Peer-nominated recognition celebrates Paula’s professional excellence, ethical leadership, and enduring contributions to planning.
The Urban Collaborative is proud to celebrate Dr. Paula Loomis, PhD, FAIA, FSAME, AICP, LEED AP, SAP, recipient of the Larson Award – Distinguished Professional from APA Virginia. Paula was formally recognized at the APA Virginia Conference in Danville in July.
Named in honor of Glenn Larson, FAICP, the Larson Award recognizes an AICP-certified planner who serves as a model to the profession through extensive experience, broad knowledge, high ethical standards, exceptional skill, and significant achievement. The award also honors Larson’s dedication to advancing integrity, diversity, equity, and volunteerism within the planning profession and Virginia’s communities.
For Paula, the recognition was especially meaningful because it came as a complete surprise.
“I was shocked because I had not put in for the award,” Paula shared. “A planner from another firm took the time to put my name forward. What a pleasant, thoughtful surprise.”
The circumstances of the nomination make this honor particularly special. Recognition from a professional peer at another firm reflects a respect that extends beyond organizational boundaries. It acknowledges not only the quality and breadth of Paula’s work, but also the integrity, generosity, and leadership she brings to the larger planning community.
At The Urban Collaborative, Paula serves as Director of Research, Senior Architect, and Senior Planner. A licensed architect and certified planner, she brings together architecture, planning, research, sustainability, resilience, and decades of public-service experience to help communities and public agencies address complex challenges at multiple scales.
Throughout her career, Paula has demonstrated that excellent planning involves more than producing technically sound plans. It requires listening carefully, working across disciplines, sharing knowledge, serving communities responsibly, and holding the profession to its highest ethical standards. Her commitment to professional service and collaboration has influenced not only the projects she has led, but also the colleagues, emerging professionals, and communities with whom she has worked.
The Larson Award is a fitting recognition of both what Paula has accomplished and how she has accomplished it. We are grateful for the leadership and expertise she brings to The Urban Collaborative, and we are delighted to see her contributions recognized by her peers across Virginia.
In January 2026, our planning team traveled to Aviano Air Base in northern Italy to help shape the future of its Industrial District. Set against the backdrop of the Dolomites, the work brought together mission needs, aging infrastructure, big ideas, and the everyday realities of operating a busy installation.
The assignment was clear: develop a district plan for the Flightline Industrial Area, Zappala Industrial Area, and Area C, a geographically separated site. But the experience was anything but routine. Our team walked the sites, studied circulation patterns, listened closely to the people who know the base best, and worked side by side with the customer to imagine a more efficient industrial district.
Over working sessions, site visits, and conversations that continued over great Italian food, a vision began to take shape: compact campuses, consolidated functions, smarter roads, and the right activities in the right locations. Aviano already had strong ingredients: land, proximity to the mission, and parking. The challenge was turning those assets into a clearer, more connected plan.
The result was an Industrial District Development Plan comprising an Illustrative Plan, Regulating Plan, Capacity Plan, and Execution Plan, providing Aviano with a practical path toward modernization, efficiency, and future mission readiness.
Our team joined NASA leaders, planners, and stakeholders at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, for a milestone Vision Planning Workshop, an important first phase of MSFC’s 2026 master planning effort. Developed in collaboration with the Center, NASA Headquarters, and commercial partners, the Vision Plan will help guide stewardship of MSFC’s physical assets over the next 20 years while keeping investments aligned with mission needs, affordability, resilience, and sustainability.
The workshop focused on translating mission priorities into a clear, place-based vision for the future campus. Together, participants shaped an aspirational planning statement: create a beautiful campus with flexible buildings in three walkable districts connected by useable greenspaces. That vision was organized into four planning goals: Beautiful Campus, Flexible Buildings, Walkable Districts, and Useable Greenspaces, giving the team a strong framework for future decisions about infrastructure, facilities, and development.
The conversation reflected the scale and importance of Marshall’s mission. As a leader in Human Space Exploration and Operations, MSFC supports critical work in the Space Launch System, habitation systems, advanced space transportation, lander systems, payload operations, and science. To meet those demands, the Center is charting a future that reduces its overall footprint, modernizes research and workplace environments, improves operational efficiency, and directs resources toward mission-critical infrastructure.
This workshop also marked a key moment in NASA’s broader master planning process. Building on the Agency Master Plan and MSFC’s 2024 Framework Plan, the Vision Plan will inform area development planning in summer 2026, resilience and design guidance in fall/winter 2026, and the Center Development Plan and Master Plan Digest to follow. We were honored to support this effort and excited to contribute to a planning process that will strengthen Marshall’s campus and its mission for decades to come.
Reconstruction is never only about replacing what has been lost. It is also about restoring trust, supporting return, and creating places that are safer, stronger, and better prepared for the future. That was the focus of The Urban Collaborative’s virtual contribution to Safe, Sustainable, and Swift Reconstruction of Ukraine, an international conference held March 19–20, 2026, in Lviv, Ukraine. The event brought together scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, educators, and technical experts to exchange ideas on Ukraine’s rebuilding, with urban planning and design identified as one of the conference’s key themes.
In their presentation, Urban Planning After Disasters, Paula Loomis and Zoe Anton shared lessons grounded in deep experience with disaster recovery, post-war reconstruction, master planning, and community-centered planning. Drawing on work spanning hurricane recovery, brownfield redevelopment, post-war reconstruction initiatives, and planning efforts in Ukraine and around the world, they offered a practical framework for thinking about what rebuilding requires when the stakes are high and the timeline is urgent.
Their presentation identified ten planning strategies for rebuilding cities in ways that are not only swift but also durable and humane. The recommendations ranged from proactive community engagement and selecting the right requirements to planning for walkable density, preserving culturally significant buildings, and looping critical utilities for redundancy, among others. Just as important, they emphasized that across strategies, reconstruction decisions made under pressure should still support long-term success.
One of the most meaningful parts of the session was the conversation that followed, as the presentation sparked a productive Q&A with participants in Lviv. That exchange reflected the spirit of the talk itself. Dr. Loomis and Ms. Anton were clear that they were not presenting a one-size-fits-all solution, but rather sharing lessons from experience in the hope that they would be useful. That humility matters. Effective reconstruction is never imposed from above; it is shaped through dialogue, local knowledge, cultural understanding, and a shared commitment to the future.
For The Urban Collaborative, planning after disaster is not simply about rebuilding structures. It is about helping communities recover with dignity and building the conditions for resilience over time. We were honored to contribute to this important international conversation and grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside those working to shape Ukraine’s future.
The Urban Collaborative recently led four intensive planning charrettes at Ebbing Air National Guard Base (Fort Smith, Arkansas) to support the Air Force Civil Engineering Center (AFCEC) and the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Wing as the base expands to meet rapidly growing mission demands. Over four days, our team delivered three Planning Charrette Reports (PCRs) (Note: this was just the fourth of four workshops)—a pace that underscores both the efficiency of our process and the value of convening the right stakeholders in the same room, with clear decisions made in real time.
The need is immediate. Ebbing ANGB is increasing its capacity to host l F-35 Lightning IIs as the training center for Foreign Military Sales participants and F-16s for the Republic of Singapore Air Force, moving from Luke AFB. Within a compact footprint, the first workshop focused on aligning an updated Area Development Plan with near-term project actions that can scale over time—prioritizing low-impact development, cybersecurity measures, and energy and sustainability strategies that strengthen long-term resilience without impacting operational readiness. Our shared planning vision is to create adaptable buildings in a walkable district, supported by flexible building framing and clearly defined targeting and training models that enable ISR and multinational flying missions.
Across the four days of the final workshop, we evaluated multiple courses of action for three key facilities: an aircraft maintenance shop addition, a supply/storage addition, and a vehicle maintenance and aerospace ground equipment addition. The team also addressed integration and protection strategies for a historic hangar and developed concepts for sunshades to support flightline operations. To accelerate alignment and keep decisions moving, we paired planning with visualization by producing schematic floor plans and interior renderings that helped stakeholders quickly compare options, validate operational flow, and commit to a direction with confidence. The result was a streamlined, mission-forward plan that met expanding needs within a constrained footprint and energized our client partners.
We want to recognize the U.S. Marine Corps barracks planning team for completing a draft reporting package of more than 7,000 pages! Delivering work at this scale is demanding in any context; delivering it on schedule and with consistent quality reflects strong coordination, careful review, and a shared commitment to producing usable, decision-ready documentation.
The reports capture the findings and recommendations from a part of the BEQ/BOQ Standardization Support effort in support of the Marine Corps Installations Command (MCICOM) Barracks 2030 Vision. Across 19 United States Marine Corps installations, the study evaluates the condition, configuration, and utilization of permanent party unaccompanied housing and establishes a standardized, data-driven framework to right-size the inventory over a 20-year planning horizon. Data collected through two site visits per installation between December 2024 and January 2026—including facility assessments, stakeholder interviews, and collaborative workshops—supported installation-specific plans outlining renovation, replacement, conversion, demolition, and new construction strategies aligned with current Facilities Criteria and projected demand from the 2030 Authorized Strength Report.
We also want to thank our stakeholders across the United States Marine Corps and our client team at MCICOM for their time, insight, and collaboration throughout the site visits and workshops. Their engagement helped ground the work in real operational needs and ensured the recommendations are both practical and actionable.
Our team recently visited Aberdeen Proving Ground to develop a Facility Condition Assessment supporting the long-term performance of the Berger Building. It is an iconic national science facility from the 1980s with a one-of-a-kind mission and equally unique building systems. We were welcomed by exceptional hosts, and it was inspiring to see the caliber of chemical engineering and applied research happening on the installation.
The visit centered on a facility cost analysis aimed at extending service life and improving lifecycle value through strategic, resilience-minded investments. In the field, our investigation surfaced several unexpected conditions, including discrepancies between the as-built drawings and existing assemblies. Those findings became an important turning point, allowing us to refine scope assumptions and develop a prioritized plan with the potential for significant cost savings.
Most importantly, the effort was truly collaborative. Working hand in hand with the maintenance subcontractor, planning staff, facilities team, and building users, we looked beyond piecemeal fixes to identify the one or two high-impact interventions that could meaningfully improve performance, reduce deferred maintenance risk, and support operational continuity.
We also had the opportunity to tour the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense—an exceptionally designed, impeccably maintained facility, and a standout precedent for resilient laboratory environments.
We’re proud to recognize a major achievement by Donald “Don” Rickman, who is now a Registered Landscape Architect (RLA) and has also earned his AICP certification as a professional planner. Don has long been a leader in CAD and site development, helping translate planning intent into clear, buildable documentation—and he consistently elevates project delivery through the technical rigor he brings to every set.
Since joining our firm in 2014, Don has become a go-to resource not only for planning and site design but also for the behind-the-scenes technical coordination that keeps projects running smoothly. Don often serves as a technical lead for planning workflows—supporting project setup, ensuring teams have the right tools and standards in place, and acting as a key interface for CAD production and coordination.
Don was already a LEED Accredited Professional in Neighborhood Development (LEED AP ND) through the U.S. Green Building Council, and his expanded licensure and certification further strengthens our ability to support clients through resilient, equitable, and implementable plans.
While Don earned his landscape architecture license and planning certification in 2024, we’re taking the opportunity now to highlight this milestone alongside a recent example of his contributions, supporting and helping lead a high-profile, interagency planning charrette as part of a U.S. Army master planning effort. The photos below capture Don in action: facilitating collaboration, guiding discussion, and helping teams move efficiently from ideas to clear next steps.
Please join us in congratulating Don on this accomplishment and the continued excellence he brings to our work every day.
NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) has been recognized by the American Planning Association’s Federal Planning Division as the Outstanding Federal Place of the Year – Historic Development, an honor that celebrates the enduring legacy, stewardship, and planning excellence of one of the nation’s most significant federal campuses.
Constructed in the early 1960s, Johnson Space Center stands as a living record of America’s space exploration history—from the Apollo missions to the Space Shuttle program and the International Space Station. Its original master plan introduced a modular, campus-based framework organized around a central quad and water features, fostering collaboration, flexibility, and long-term adaptability. Over time, this vision has supported the thoughtful evolution of more than 140 specialized facilities while preserving nationally significant landmarks, including Mission Control.
For more than 15 years, The Urban Collaborative has been honored to work alongside NASA JSC leadership and staff on comprehensive planning efforts that balance operational needs with historic preservation. Through master planning updates, area development planning, execution planning, and historic and architectural evaluations, these efforts have supported adaptive reuse, sustainability, and continuity—ensuring that historic assets remain active contributors to the Center’s mission rather than static artifacts of the past.
This recognition affirms JSC’s commitment to treating planning as both a technical and cultural practice—one that integrates preservation, innovation, and long-range stewardship. We congratulate NASA Johnson Space Center on this well-deserved honor and are proud to continue supporting a place where history and future exploration advance together.
We are proud to share that our Area Development Plan (ADP) for the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story has been recognized with a Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Design Award for Technical Excellence. The project exemplifies our firm’s commitment to sustainable, resilient, and collaborative planning.
Faced with severe site constraints including storm-surge exposure, extensive flood zones, and aviation-safety overlays, the team delivered a technically robust and forward-looking plan to reorganize 59 dispersed facilities into a consolidated, walkable waterfront campus. The design introduces a central green as the heart of the campus, multi-story industrial buildings with flood-resilient first floors, treed boulevards that manage stormwater, and an implementation strategy that replaces the most outdated facilities first while minimizing operational disruption.
Sustainability and resilience are embedded throughout, from daylighting and natural ventilation strategies to passive solar control, energy-generating PV systems, and stringent flood-adaptation standards. The result is a mission-ready environment that strengthens operational flow, reduces land consumption, and prepares the installation for climate-driven challenges.
We are honored to see this work recognized and grateful to our partners and stakeholders who helped shape a campus that supports the Navy’s evolving mission.
