For many outdoor enthusiasts, the sights and sounds of a good camping trip are nostalgic and universal: a crackling campfire, the smell of woodsmoke and roasting marshmallows, the sense of being disconnected from stress and surrounded by nature. The whole experience of camping may as well be an antidote specifically designed to counteract the maladies... Read Full Post ›
Posted by Dennis Tonsor 08-29-19
As a recent graduate from the Landscape Architecture program at Kansas State University, I have had a lot of practice taking notes. But looking back on my old school notebooks, I’ve noticed that most of my notes aren’t notes at all – they are doodles of birds, faces, hands, or whatever happened to be in... Read Full Post ›
It’s known that nature is good for us but its precise impact on our well-being can be challenging to articulate. An important new study from Aarhus University in Denmark found that when children grow up surrounded by green space, they have up to 55% less risk of developing a wide range of mental health problems... Read Full Post ›
They say everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame. Mine came this month when I was interviewed by our local PBS station, KLRU, for their Decibel program. This particular segment focused on Austin’s Water Pressures, and for my part we focused on how stormwater is handled at Mueller through a series of water quality ponds.... Read Full Post ›
Posted by Chris Lalich 04-30-19
One of the criticisms of design for the built environment is that it can sometimes become more about the designer than the client or the end user. At RVi our approach has always been focused on what’s best for the client, the user, and the community as a whole – and we seek to understand... Read Full Post ›
Posted by Katie Harris 03-28-19
When managed well, public engagement in the design process can build momentum and support for the project, solve problems, and help ensure the project is as responsive as possible to the community’s needs and desires. With decades of public involvement under our belts, we offer the following tips for planning and executing a successful public... Read Full Post ›
Posted by Barbara Austin 01-31-19
RVi’s brand refresh is not just a marketing exercise; it is an opportunity for self-reflection and self-improvement in all that we do as a firm. Our annual Auctus Innovation Competition challenges RVi employees to come up with an innovative idea that can be meaningfully advanced in a year’s time. This year, all entries focused on... Read Full Post ›
Posted by Katie Harris 10-27-18
About this time last year, our leadership team was seated around a conference room table in Galveston, Texas, discussing the nuanced difference between what, how, and why. It was a discussion that kicked off a year’s worth of searching, discovery, and synthesis, and is now culminating in the launch of the refreshed RVi brand later... Read Full Post ›
Posted by Katie Harris 10-12-18
Whether you’re booking it across hot pavement to your next meeting, or commuting through traffic in a stifling car, record highs across the country this summer highlight the critical need for parks as fundamental elements of our cities. An oasis of green space, parks provide havens for young and old alike, and serve as much... Read Full Post ›
Posted by Katie Harris 09-28-18