A Community Designed for Living Well.
The community offers a broad mix of housing types targeted toward a diverse range of future residents.
A hill town nestled into its natural context, Esencia embraces the arroyos and wilderness of its scenic setting.
Graceful terraced land forms, varying in width, maximize views and comprise the community framework.
Marrying open space and grading options helped balance cut and fill needs.
Planning area boundaries respond to intensive scientific and ecological studies.
A hilltop village road hugs the ridgeline and links neighborhood centers.
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}
The community offers a broad mix of housing types targeted toward a diverse range of future residents.
A hill town nestled into its natural context, Esencia embraces the arroyos and wilderness of its scenic setting.
Graceful terraced land forms, varying in width, maximize views and comprise the community framework.
Marrying open space and grading options helped balance cut and fill needs.
Planning area boundaries respond to intensive scientific and ecological studies.
A hilltop village road hugs the ridgeline and links neighborhood centers.
{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"8000","speed":"1000","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","nav_slide_column":5,"rtl":"false"}

DETAILS

LocationOrange County, California, United States
ClientRancho Mission Viejo, LLC
SERVICE:
Size865 acres

Esencia, a planned community in Rancho Mission Viejo, California, emphasizes health and well-being. This premium real estate development, which is integrated into a 17,000-acre open space preserve characterized by oak canyons, creeks and orchards, envisions wellness holistically. It offers residents extraordinary views, comprehensive access to nature, and a range of outdoor amenities including parks, a community farm, and a systems of trails and pathways.

Esencia attracts residents of all ages, resulting in a multi-generational community that provides wellness options for everyone. This unique hill town in Rancho Mission Viejo is integrated into its surrounding natural landforms, and reflects the area’s agricultural and ranching legacy. Couples, families, and adventurous empty-nesters coexist within a robust neighborhood connected by a network of ranch-themed social gathering spaces.

The recipient of PCBC’s “2018 Master Plan Community of the Year” and “Best Community Land Plan” Awards, Esencia offers all residents a sustainable, multi-layered vision of sustainable suburbs that offer a sense of truly sustainable community.

Related Projects

Woodson’s Reserve

This new master-planned community challenges conventional thinking by preserving wetland areas and open space while achieving an optimal mix of housing products and amenities. A robust local economy has elevated demand for both commercial space and single-family housing. The master plan for Woodson’s Reserve targets active families and those who enjoy outdoor ...

Hensley Field Master Plan

Building upon a winning competition entry, SWA is developing a master plan to transform a former Naval Air Station into a premier mixed-use district in southern Dallas. Tasked with crafting an implementable plan that achieves environmental sustainability, economic recovery, and social equity objectives, SWA is working to address the unique challenges of a form...

Lin'an High Tech Park

Lin’an Qingshan Lake Forest Technology Park offers a premier destination for high-tech and green-tech businesses. Designed in harmony with nature, this mixed-use community will foster productivity and connections to its physical and cultural setting, providing a vibrant mix of uses and a business culture appealing to a wide range of international enterprises. ...

3Roots

A transformed mining site in Mira Mesa, 3Roots captures San Diego’s innovative spirit, drive, and natural beauty. SWA’s work began with the master plan, including 1,800 new homes, 160,000 square feet of commercial, retail, and office spaces, a five-acre mobility hub, and over 250 acres of parks and open space. The landscape blends the region’s mining her...

Mountain House

SWA provided comprehensive master planning services for a new 4,700-acre community located near the foothills of California’s San Joaquin Valley. Envisioned as a sustainable, “smart growth” town located on less productive agricultural land, the community is designed to provide an internal balance of jobs and housing to mitigate traffic impacts. Working for the...

Santaluz

This planned community 30 minutes north of San Diego is a testament to the collaboration of a visionary client, talented land planner, and creative designers and marketers. Set gracefully on its rolling site and preserving over half its acreage as open space, Santaluz is both a model of environmental planning and a financial success, out-performing all its loc...

Cross Creek Ranch

As urban areas expand, degraded lands robbed of natural resilience and biodiversity often lie in development’s path—presenting both challenges and opportunities. The Flewellen Creek Restoration project transforms a derelict 130-acre ranching ditch into a vibrant 3-mile ecosystem, anchoring the new 3,200-acre Cross Creek Ranch community.

Rooted in ...

Kunming Eco-Communities

The concept for the Kunming Eco-Town is based on an understanding of the historical natural processes of the location. The masterplan restores balance in the landscape through sensitive development. In using a watershed planning approach to determine the most sensitive lands and subsequently, where development is appropriate, the issues of a healthy, functioni...