Best-in-Class Community will be Recognized at Future Place in October
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zonda announced Serenbe, a community outside Atlanta, as the 2025 Masterplan of the Year presented by BUILDER, ahead of its Future Place event at the Ritz-Carlton Resort in Irving, Texas from Oct. 27-29.
"The Masterplan of the Year was launched last year to showcase leading developers who recognize the vital importance of respect for the land — with the intent of enhancing its value through thoughtful planning," said Jeff Meyers, chief executive officer of Zonda. "Serenbe does this in spades as its founders, Steve Nygren and Marie Lupo Nygren, truly understand how our instinctive need for nature can shape where and how we live — in a mutually beneficial way."
• 🌳 What is it like living next to nature? "Buyers in our community understand that connection to nature is important for their well-being. Our conservation areas are all natural, they're not a park. An important part of our programs is to teach kids and adults to love and appreciate nature, not to fear it," says Monica Olsen from Serenbe. |
Steve Nygren, a restaurateur and hospitality developer, took notice in the early 1990s when his three daughters preferred spending weekends at their country house. This led him to take inspiration from his European travels to envision a community that weaved together art, agriculture, education, and wellness.
Three decades of development later, Serenbe is home to over 1,000 residents on an impressive 1,200 acres, of which 70% is conservation land.
"We're re-establishing an agrarian economy and becoming a national think tank on regenerative agriculture," Nygren said in a feature interview with BUILDER. "The term 'agrihood' was actually coined here by a New York Times reporter. We were the first to really do it this way—bringing the farm to the people."
• 🌱 What is an agrihood? Master planned new-home developments offering community gardens, farm stands, cooking classes, farm nights, and nature-inspired living as an amenity — or a way of life. |
Steve Nygren and Serenbe will be honored at Future Place and featured in the Q3 edition of BUILDER Magazine in "Masters of Place" by award-winning editor Symone Strong.
📗 Plus, 100 registrants to Future Place will get a copy of Steve Nygren's Start in Your Own Backyard, out Oct. 7! Explore his blueprint for developing sustainable communities through everyday moments that can change the world. 🌎 (And get your copy signed!)
The previous winner of the inaugural Masterplan of the Year was The Irvine Ranch, which makes up 1⁄5 of Orange County, CA.
Also see Zonda's Future Place award recipient for the Legends Award.
• 🏠 Homebuyers can explore the Columbus Market (where Serenbe is located) on Zonda's NewHomeSource, including Chattahoochee Neighborhood and Chattahoochee County. |
About BUILDER
BUILDER is the No. 1 resource—via its award-winning journalism and industry events—for anyone involved in new-home construction. Primarily focused on the single-family sector, BUILDER strives to help home builders manage their operations, large and small, more efficiently and profitably. Residential construction pros turn to BUILDER for housing-related news, market analysis, design trends, M&A deals, building product coverage, and more. builderonline.com
About Zonda
Zonda provides data-driven housing market solutions to the homebuilding industry. From builders to building product manufacturers, mortgage clients, and multifamily executives, we work hand-in-hand with our customers to streamline access to housing data to empower smarter decisions. As a leading brand in residential construction, our mission is to advance the home building industry, because we believe better homes mean better lives and stronger communities. Together, we are building the future of housing. zondahome.com
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