* Melanie Klein while at Make It Right Foundation
Melanie engaged over 200 Tribal members to design the Sustainable Village Community Master Plan for 275 acres of land belonging to the Fort Peck Sioux and Assiniboine Tribes. The design concepts are driven by attentive observation of natural and social site dynamics, including settlement patterns established by nomadic plains tribes. These measures assure the local ethos of this place is not lost or homogenized. Hiking and biking trails connect the residential areas to the rest of the city of Poplar, the Pow-wow area across the river, and the Arrow Head Buffalo Viewing Park. The site holds 93 culturally-appropriate single-family homes, 99 apartments adjacent to retail, emphasizing elders/seniors and disabled veterans. Additionally, the area claims 62 acres of commercial use and community amenities such as restored prairie, green stormwater infrastructure, greenhouses, sports fields, and community gardens within each residential cluster. Through a Montana Low Income Housing Tax Credit award, the Fort Peck Tribes built 20 homes and a community greenhouse, all certified LEED Platinum, the highest level of certification offered by the U.S. Green Building Council.