property before individual buildings are designed: where buildings, roads, parking, open space and utilities go, how people move through the site, and how the project can grow in phases as funding or needs allow. It’s the right starting point for campuses, housing communities, multi-building sites and larger rural properties, and for anything likely to be built in stages.
Aligned Architecture’s master planning work ranges from affordable housing villages and cottage communities to a clubhouse and master plan renovation for a retirement community in Calistoga, California. On residential properties we pair master planning with programming, sorting out what a family needs now and later so a home, a future ADU and outbuildings fit together. Every plan responds to the site’s topography, sun and climate, and to the zoning that shapes what’s allowed.
Services Include:
- Campus and multi-building site master plans
- Phased development planning
- Housing community and village planning (affordable housing, cottage clusters, tiny home villages)
- Residential property master planning and programming
- Site analysis: topography, solar access, access and utilities
- Zoning and land-use analysis
- Renderings for stakeholders, funders and approvals
FAQ
What is a master plan in architecture?
A long-range plan for an entire site that sets where buildings, circulation, parking, open space and utilities go, and often how development will be phased over time.
What's the difference between master planning and architectural design?
Master planning organizes the whole site or development. Architectural design is the design of the individual buildings within that plan.
What's the difference between a master plan and a site plan?
A master plan covers a whole property over a long horizon, often with several buildings and phases. A site plan shows how one specific project sits on its land: building placement, access, grading and utilities.
Do I need a master plan?
If your property will hold several buildings, be built in phases, or serve a community or institution, a master plan saves money by preventing early decisions from blocking later ones.
Can a master plan be built in phases?
Yes. Phasing is one of the main reasons to have a master plan, especially for projects tied to funding cycles.