A New Life on the Bay
History
Barisi is a village located on the site of the former Pharaoh Valley Golf Club. The club was built in 1964 as a six thousand-yard, 18 hole golf course with tennis and swimming facilities. The course saw constant activity until it was shuttered in 2010.
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The community that grew up around this former golf club has been a constant source of inspiration for the development of Barisi and will continue to play a key role in the next chapter for this prime slice of the Coastal Bend.
Mission
Based on the style and evolution of a village that one might find on the Southeast coast of Italy—a region referred to as Apulia—Barisi is a contemporary village designed for a new idea of community that's based on a very old idea of community. The cookie-cutter culture of mass-produced and profitable housing options has left us with an environment devoid of shared spaces and diverse neighborhoods. There are places in the world that were built to help people enjoy each other’s company in beautiful surroundings – to be entertained and delighted by the mere act of being there. When Barisi is at its best, the traditions of community are rediscovered in the heart of the Coastal Bend.
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People who live, work, or relax in Barisi are seeking a new kind of American dream. They’re seeking new rules to decide what makes a person successful. Their values are different, their status symbols are different, and they want to find experiences to match. People in Barisi aren’t looking for the biggest house on the block, but the most popular one for barbecues. They aren’t interested in living in a gated community, a retirement community, a vacation resort, or some new urban space. They want a place where people talk to each other and children can play in the streets; a place where you can walk to a café on a Saturday, and stay there all day if you want.
Personality
European/
The closest image that the average American can conjure of a working village is a memory of something they’ve seen on TV or maybe on vacation in France or Italy. There aren’t any modern American examples of this idea. The European sensibility of Barisi should act as a disruption of the status quo exemplified in modern Texas development. The European feel will help us change people’s mindsets away from living bigger, toward living better.
Timeless/
Barisi isn’t a new concept but it isn’t old either. The shops and amenities cater to the modern needs of residents and visitors. Stone speaks of permanence. Narrow streets rich with activity create perceptions of a place that existed long before we became slaves to our automobiles.
Deliberate/
Nothing will be done, written, or said unintentionally. Barisi will stand out in sea of sameness. If our goal is to change the way people think about community, we will meticulously design our environment, and our communications, to be in contrast to the status quo. We are deliberately thinking, speaking, and living differently.
Design Principles
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Evolution Based
The ancient villages that inspire the design of Barisi developed over thousands of years based on the changing needs of the people who inhabited them. In the same thinking, Barisi is designed for long-term adaptive reuse and is built using materials contextual to the environment.
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Inclusive
Villages function best when their DNA is made up of people from different walks of life who come together to protect, engage with, and further their community. Barisi is envisioned to serve various income levels and generations and is designed to foster social engagement and the transfer of wisdom.
03
Hyper-Local and Responsive
Barisi is designed with the needs of the 'villagers' in mind and mixes uses both vertically and horizontally. This allows for various modes of transportation and encourages walkability. This method of design furthers the mission of longevity and adaptability while benefiting from the cumulative personality of everyone who lives, works, or stops by.
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Community-Minded
The lifeblood of a village is its people—whether that be people who inhabit it for an afternoon of a lifetime. In the case of Barisi, this extends beyond just the physical boundaries of the property, into surrounding neighborhoods and across the Coastal Bend. Barisi is, at its core, meant to bring people together.
Site Plan
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All site plans, uses, visuals, or other materials presented are for illustrative purposes and should not be used for any other purpose.
Timeless • Community • Harmony
A New Life On The Bay
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