The Art + Science of Positive Change

Otak has been at the leading edge of community master planning for four decades, creating attractive, livable, vibrant, and active neighborhoods, town centers, transportation and infrastructure networks, and public places that stand the test of time.

Community refers to places and values that are common, public, and shared by all or many. Planning refers to the process of envisioning a future, setting goals, and developing strategies, tasks, and schedules to accomplish these goals. Community planning is the art and science of facilitating positive change to the social, natural, and built environment. Otak’s interdisciplinary team provides the perfect complement of services to  address complex challenges and opportunities of each project in a holistic and highly-collaborative manner. We consider each project to be part of a larger system and develop integrated solutions that are responsive to their local community, ecology, and economy.

In a triple-bottom-line approach that considers potential outcomes related to community building, avoiding and mitigating environmental impacts, and achieving socioeconomic benefits, our master planners lead a team of interdisciplinary professionals (urban designers, architects, engineers, landscape architects), working closely with our clients, communities, and stakeholders to envision and carry out the desired future.