Meridian Parks is a future 4,400-unit, multi-phased, master-planned community, located between downtown Orlando and Lake Nona, Florida. Envisioned as linked neighborhoods, nestled atop a chain of upland pine flatwoods, the community will be comprised of meandering trails and a robust system of parkland that will take advantage of Florida’s natural beauty.
Shaping a Community
From high-level community planning to detailed landscape architectural design, we employed our full range of services to help shape Meridian Parks as the community develops over the next 20 years—including full design guidelines that outline future phase neighborhood master planning, as well as community character and aesthetic.
In addition, we played a niche role in creating a park system plan that strategically and equally distributes interconnected open space across the project’s multiple-phase master plan. Our approach provides a roadmap for logical open space and amenity positioning within the community, while setting budgets that are benchmarked against comparable market competition and open space cost-per-housing-unit considerations.
Conceptual Design by NAK Design Strategies 
Conceptual Design by NAK Design Strategies
Addressing Roadblocks
Still, the project didn’t come without its unique challenges. While designing the Phase 1 Amenity Center, the client made a strategic decision to limit the first phase to fewer housing units than originally considered. Because the facility would now only serve two-thirds of the anticipated residents, this decision impacted the design of the amenity center. Coincidentally, the project budget needed to decrease by one-third, while maintaining high-end appeal and serve as a primary feature upon entering the new community.
To solve the issue, we reviewed the design and made critical value engineering decisions that ultimately salvaged the intent and integrity of the original design. Our depth of experience in landscape architecture, cost estimating, and technical design played a key role in aligning construction costs with the revised project budget.
NAK Design Strategies has been, and continues to be, instrumental in the visioning, master planning, and implementation of the Meridian Parks community. By employing our full range of services, we’re shepherding Meridian Parks toward fruition in a manner that will tactfully maintain design intent and continuity as the development progresses.
