NoRa Streetscape – West Palm Beach
The NoRa District is a bold reimagining of a 40-acre stretch in the heart of West Palm Beach—transforming a forgotten warehouse corridor into a vibrant, walkable, mixed-use neighborhood grounded in sustainability, resiliency, and community identity. At the core of this urban renaissance is a streetscape and public realm strategy led by ArquitectonicaGEO, designed to connect people, preserve cultural heritage, and adapt to a changing climate.
Serving as the landscape architect for this ambitious redevelopment, ArquitectonicaGEO’s work prioritizes a people-first approach to the public realm. Lush, drought-tolerant streetscapes featuring native and adaptive species reduce irrigation needs while enhancing biodiversity and visual richness. Curbless, tree-lined streets and permeable paving systems turn the urban grid into a resilient green infrastructure network—managing stormwater, mitigating heat, and improving pedestrian safety.
Intimate public plazas, shaded seating areas, and pocket parks are interwoven throughout the district to promote spontaneous social interaction and community gathering. Historic warehouse courtyards are reimagined with contemporary planting palettes and locally sourced materials, honoring the area’s industrial roots while establishing inviting outdoor spaces for dining, leisure, and civic life.
NoRa’s Phase I includes 156,000 square feet of adaptive reuse and new development and will be home to best-in-class hospitality, retail, and wellness. Phase II is actively being planned and will feature significant hotel, office, and residential development—expanding the district’s mixed-use identity.
NoRa is more than a design effort—it is a community-focused vision backed by a $1 billion investment in urban resiliency and cultural vibrancy. As part of a phased development strategy, the landscape architecture not only enhances the streetscape but supports long-term sustainability goals through pollinator-supportive plantings, low-maintenance systems, and environmentally conscious lighting and irrigation.
Set to complete its first phase in 2025, NoRa’s public realm—shaped by thoughtful landscape design—will establish a blueprint for mixed-use redevelopment in South Florida. By seamlessly blending adaptive reuse with climate-forward infrastructure and community programming, ArquitectonicaGEO’s streetscape design positions NoRa as a model for how landscape architecture can power urban revitalization.
