A Culture of Innovation

At Wormald, we think a lot about our work and how to do it better. And that leads almost inevitably to innovation. We're not afraid to challenge old ways of doing things. Through in-house collaboration between our architectural, engineering, construction, and sales and marketing teams, we build upon each other's expertise to find innovative solutions.

For example, we were building H-block townhomes with hidden rear-alley garages long before the concept caught on with other builders. And we conceived (and copyrighted) an award-winning seven-home courtyard plan. Two grand homes face the street on either side of a graceful brick-paved entry drive flanked by trees and two stone pillars engraved with the court name. This entry drive opens onto a courtyard surrounded by five more single-family homes. A new, copyrighted L-shaped house with a tower element, placed at a forty-five degree angle to the court, accents the corners and adds interest. Careful landscaping provides screening between the homes as well as a focal point at the center of the court, promoting a strong sense of neighborhood sociability and security.

Perhaps the most significant innovation Wormald can claim is laying out the first traditional neighborhood development (TND) of the Mid-Atlantic region—only the second of its kind in the country. This was a bold move, requiring extensive zoning rewrites and a complete rethinking of conventional planning at the time. But we didn't stop there. We pushed the TND concept still further to create our own Town 'N' Country (TNC) design, blending town-center formality with more free-form rural design in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Hallmarks of TNC design are:

• A focus on pedestrian-friendly environments
• Downplaying the presence of the automobile through narrower streets and hidden parking
• A heightened sense of arrival as one approaches the town center
• A centrally located, resort-style Village Square with all retail amenities within walking distance
• An emphasis on parks, often including dramatic water features, that serve as focal points and gathering areas
• A network of paths and pocket parks that converges on the Village Square, the major social hub of the community
• Creative positioning of homes on lots to add variety to the streetscape
• A wide variety of signature architecture in distinct neighborhoods to create a more authentic and visually stimulating context
• Rich and varied landscaping to provide an array of colors, shapes, and textures
• Community-wide access to important natural amenities such as rivers and stream valleys
• Honoring the history and story of the land through the preservation of historic structures, appropriate street naming, and other means
• Establishment of a governing Conservancy to protect the aesthetic beauty and market value of properties in perpetuity

As a result of our innovation, Wormald has received wide acclaim from a variety of organizations including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; the National Association of Home Builders; the State of Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning Commission; and planning and development groups from as far away as Japan, Sweden, and South Africa.