Design Development of the Vanke Master Plan continues...

e group is currently teaming up with SB-Architects in San Francisco to provide the Conceptual Design for the Vanke Master Plan Development in China. Thanks for the hard work and long night Eugene!

e group, the original green environmental design company

e group has recently made great strides to drastically reduce our physical office space and become a more virtual effort focused on green economy service. We've begun to diminish our carbon foot print by reducing commuting, office scale, and associated utilities etc. Improvements include a leaner, meaner attitude when it comes to producing paper, reducing weekly commutes for some employees from 300 miles to 40 and using technology to reduce our overall carbon emissions. We are excited to lead the change in green planning, sustainable development, green infrastructure, and carbon netrual communities.

El Cortezal entry concept takes shape

The first concept sketches are being developed for an entry design into a new project called El Cortezal in Guadalajara which is very difficult terrain. The slopes are at 40% and steeper but the client wants 500 units on the property so we will be designing a lot of walls.

Design Development of the "Butterfly Jungle USA" continues

Butterfly Jungle USA is a butterfly garden / tropical jungle attraction housed in a Hacienda style event space and botanical garden conservatory. Visitors become "explorers" and experience an adventure through a tropical jungle with waterfalls, streams full of fish, tropical birds, jungle mammals and thousands of butterflies dancing on the flora and around "ancient ruins".

e group is pleased to announce the completion and opening of Midfirst Bank at Power Marketplace

In terms of small retail-pad scale projects, this banks landscape is breathtaking. Use of boulders, native plant materials, specimen Ironwood trees and a multitude of Agave species lends this site a low-maintenance character and aesthetic not usually seen in that size and type of project. egroups work included Landscape, Irrigation, Hardscape and some unique features and finishes as designed by Hans Stoll, in concert with DAVIS Architects. We invite anyone to swing by and look at the project.

e group pushed to Friday deadline for Master Planning Presentation

Due to a recent Susan Roberts request, e group has promised to design a web based Master Planning Presentation by Friday. Good luck Tona & Matt!

Old Bethany Home Office Photo Surfaces

This photo was taken at the old e group Phoenix E. Bethany Home office location. It is belived to be over 12 years old. Enjoy!

Sonoran Quarterly Article

Berlin Agave-Yucca Forest Planning and Design Begins

By Elaine McGinn,
Director of Planning and Exhibits

Design development for the Garden's newest initiative, the Berlin Agave-Yucca Forest, began in March with the selection of e group as the landscape design firm. e group is a Phoenix based company that has 30 years experience in working with desert landscapes. Their firm includes landscape architects, horticulturists, and planning and graphic specialists.

Located south of Sybil B. Harrington Succulent Gallery, the new exhibit will provide visitors with a unique opportunity to view the diverse agave and nolina families. Interpretation will reinforce concepts about desert plant adaptations and their horticultural and historical significance to the gardens living collection.

The schematic design concept for the Agave-Yucca Forest is best described as an exaggerated boulder experience blanketed and edged by agaves, yuccas, and nolinas, providing a sense of enclosure and immersion.

Funded by a generous gift from Howard and Joy Berlin to Tending the Garden Campaign, the Berlin Yucca-Agave Forest is scheduled to open in November 2009. Construction for the new exhibit will begin in July and continue through the fall.

Another vintage photo surfaces of Bob and Mark

Picture is titled "The Intrepid Twosome" dated July 4th, 1985 Petit Lake, Idaho

e group recognized for Arizona Diamondbacks Charities player fields volunteer work

e group was recently recognized for our volunteer efforts on the Arizona Diamondbacks Charities player fields. This recent recognition was for the work we did on Doug Davis field. Here is a picture of Jason Harrington representing e group at Chase Field.

Option 1 and 2 Entry Schemes Unveiled for MK Haikou North Project, Hainan, Chinaa

e group furthers master planned design development for Yucatan Peninsula property

e groups Latin America and Manila offices continue to further the design development of the Chichen Itza Master plan. The 4,000 acre proposed Master Planned Community is adjacent to the famous Chichen Itza Archaeological Site on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. The site is quite unique because of the abundance of cenotes. Way to go Irene and Paul.

Historic Photo of Phoenix Office Surfaces

Kurt Schneider and Matt Blanchard discovered this historic photo of the e group Phoenix office. It once was the Packard dealership showroom for Phoenix, Ariz., circa 1928. The Packard automobile is parked right where Matt's messy cubicle currently resides. Clean up your desk Matt!

e group submitts "Gimmie Shelter" ideas to The City of Phoenix

Our Objective:
To provide a functional, flexible, cost effective, durable and aesthetically attractive solution for urban shade structures.

Our proposal focuses on modulation: a solution that can be replicated, repeated and located based on a particular settings needs.
Whether as a bus shelter for a suburban area or urban core, a larger structure for open space/park area, or a stand alone shelter at a trail head or rest area: the module offers flexibility, versatility and simplicity.

Revised Sanya Healing Resort Plan

Paul Chanco recently posted this revised Sanya Healing Resort Plan. The resort architects seem very happy with what the Philippines office accomplished so far. Way to go team!