Conventional development models in Mauritius repeated themes and forms of un-mixed use. A distinct and planned separation of sprawling campus hotels, local individual insufficient subdivisions and isolated gated communities as foreign enclaves.

The introduction of IRS, Integrated Resort Schemes (Is an initiative of the Government of Mauritius in collaboration with the Board of Investment of Mauritius. This program is designed to facilitate the acquisition of resort and residential property by non-citizens on the island.) initiated a new mixed-use form.  It comprised hotel precincts, upmarket residential, sporting facilities such as golf courses, nature and heritage reserves and naturalistic parks integrated in a secure gated community.  Government planning policy originated and encouraged in a necessary strategy to diversify the economic base of Mauritius from largely sugar to diversified tourism and the international property market.

At first IRS was highly successful, but as time passed and the recession came it was clear that other development models might be more resilient and socially more equitable. Azuri as a project was conceptually conceived as an unusual blend of IRS and local mixed development.