Project
Spotlight.

COMB Block represents a comprehensive site planning effort for the phased redevelopment of an existing public housing campus in Portland, Maine. Working closely with the Portland Housing Authority, Ryan Senatore Architecture, and Acorn Engineering, DryLA led all landscape architecture and site planning from early master planning through construction coordination.

The project navigates the complexity of occupied infill development — designing for phased construction while maintaining livable conditions for existing residents. Site strategy integrates new open space, stormwater management, pedestrian connectivity, and ecological systems within a dense urban block context.

COMB Block is an example of what landscape architecture can do at the intersection of housing equity, urban ecology, and everyday public space — designing environments that are functional, buildable, and genuinely improve the lives of the people who live in them.

Permitted through New Hampshire DES and designed for the future, this project transforms a family cottage into a multi-generational retreat. A new cabin and second story addition expand the experience while honoring the original structure — creating space for the next generation to make it their own.

The site sits within the NH shoreland protection zone, requiring careful navigation of DES permitting requirements while achieving the program the family envisioned. The design respects the existing ecology of the lakefront while expanding the built environment thoughtfully and with long-term stewardship in mind.

This project is a reminder that residential work at any scale demands the same rigor as larger public projects — site reading, regulatory navigation, ecological sensitivity, and design that connects people to the landscape they love.