Design Workshop Inc. has taken up permanent residence in a 2,500 square foot space at 801 Congress Avenue a couple of months ago. Seven employees from Denver moved into the space in May 2008, hoping to grow their numbers to over 20 in the next three to five years.

Design Workshop is, according to their home page, ‘an award winning, international landscape architecture, land planning, urban design, and tourism planning firm.’ Combining concerns of environment, economics, art, and community, Design Workshop offers urban planning and affordable housing strategies, feasibility and environmental impact studies, project facilitation between the public, the corporate sector, and the community, as well as a host of other diverse land planning and design services.

Rebecca Leonard, a graduate of Ball State University College of Architecture and Planning, will lead the office. Her focus will be on developing projects for the firm, not only in the state of Texas, but will serve clients nation wide and in the Caribbean as well.

Texas projects by Design Workshop have thus far included master planning and design for the second phase of the Domain project in North Austin, initial planning for Hardy Yards in Houston and Bellaire Sustainable Development in Hurst.

The Domain development is a mixed-used community in Northwest Austin, combining commercial and residential uses in one area. The second phase of the Domain project will cover 27 acres south of the original Domain and plans include a three storey Dillard’s, an 80,000 square foot Dick’s, and an eight screen cinema complex, as well as a 340 room Westin hotel. Construction begins this summer, 2008, with plans for opening in November of 2009.