Idyllic by Design

Texas Architect Magazine Features Cinnamon Shore

In the Winter 2025 issue of Texas Architect, architect and writer Karen Brasier, AIA, explored the design code and philosophy that defines Cinnamon Shore, with comparison to the landmark neighborhoods on the Florida Panhandle. Now architects and designers across the state who haven't yet experienced our community have a chance to read about and see photos in this picturesque feature article--a great testimony to the role Cinnamon Shore is playing on the Texas Coast.

Karin shares her impressions after a visit to and tour of Cinnamon Shore and after interviewing urban designer Mark Schnell and Sea Oats Development's Daniel Mazoch.

"Established in 2007, the project shares a design ethos with Florida’s Seaside and Rosemary Beach communities, with New Urbanism planning principles guiding the neighborhood’s development and growth. As in Seaside, walkability and connectivity are key, and realizing this requires a certain building scale, density, and infrastructure that permeates the project. Everything from the porch railings to the buildings’ size, shapes, and colors contribute to the community’s charming feel and style—a distinct Gulf Coast vernacular described by the project’s urban designer Mark Schnell as 'Southern cottage writ large, on steroids.'"

With an architect's precision, Karin goes on to describe the problem-solving required to build a beach town from the ground up while maintaining the strict New Urbanism philosophy and design code that gives Cinnamon Shore its identity.

From street width and building scale to where garages are located, every decision for every home matters. And the article commends Cinnamon Shore for the effort, noting its impact on the Texas development.

Karen writes:

"The developer and urban designers’ consistent effort to engage accomplished architects from around the state and nation brings new talent, thought, and attention to environmental and community design issues specific to the Gulf Coast. Insistence on continuously improving quality of construction, and ongoing work with governing bodies to develop codes that encourage a pedestrian-friendly street can have lasting positive impact beyond the boundaries of Cinnamon Shore."

She calls out the amenities nestled between the neighborhood streets, from pools and parks to town center retails and restaurants, always a stroll away.

The "Utopia" issue highlight places that represent the highest ideals in creating new spaces, invoking the original use of the "utopia" idea in Thomas More's writing dating to 1516. The Editor's Note explains the thought behind the issue's theme, and Cinnamon Shore is honored to part of the edition. The editor writes:

"In this issue of Texas Architect, we explore the concept of utopia through a series of essays and architectural projects that examine how architecture can embody utopian ideals while also highlighting the complexities and contradictions involved, emphasizing the need for flexibility, critical engagement with technology, and a balance between idealism and the messiness of real life. In the 21st century, we must rethink not just how we build, but why and for whom. Creating spaces that foster human flourishing—promoting creativity, collaboration, and equality—requires a commitment to social justice, sustainability, and innovation. Only then can we begin to build the world we truly aspire to create."

Full Article:: magazine.texasarchitects.org/2025/02/03/shore-thing

Published on Friday, April 25, 2025