Landscape Architecture Commons^™

Equitable Siting Of Green Stormwater Infrastructure In Urban Areas For Flood Resilience In Vulnerable Communities, Elnaz Chitsazzadeh

Planning Dissertations

Cities face increasing pressure from rapid urbanization, aging gray infrastructure, intensifying rainfall, and uneven flood protection. In this context, green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) and other nature-based solutions are increasingly promoted as tools for climate adaptation, flood resilience, and environmental justice. Yet a central planning challenge remains: how to identify where GSI should be prioritized when flood-related physical burden, weak environmental protection, social vulnerability, and lower recovery capacity overlap. This dissertation addresses that challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, by examining how equitable GSI siting can support flood resilience in vulnerable urban neighborhoods.

Framed by urban resilience and environmental justice, the study …

Enhancing The User Experience Of Colorado Bend State Park Through The Implementation Of Cultural Landscape Analysis, Hunter C. Lynch

Landscape Architecture Masters & Design Theses

This design thesis investigates how landscape character and sense of place can be more clearly expressed through a cultural landscape approach to design at Colorado Bend State Park, a state park in Texas, with a focus on guiding future trail and campsite development in the currently undeveloped eastern portion of the park.The park’s dramatic canyons, limestone bluffs, spring-fed systems, and upland prairies form a series of distinct, yet interconnected landscape conditions shaped by the interaction of physical structure, ecological systems, and cultural associations. While these characteristics define the site's identity and are reflected in portions of the existing park, they …

A Study Of Adaptive Reuse Of A Decommissioned Golf Course Through A Nature-Based Approach: Woodhaven Golf Course, Fort Wort Texas., Justin B. Watson Mr.

Landscape Architecture Masters & Design Theses

Across the nation, golf courses are shutting down due to a lack of demand. Golf course developments began in the United States in the early 1950s During that era, demand for golf courses and housing was high. As golf’s popularity grew, developers saw golf courses in developments as high value-add amenities (Grooms, 2010). During the late 1990s and early 2000s, developers across the country raced to construct as many golf course communities as they could even as the number of golfers leveled out (Downey,2011).

Decommissioned golf courses across Texas are being underutilized as potential amenities for both the local community …

Landscape As Expo: Reimagining Desert Landscapes As Climate-Adaptive Cultural Infrastructure In Las Vegas, Parinaz Baradaran Anaraki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Contemporary desert cities face increasing environmental and social challenges driven by climate change, including extreme heat, water scarcity, fragmented ecological systems, and limited access to high-quality public open space. In many rapidly urbanizing regions, conventional urban development has marginalized desert landscapes, treating them as vacant land rather than valuable ecological and cultural assets. This thesis proposes Landscape as Expo as a new framework for transforming desert landscapes into climate-adaptive cultural infrastructure, where ecological processes become both functional systems and public experiences.

The project focuses on a 140-acre site within the Tule Springs Planning District in North Las Vegas, Nevada, identified …

Childhood Through Motion: Reimagining Everyday Mobility Corridors For Learning, Independence, And Exploration, Olivia Liljegren

City and Regional Planning

This project proposes the Childhood Through Motion (CTM) Framework, which reimagines how everyday mobility corridors can support children’s development through repeated engagement with integrated interventions along key neighborhood routes. Building on existing approaches such as Safe Routes to School and Playful Learning Landscapes, the framework integrates mobility, play, learning, and social interaction into a connected system of corridors and nodes distributed throughout a neighborhood street network. Rather than treating mobility, play, and learning as separate, the framework explores how developmental opportunities can be integrated into the public spaces children use every day.

The framework is organized through five guiding principles …

Within The Ruin: A Modern Brewery Rebirth, Karim Asarzadeh

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project focuses on the revitalization of the historic ruins of the James River Steam Brewery in Richmond, Virginia. The project transforms the forgotten industrial structure into a modern brewery with a second-floor restaurant addition and community gathering spaces while preserving the historic masonry ruins. It showcases a holistic design approach that considers all aspects of the building, including its connection to the urban context and landscape, as well as its architecture, interiors, and furniture. The project demonstrates how a holistic design approach can create stronger spatial connections and more cohesive environments. In particular, it offers a strategy for …

Public Art’S Role In Urban Transformation In New York City: 5 Pointz And The High Line, Shelby Stanton

Pomona Senior Theses

Urban spaces are made not only of buildings and infrastructure but of the social and cultural practices that integrates into social fabric and assigns their meaning. They are a living, transforming entity where humans and the environment influence each other in lifestyle and identity. In New York City, art, both formally commissioned public works and grassroots urban interventions, have become central to the processes of urban transformation. Murals, installations, and curated parks are crucial to the urban environment and are frequently leveraged as tools of placemaking. Place-making is a concept used to describe and understand how meaningful places emerge from …

Revival Through Resilience In The Post-Mined Landscape: Demonstrating The Socio-Economic Context Of Appalachia And Exploring How Community Infrastructure And Cultural Tourism Can Be Catalysts For Economic Regeneration In Appalachian Communities, Azita Tasnim Ritu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Post-industrial communities across Appalachia continue to experience economic and environmental challenges following the decline of coal mining and related industries. Towns such as Smithers and Montgomery, West Virginia, reflect these conditions through economic stagnation, population loss, aging infrastructure, and degraded landscapes, creating an urgent need for sustainable redevelopment strategies.

The Appalachian Regional Commission emphasizes economic diversification, infrastructure investment, and community revitalization as critical components for improving regional quality of life. However, many former mining communities continue to struggle with underutilized heritage assets, degraded landscapes, and limited economic alternatives. Cultural landscapes and local identity remain significant but often overlooked resources that …

Data-Driven Methodologies For Mapping Cultural Heritage: The Case Of The National Coal Heritage Area, West Virginia, Usa, Hossain Mohammad Nahyan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this dissertation was to develop a comprehensive, data-driven spatial framework for characterizing the complex cultural landscape of the National Coal Heritage Area (NCHA) in West Virginia. By transitioning away from traditional, heuristic spatial mapping, this research integrates advanced spatial statistics, machine learning, and GIS-based methodologies to objectively quantify the physical, visual, and cultural dimensions of the post-mining environment. The research is structured around three interconnected empirical studies, each addressing a specific scale of the Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) framework to support heritage conservation and sustainable spatial planning. The first paper focused on landform classification, developing an automated …

Green Connectivity In Metropolitan Jabodetabek: Climate Change And The Challenge Of Urban Forest, Safira Maharani Putri, Hendricus Andy Simarmata

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

Urban areas in Indonesia, particularly the Greater Jakarta metropolitan region (Jabodetabek), are increasingly experiencing the adverse effects of climate change, such as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon. Rapid urbanization has contributed significantly to rising greenhouse gas emissions and deteriorating environmental quality. Urban forests are one of the key solutions to mitigate these impacts; however, their spatial distribution in Jabodetabek remains suboptimal and poorly connected. This study uses NDVI as a proxy for urban forest density, where “urban forest” refers to vegetated areas within cities as defined by Presidential Regulation No. 60/2020. The research addresses the following question: How has …

Built For Participation: A Set Of Measures For Evaluating Community Living For People Of All Abilities As Supported By The Built Environment, Christopher A. Wilson Ii

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As the world enters a new era of urban living, it is important to develop cities that allow residents of all ages and abilities to fully participate in society. Integration of people with disabilities into daily community living involves looking beyond site- or product-specific features to community- and city-wide systems. Some tools have been developed to begin evaluating cities’ levels of inclusive social participation and to provide recommendations for city planning professionals. However, the tools that have been developed often are too complex for practical use or rely on data that varies in obtainability. Therefore, the purpose of this series …

Spatial Strategies For Restoring Native Biodiversity And Connectivity In Managed Landscapes Of The Upper Clutha Basin, New Zealand, Jessica Zuban

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Across New Zealand and around the world, biodiversity is declining due to the widespread loss and fragmentation of native habitat. This is especially true in agricultural landscapes, where native habitats have been replaced by intensive land use. This research focuses on the Upper Clutha Basin in Central Otago, New Zealand that has been significantly altered over time by farming, development, and other human activities. As a result, only a small amount of native vegetation remains, and the region is well below the critical threshold needed to support healthy ecological systems.

This study investigates how native vegetation can be strategically restored …

Practical Effectiveness Of Large Language Models In Assisting Landscape Architects In Plant Selection, Paul Gardner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming many industries, but its role in landscape architecture remains relatively unexplored. This study examines how AI, specifically GPT-4, can assist landscape architects in selecting plants for projects. By comparing AI-generated plant lists to those that human experts created, the research evaluates Accuracy, Suitability, Availability, Aesthetics, and Professional Usability.

The results show that AI-generated plant lists were highly efficient, accurately matching site conditions and improving plant availability while significantly reducing selection time. However, human expertise was essential for ensuring aesthetic quality and design intent. While AI can serve as a powerful tool for streamlining plant …

Faxes, Emails, And Cad: A Case Study Of The Changing Landscape In Born-Digital Design Records, 1994-2006, Julia D. Larson

Journal of Western Archives

The article examines the technological changeover from analog to born digital design records in the mid-1990s, and is a case study in how one San Francisco Bay Area landscape architecture firm navigated the paradigm shift. The firm retained extensive documentation of the project management/construction administration for large scale projects, and this case study shows how archivists can utilize the analog documentation (like faxes and printed emails) to gain a greater understanding of how design firms began using Computer Aided Drafting and how CAD changed design and the process of archiving.

Tangible And Design Assistance In Historic Preservation Courses To Assist Communities In The Recuperation Of Their Existing Built Cultural Resources In New Mexico, Francisco Uviña-Contreras

Faculty Publications

The presentation proposed for the NCBDS 41 Conference to be hosted at the School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P) Department at the University of New Mexico (UNM) concerns the arduous work in the Historic Preservation and Regionalism (HP+R) Program in this institution. This significant opportunity to present courses in the HP+R Program aims to "exchange and disseminate information and ideas concerning preservation education and its relationship to community engagement and its connections to its historical past." This issue is particularly relevant in the context of the NCBDS 41 Conference, which touches on aspects of the "Pedagogy in Cultural Heritage through …

Activating Urban Space For Movement And Joy: A Curated Journey, Judith Wasserman

Activating Urban Space

In today’s world of sedentary work and study, movement is more important than ever for both our bodies and our minds. These exhibit panel designs explore how public space can be a catalyst for physical wellbeing, creativity, and joy. Featuring a series of photo-based display panels, the exhibit showcases images of dance and movement in public spaces, captured and curated to highlight the often-overlooked role of urban design in supporting health. The exhibit includes reflections on how movement—when thoughtfully integrated into public life—can reduce stress, spark joy, and foster community. Complementing the photography is a set of movement instructions designed …

Land Struggles, Resistance, And Mutual Protection Along The Colorado-New Mexico Border: The Sacred Right Of Self-Preservation, José A. Rivera Ph.D

Faculty Publications

Mutual protection societies proliferated in the American Southwest during a period of rapid social change, 1870-1930, coincident with significant changes in the region’s political economy and increased competition for land and water resources. To resist encroachment and protect their natural resources, hispano communities in Colorado and New Mexico organized mutual benefit and protective associations known as mutualistas, with a large number concentrated in the San Luis Valley of Colorado as well as in many rural counties of northcentral New Mexico. The Costilla Valley of New Mexico is a prototypical hispano settlement initially established as part of the expansive Sangre …

Practitioners’ Perspectives On Preventing Environmental Gentrification In Chicago, Illinois, Usa, Tania Schusler, Amy Krings

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Pollution cleanup, green space creation, and other improvements to environmental quality in cities are important to urban sustainability. However, because they occur within a political economic context characterized by structural racism, urban greening initiatives can intentionally or unintentionally reproduce racial, economic, and social inequities through environmental gentrification. We explored possibilities for improving environmental quality without displacing or excluding long-term residents including people of color, the poor, and members of other marginalized groups. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with community organizers, environmental justice advocates, urban planners, housing specialists, and others who held deep expertise through their lived and professional experience in …

A Framework For The Role Of Vegetation Selection In Enhancing Educational Outdoor Spaces Through Ai Technology., Amira Mohamed, Mirette A. Esmat, Amira Mahrous Dr

Journal of Engineering Research

Well-designed outdoor spaces are increasingly recognised as critical components of environmental sustainability and community building within higher education institutions. Among the most influential elements in shaping these spaces is the strategic selection of vegetation, which must balance aesthetics, functionality, ecological value, and long-term maintenance. However, traditional plant selection methods remain time-consuming, labour-intensive, and often dependent on subjective judgement, posing significant challenges for landscape architects and campus planners. This paper explores the application of artificial intelligence (AI) as a transformative solution to enhance the plant selection process in educational outdoor environments. It introduces a comprehensive AI-driven framework that integrates key variables—including …

Climate Information Use In Transportation Planning: A Survey Of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Kelli M. Archie, James C. Arnott, Julie A. Vano, Daniella Hirschfeld, Rebecca Rasch, Emilio Mateo

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Climate change and its potential to impact transportation systems poses urgent challenges for sustainability and societal well-being, emphasizing a need to plan to reduce transportation infrastructure’s vulnerability to impacts such as sea level rise, extreme weather events, and increased erosion. Previous research has focused on document analysis and case studies and has highlighted the importance of including transportation professional needs in regard to understanding how transportation professionals use climate science. Through direct inclusion of transportation professional perspectives, this paper aims to fill the gaps in understanding about the use of climate information in transportation planning. To obtain data about local …