Architecture Commons^™

Prioritizing Stormwater Management: Comparing Integrated Best Management Practices In Urban And Suburban Neighborhoods, Danielle Kathleen Norman

Masters Theses

This thesis demonstrates a comparison of two design proposals that integrate Best Management Practices to address stormwater runoff volumes in urban and suburban neighborhoods. The thesis investigation includes the selection and comparison of two diverse neighborhoods to inform design decisions. It then assesses the environmental, social and economic implications of the design proposal in each neighborhood.

The site selection process is a method that overlays specific criterion such as residential land use, topographic features, and median household income (3) nested scales; the watershed scale, the sub-watershed scale, and the neighborhood scale. For the purposes of this paper, nested scales are …

Professor John Ellsworth Interview Transcription, John C. Ellsworth

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning 75th Anniversary

No abstract provided.

Professor Vern Budge Interview Transcription, Vern Budge

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning 75th Anniversary

No abstract provided.

Seeding Green Roofs With Native Grasses, Richard K. Sutton

Landscape Architecture Program: Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity

During six years of native grass establishment and growth on four green roofs, we sought to understand appropriate seeding seasons and spacing, the amount of time to reach the industry 80% coverage threshold (FLL 2008), the seed yield projections for volunteer plant infill. We also produced and tested methods for successfully and inexpensively seeding and determined “as needed” irrigation protocols. The suite of techniques examined improves and enhances the use, establishment, and management of native grasses on green roofs and reduces green roof costs.

Rethinking Extensive Green Roofs To Lessen Emphasis On Above-Ground Biomass, Richard K. Sutton

Landscape Architecture Program: Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity

In the future, most green roof applications will not be highly visible, yet these roofs will still provide the benefits of heat island reduction, stormwater control and biodiversity for hard-surfaced cities. However, human bias in wanting more biomass and visible blooms leads green roof horticulturalists and their approach of maximizing those aspects down a slippery slope that, in turn, leads to increased hours of labor, over-watering and fertilizing and specifying too many cultivars

The Cost Of Green Infrastructure: Worth The Investment?, Martha Sheils

Green Infrastructure

Is GI worth the investment?

• LID techniques often lead to cost savings when we look at WHOLE PROJECT COSTS

• Natural Infrastructure investments for flood control, drinking water protection and wildlife habitat can yield SIGNIFICANT AVOIDED COSTS and additional co-benefits to communitites

Capital Cost Comparisons Between Low Impact Development (Lid) And Conventional Stormwater Management Systems In Florida, Daniel C. Penniman, Mark Hostetler, Tatiana Borisova, Glenn Acomb

Suburban Sustainability

Low impact development (LID), an ecologically sensitive development strategy and stormwater management (SWM) method, is beginning to be implemented in more suburban and metropolitan projects. However, construction firms that work in Florida have been relatively slow to adopt LID. One significant reason being that many professionals in the development community believe LID practices raise the cost of construction compared to conventional, “pipe and pond” methods. Our objective for this study was to determine how specific capital costs differed between LID and conventional SWM methods. We surveyed a group of LID-experienced design professionals to collect cost data from projects that were …

The Utilization Of Social Spaces Near Soccer Fields By Attendees Of Hispanic Soccer League Matches In Dallas, Texas, Blake Samper

Landscape Architecture Masters & Design Theses

The purpose of this research is to observe and identify the social interactions in pedestrian spaces immediately surrounding soccer fields during Hispanic soccer league matches in Dallas, Texas. The research uses passive observation of spectators at Hispanic soccer league matches in the Dallas area to determine which activities are prevalent and which types of spaces are most commonly used and for what purpose. Recent immigration has greatly boosted the numbers of Hispanics living in North Central Texas (Price & Whitworth, 2004). This population increase is leading to wide demographic changes where immigrants settle. One of these shifts is occurring in …

Professor Craig Johnson Interview Transcription, Craig Johnson

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning 75th Anniversary

No abstract provided.

Professor Richard E. Toth Interview Transcription, Richard E. Toth

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning 75th Anniversary

No abstract provided.

A Vision For The Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club, Ivette Banoub, John E. Fries, Tara Lynn Gehring, Madeline Jacknin, Jane M. Schonhaut, Alexander R. Train

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

The goal of Planning Studio is to develop a student’s techniques for collecting, analyzing, synthesizing spatial and non-spatial data and presenting that collective data in a manner (i.e., report, video, presentation, charettes) that is understandable to academics, professionals, and the public. Planning Studio allows students to integrate knowledge from coursework and research, and apply such knowledge to resolving representative planning problems. At UMASS Amherst, these problems are found in neighborhood, rural, urban, and/or regional settings. In Fall 2013, the course completed three projects: Master Plans & Land-Use Elements, the Revitalization of the Lower Worthington Street District (Springfield, MA), a Vision …

Ipswich River Watershed - Planning And Designing Green Infrastructure Networks, Samantha R. Anderson, Alyssandra Black, Ngoc Xuan Doan, Trudy M. Hall, Keith W. Hannon, Irene Estelle Miller, Colin N. O'Donnell, Amanda Lynn Rookey, Yan Xu

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

This project focuses on the Ipswich River Watershed in the suburbanizing North Shore region of metropolitan Boston. The Ipswich River is one of the most threatened rivers in the United States due to increased development and drinking water withdrawals from neighboring towns that impact the water quality and quantity. In order to address these environmental issues, this studio developed a green infrastructure plan for the watershed that proposes protecting open space within water resource areas, preserving wildlife habitat areas, and creating recreational linkages. Each student in the course developed a focus area at the local scale to illustrate implementing green …

Revitalization Of The Lower Worthington Street District (Springfield, Ma), Karl S. Allen, Mark D. Berube, Calliope E. Bosen, Gregory Robert Lewis, Alexander Casey Mello, Caitlin Anne Michniewicz, John Armando Rosa, Sarah Spencer, Stacy E. Wasserman

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

The goal of Planning Studio is to develop a student’s techniques for collecting, analyzing, synthesizing spatial and non-spatial data and presenting that collective data in a manner (i.e., report, video, presentation, charettes) that is understandable to academics, professionals, and the public. Planning Studio allows students to integrate knowledge from coursework and research, and apply such knowledge to resolving representative planning problems. At UMASS Amherst, these problems are found in neighborhood, rural, urban, and/or regional settings. In Fall 2013, the course completed three projects: Master Plans & Land-Use Elements, the Revitalization of the Lower Worthington Street District (Springfield, MA), an Asset …

An Evaluation Of Master Plans And Their Land-Use Elements, Karl S. Allen, Ivette Banoub, Mark D. Berube, Calliope E. Bosen, John E. Fries, Tara Lynn Gehring, Madeline Jacknin, Gregory Robert Lewis, Alexander Casey Mello, Caitlin Anne Michniewicz, John Armando Rosa, Jane M. Schonhaut, Sarah A. Spencer, Alexander R. Train, Stacy E. Wasserman

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

The goal of Planning Studio is to develop a student’s techniques for collecting, analyzing, synthesizing spatial and non-spatial data and presenting that collective data in a manner (i.e., report, video, presentation, charettes) that is understandable to academics, professionals, and the public. Planning Studio allows students to integrate knowledge from coursework and research, and apply such knowledge to resolving representative planning problems. At UMASS Amherst, these problems are found in neighborhood, rural, urban, and/or regional settings. In Fall 2013, the course completed three projects: Master Plans & Land-Use Elements, the Revitalization of the Lower Worthington Street District (Springfield, MA), an Asset …

Cascade Garden Residence Landscape Performance Benefits Assessment, Bo Yang, Pamela Blackmore, Chris Binder

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Cascade Garden is a tranquil, high-altitude residential property, designed to preserve the area's natural setting and ecosystem while meeting the property owner's requests for outdoor amenities. The project involved dismantling an existing house and siting a new home integrated into the landscape with minimal site disturbance. The site features an existing pond, which was planted with riparian vegetation and modified to support trout habitat and supply water for landscape irrigation. Because of the harsh, high-altitude climate and presence of wildlife, plant species were carefully selected to ensure high growth levels and low maintenance. Most of the traditional lawn was replaced …

Capitol Valley Ranch Landscape Performance Benefits Assessment, Bo Yang, Pamela Blackmore, Chris Binder

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Capitol Valley Ranch, a one-acre home site situated on a larger working cattle ranch, is nestled into a rural high-altitude Colorado landscape. The design for the property required an integration of functions. A working ranch with horses, stables, and a barn coexists with a residence, thereby retaining traditional practices that preserve regional culture and open space values. The intimate and social spaces conducive to outdoor living and entertaining assimilate with the architecture and echo the site's naturalistic setting at 8,000 ft above sea level. In order to preserve the agricultural heritage of the valley, the design limited site disturbance, adhered …

Ua3/9/2 2010-2022 Master Plan, Wku Planning, Design & Construction

WKU Archives Records

WKU master plan map showing buildings needing renovation, proposed buildings, affiliated buildings and WKU property in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Ecology Of Scale In Visual Landscape Assessments, Richard K. Sutton

Landscape Architecture Program: Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity

Background readings on scale plus twenty-three visual landscape assessment studies from 1968 to 2006 were examined to understand the nature and use of scale and its relationship to the visual environment. The objectives of this study were to: 1) describe the concept of scale as applied to visual assessments, 2) review scale use in selected visual assessments, and 3) identify issues that need further research to better integrate scale into visual landscape assessments and landscape ecological theory.

Basic concepts and features relating observers with landscape and scale required defining scale, bounding visibility, perceiving scale, seeing hierarchically, and visualizing grain and …

Remembering Paul Procopio - Compendium, Julius Gy. Fábos, Nicholas T. Dines

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

This tribute to Paul Procopio started after the visit of Nicholas Dines, Julius Fábos and Mark Lindhult after Paul's funeral ceremony with the aim of creating a more complete picture of Paul's important role in shaping the emerging Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning after the retirement of Ray Otto in 1965. The assembled reflections represent the comments of contemporaries, colleagues, former students, and current department faculty, as well as those from his daughters.

This compendium will be made available to the University of Massachusetts Library and will be added to Paul’s papers, which will serve to inform our …

Climate Change Adaptation: A Green Infrastructure Planning Framework For Resilient Urban Regions, Yaser F. Abunnasr

Open Access Dissertations

The research explores multiple facets of a green infrastructure planning framework for climate change adaptation in urban regions. The research is organized in three distinct, but related parts. The first develops an adaptation implementation model based on triggering conditions rather than time. The approach responds to policy makers' reluctance to engage in adaptation planning due to uncertain future conditions. The model is based on planning and adaptation literature and applied to two case studies. Uncertainty during implementation may be reduced by incremental and flexible policy implementation, disbursing investments as needs arise, monitoring conditions, and organizing adaptation measures along no-regrets to …

Social Vulnerability, Green Infrastructure, Urbanization And Climate Change-Induced Flooding: A Risk Assessment For The Charles River Watershed, Massachusetts, Usa, Chingwen Cheng

Open Access Dissertations

Climate change is projected to increase the intensity and frequency of storm events that would increase flooding hazards. Urbanization associated with land use and land cover change has altered hydrological cycles by increasing stormwater runoff, reducing baseflow and increasing flooding hazards. Combined urbanization and climate change impacts on long-term riparian flooding during future growth are likely to affect more socially vulnerable populations. Growth strategies and green infrastructure are critical planning interventions for minimizing urbanization impacts and mitigating flooding hazards. Within the social-ecological systems planning framework, this empirical research evaluated the effects of planning interventions (infill development and stormwater detention) through …

The History Of Trial Gardens, Hallie Schmidt

Horticulture and Crop Science

Essay explores the history of home gardening and seed industry in America and the conditions that led to the development of the All-America Selections.

Issue Brief: Auditing Your Town's Development Code For Barriers To Sustainable Water Management, New England Environmental Finance Center

Sustainable Communities Capacity Building

This issue brief is intended for town officials who want to understand how development regulations in their community affect local water resources. Municipal development codes – the set of regulations that control the built environment – can have a great influence on the availability of clean and healthy water for drinking, recreation, and commercial uses. This in turn affects the community’s social, environmental, and economic vitality.

Comprehensive plans, zoning codes, and building standards are just a few examples of regulations that intentionally or unintentionally regulate the way water is transported, collected and absorbed. Regulations that produce dispersed development or large …

Professor Gerald L. Smith Interview Transcription, Gerald L. Smith

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning 75th Anniversary

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Satellite Products For Precipitation Estimation In Mountain Regions: A Case Study For Nepal, Nir Y. Krakauer, Soni M. Pradhanang, Tarendra Lakhankar, Ajay K. Jha

Publications and Research

Precipitation in mountain regions is often highly variable and poorly observed, limiting abilities to manage water resource challenges. Here, we evaluate remote sensing and ground station-based gridded precipitation products over Nepal against weather station precipitation observations on a monthly timescale. We find that the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B-43 precipitation product exhibits little mean bias and reasonable skill in giving precipitation over Nepal. Compared to station observations, the TRMM precipitation product showed an overall Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.49, which is similar to the skill of the gridded station-based product Asian Precipitation-Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation of Water …

Professor Michael Timmons Interview Transcription, Michael Timmons

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning 75th Anniversary

No abstract provided.

Transit-Oriented Development: An Alternative To Sprawl, Troy Patrick Gardner

Masters Theses

Transportation modes have historically influenced forms of growth. The personal automobile has perhaps had the most impact, producing a form of development known as sprawl. This unplanned form of development has become a predominate pattern of growth in many parts of America, which has brought about a number of social, economic, and environmental challenges. In addition to these challenges, sprawl often produces amebic forms without clearly defined centers. Instead, sprawl typically consists of low-density development, single-use zoning, and wide roads. This creates an environment that is almost exclusively designed for vehicles and dangerous for pedestrians. Because sprawl usually lacks an …

Translating The Cultural Landscape: A Chinese Garden In East Tennessee, Xue Yue

Masters Theses

Cultural landscapes are valuable representations of humans’ interaction with nature. These world heritage sites should be protected since they are illustrations of the evolution of human society and settlement over time. However, many of the traditional ones are losing their impact under current physical constraints that are presented by their natural environments, or social, economic, and cultural forces. Based on today’s modern context of efficiency and simplicity, the vanishing legacy of these sites should be interpreted by extracting the essence rooted in the culture and translating it into distinctive but concise characteristics that can be used in modern landscape design. …

Parametric Design And Artificial Wetlands’ Adaption In Landscape Design, Xi Wang

Masters Theses

The philosophy of sustainable development and design has become a widely accepted idea by today’s landscape architects. One of the most recent examples of a sustainable design trend is the application of the constructed wetland in an urban environment. By providing a water purification system for damaged water bodies and potential habitats for wildlife, artificial wetlands are considered as panacea to many cities challenged by water pollution and other ecological crisis. Yet artificial wetlands have obvious disadvantages and further improvements could still be made to them.

This Thesis will introduce basic information about artificial wetlands, their typology, advantages and disadvantages, …

Breaking The Fast Food Chain: Introducing Urban Agriculture To Foster Healthy Eating Habits In America, Justin Dean Bruno

Masters Theses

Americans today know food well, but few fully understand where it comes from, the processes involved in its production and distribution, or the issues of unequal access to it. It is encouraging to see the presence of healthy food and sustainability as hot topics in our society, but we have not yet given everyone equal access to these benefits. Farmers’ markets, agritourism, and organic farms have begun to inspire a new generation about the advantages of healthy food, but the presence of food deserts haunts urban areas throughout the country. The lack of access to healthy food in the city …