Projects and examples

A good design makes visible what is hard to see on the ground. Here is how analysis turns into decisions — and, as they become available, examples from real properties.

How a map becomes a design decision

An illustrative hillside, not a client property. Step through the layers to see how terrain, water and fire exposure lead to concrete choices.

How a map becomes a design decisionRidgeValley lineSteeper groundGentler slopeAccess trackHouseRunoff gathers hereErosion riskDense scrub below the houseFire runs faster uphillManaged mosaic of trees and open groundLow-fuel garden zonePlanting along contoursSlow the water, where suitable

  1. Read the terrain

    Contour lines show where the slope is steep and where it is gentle. Where they bend uphill, there is a valley line — the place water will gather.

  2. Follow the water

    Rain runs downhill at right angles to the contours and concentrates in the valley line. That is where erosion starts and where the most water can be slowed and soaked in.

  3. Look at fire exposure

    Fire tends to move faster uphill, and dense dry scrub below a house adds to the exposure. Access, vegetation and slope are read together.

  4. Decide what goes where

    Lower-fuel, well-tended ground around the house. Planting and soil cover along the contours on the gentler slopes. The valley line kept vegetated and slowed only where the site allows. Each choice follows from the layers before it.

Illustrative example drawn for this website.

From the design studio

Examples of the kinds of maps and plans that form part of a design.

A terrain map showing slope and water-flow lines
A terrain map showing slope and water-flow lines
A zoning plan for a finca, drawn over an aerial image
A zoning plan for a finca, drawn over an aerial image

Types of project

  • Water and runoff management
  • Soil regeneration
  • Climate-resilient finca planning
  • Fire-aware property design
  • Ecological planting and agroforestry

Case studies

Detailed case studies are being prepared with the agreement of the property owners.

Water and runoff management

[Project title — e.g. “Terraced olive finca near …”]

  • Site context [Location (general area only), size, slope, current use.]
  • Main challenges [What the owner was dealing with.]
  • Design principles [The main ideas behind the design.]
  • Proposed interventions [What was proposed.]
  • Expected benefits [What the design is expected to achieve. Only describe measured results if they have actually been measured.]
  • Status [Design delivered / partly implemented / implemented — and since when.]

Fire-aware property design

[Project title]

  • Site context [Site context.]
  • Main challenges [Main challenges.]
  • Design principles [Design principles.]
  • Proposed interventions [Proposed interventions.]
  • Expected benefits [Expected benefits.]
  • Status [Status.]

What would a design show for your finca?

Every property is different. Let’s start with a conversation about yours.

Discuss your finca

Felicitas@micampovivo.com   +34 655 992 809