In late 2012, CH2M HILL signed a contract with the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, to develop an economic master plan for a 270-square-mile region surrounding the metropolitan area of the state’s rapidly expanding capital city, Belo Horizonte (shown in the photo).
The project team will deliver a broad range of services that relate to the region’s social and economic development. Brazil is looking for recommendations on how to modernize infrastructure in the region, rooted in the concepts of sustainable occupation and mobility.
Central to the project’s objective is to generate ideas guided by smart-growth concepts, including the following:
- Mixed land uses with a blend of homes, retail, business, industries, and recreational opportunities.
- A variety of transportation options.
- Diverse housing opportunities.
- Preservation of open spaces and environmentally sensitive areas.
- Making the territory attractive to high technology and added value investments.
The firm had been pursuing the project for 3 years. One of our competitors was Halcrow. “We believe that this melding of our two firms, coincidental with the competition, helped us win the job,” said PM Alfred Voegels. Staff from the Portland, Pittsburgh, and Sao Paulo offices will collaborate with Halcrow staff from Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and London to deliver the project.