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Located in the remote Chihuahuan Desert in West Texas, Presidio is 220 miles southeast of El Paso on the USA-Mexico border. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is providing new housing due to the lack of available units in Presidio. The new neighborhood, built in phases, will provide 67 rentable high-performance modular housing units on the 27-acre site. The design integrates a network of shared, landscaped common space with the housing units to inspire a sense of community and encourage pedestrian activity.

Two shade structures anchor either end of the central outdoor space. The picnic pavilion is available to the entire CBP community in Presidio. It can be used for sporting events, cookouts, meetings, parties and recreation. The open-air cor-ten steel structure is clad with prefabricated panels of varying patterns of horizontal
ipe wood boards that provide shading and approximately 25% openness. The bus stop, at the opposite end, is a small wood shade pavilion integrated into the perimeter metal fence system. The small picnic/seating area on the inside (secure side) of the fence sits adjacent to a children’s play area.

Security: The neighborhood has many young children, and the design creates separate vehicle and pedestrian movements, providing every house with safe access to the large outdoor space without ever having to cross a street. Houses are configured to provide visual privacy from the street, while having all front doors easily observed from the sidewalk. This increases the sense of community that, in turn, fosters a safe environment.

Traffic Design: The roads are designed for traffic calming and to allow direct access to every house’s front door. Shared trash pickup is conveniently located for the residents while permitting large truck access.

Remote: The contract documents were prepared in anticipation that modular construction would be used for the housing units and pre-fabricated components would be used for the shade structures and other site elements.

Harsh Climate: For six months a year, the average high temperature is above 90 degrees. The shade structures are naturally ventilated, and desert landscaping requires little water to flourish.