Architecture Commons^™

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 …

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

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning 75th Anniversary

No abstract provided.

Professor Michael Timmons Interview Transcription, Michael Timmons

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning 75th Anniversary

No abstract provided.

Evidence Of Agrarian Urbanism: Land Use Preferences Of Residents Living On Small Acreage Farms Or Large Lots With Animal Rights In Cache Valley, Utah, Laurie B. Hurst

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Until the last half century, land development patterns in the Intermountain West were designed after the Mormon settlement pattern. With its gridiron streets and in-town farmsteads, this pattern gave families the opportunity to grow crops and raise a few animals on their one acre or less in town, with the added advantage of having a social life. In many places over the last century, cities have grown, small farms have dwindled, and large farms have been pushed to the fringe. However, in the Intermountain West the agrarian tradition continues with a number of families who grow gardens and raise animals …

An Evaluation Of Current Stormwater Best Management Practice Relationships Between Design And Efficiency: A Series Of Local And National Case Studies, Amanda Ann Goodwin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water quality continues to be threatened by human development activities such as stormwater runoff from urbanization. This study addresses the question of how stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP) system design choices affect pollutant removal efficiency, through the examination of 12 case study sites (across five states) that use three common BMP system design types (detention, retention, and wetland channel). Water quality information was obtained from the International Stormwater Database and site composite grab samples. Development conditions were inventoried by orthophotos and assessed using Geographic Information System (GIS) and AutoCAD data.

This study relates Total Suspended Solid (TSS) load removal efficiency …

Powder Mountain Bike Resort Master Plan, J. Dayton Crites

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In the last decade ski resorts worldwide have developed mountain bike specific recreational facilities in an effort to increase summer revenues. Their success has been mixed, with some becoming quite profitable, but others closing summer operations after only a few low revenue

years. With minimal information regarding bike park design currently available, the planning and design of these facilities remains largely a grassroots effort. This thesis project develops a methodology that approaches the creation of mountain bike resorts on ski mountain terrain based on landscape architectural best practices, sustainable trail

construction techniques, and site-specific requirements. For this project, the terrain …

Regional Planning Initiative For The Province Of Puerto Plata In The Dominican Republic: A Tourism Planning Framework For The Towns Of San Felipe De Puerto Plata And Sosua, Ana A. Baez Sarita

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The Dominican Republic has locations rich in cultural, historical, and ecological assets. One of these places is the province of Puerto Plata. Located in the northern region of the country, Puerto Plata was one of the first territories of America in which Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. Built in the year of 1494 because of the second Spanish expedition arrival, La Isabela, the first new world’s Spanish village represents one of the many vital historical components of the province of Puerto Plata. The country has an economy largely based in the service sector. According to the U.S. Department of State, …

Linking Intermountain West Shrub-Steppe Grassland Restoration Ecology With Cultural Meaning Through Landscape Design, Bridget Marie Atkin

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

It has been proposed that the aesthetic quality of landscapes, designed or natural, provides a critical linkage between humans, and ecological processes and function. Ecological function is not always compatible with cultural expectations of the landscape aesthetics or is considered desirable. This thesis argues that landscapes that demonstrate desirable environmental characteristics can also possess aesthetic qualities. If they are well-utilized by the general population and more valuable ecologically, they will be more successful. This thesis examines the use of principles of landscape design to incorporate meaningful ecological function within a constructed landscape with desirable aesthetics for the mutual benefit of …

Landscape Architecture Foundation Case Study Investigation And The Case Of The Streetscape, Pamela Blackmore

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The demonstration of landscape performance benefits has become increasingly important in landscape architecture practice and in communicating to interdisciplinary audiences. This project introduces four built streetscape projects investigated in the 2012 Landscape Architecture Foundation Case Study Investigation (CSI) program, including a large-scale permeable pavement project in Charles City, Iowa, and American Society of Landscape Architects' award-winning projects in Missouri, California, and Colorado. Following the case studies, several compelling performance benefits of these projects are presented, such as safety and accessibility and water and energy conservation. The paper specifically illustrates the economic benefits and the data source used for performance assessment …

Insites, 2013, Utah State University

inSites

Magazine of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

Riverside Ranch Landscape Performance Benefits Assessment, Bo Yang

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Riverside Ranch was one of the first homesteads built in Colorado's Roaring Fork River Valley in the 1880s. The project site was a stop for the railroad and stage coaches travelling to nearby Aspen and a successful agricultural and ranching operation for decades. In the mid-twentieth century, the site transitioned into use as an asphalt mixing plant for the Colorado Department of Transportation. When the landscape architect began work, the site was essentially a brownfield in need of rehabilitation as it was host to multiple rundown historic buildings and remnants of the asphalt plant. The design team reconstructed the landscape …

Park Avenue & Us 50 Redevelopment Streetscape Performance Benefits Assessment, Bo Yang, Yue Zhang, Pamela Blackmore

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

The town of South Lake Tahoe experienced undisciplined development, which created traffic congestion, limited connectivity to recreational assets, and negatively impacted the scenic and environmental quality of Lake Tahoe and the region. In response, strict environmental regulations were developed, which subsequently ceased development activities. Faced with serious environmental and economic problems, residents, officials, and developers jointly revised development regulations and worked to strategically deploy development monies to give the town a new future. Today, the town's Park Avenue Corridor with its wide sidewalks, interconnected plazas, consistent architecture, gondola, intermodal transit center, street furniture, and integrated stormwater management is a national …

Charles City Permeable Streetscape Phase I Landscape Performance Benefits Assessment, Bo Yang, Yue Zhang, Pamela Blackmore

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

The Charles City, Iowa, Green Street project addressed serious issues with street deterioration and nuisance street and adjacent yard flooding for a 16-block residential area. The project combines durable permeable paving materials with sustainable stormwater Best Management Practices, while maintaining the historical character of the neighborhood. By integrating stormwater management, the City was able to leverage additional funding that would not be available for conventional street reconstruction. Because of the success and the lessons learned in design and maintenance, the project has spurred additional phases in adjacent neighborhoods and serves as an important blueprint for others considering similar sustainable stormwater …

Cherry Creek North Improvements And Fillmore Plaza Landscape Performance Benefits Assessment, Bo Yang, Yue Zhang

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

The 16-block Cherry Creek North retail district was designed to be Denver's premier outdoor shopping area. Yet deteriorating infrastructure, tired aesthetics and competition from an adjacent indoor mall had led to steady decline. Fillmore Plaza in the heart of the district was no longer a desirable public space since being closed to vehicular traffic in 1987. The new streetscape strengthens the retail environment, preserves the district's history and character, improves identity, beautifies the area, provides new lighting, improves signage, and adds 20 "Art and Garden Places" for shoppers to relax and linger. The redesigned Fillmore Plaza is now a vibrant …

A Step Towards Sustainable: The Meshing Of The Mormon Church Headquarters' Environmental Earth Stewardship Practices With Modern Trends Of Sustainability, Natalie Watkins

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Planners and landscape architects are decision makers whose commitment to sustainable development is integral in transitioning our built environment into a renewable and more self sustaining system. The built environment is a place where the three pillars of sustainability comprising social equity, environmental bear-ability, and economic viability are clearly manifested. The recent decades or scientific research in this area have offered us opportunities to make changes in the built environment that will better support future generations of our local communities. However, social and religious community structures can make change difficult on the Wasatch Front where the headquarters of the Church …

Design Of A Constructed Wetland For Wastewater Treatment And Reuse In Mount Pleasant, Utah, Yue Zhang

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Municipalities in the Intermountain West are facing water shortages based on their current population growth projections. Utah has the second highest per-capita culinary water use in the United States. Among other cities, Mount Pleasant, Utah, is seeking innovative and cost-effective ways to reduce culinary water use. This study presents a feasibility analysis of and a design for using a free water surface constructed wetland system to treat the city’s wastewater. The study further presents a cost-benefit assessment of using the treated water for landscape irrigation in the city. The study is based on an analysis of existing wastewater quality, local …

Perceptions Of Naturalized Playgrounds: A Qualitative Study, Jeffrey C. Hamarstrom

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Play is an important part of childhood as it helps to develop social skills and ensure proper mental and physical development. Electronic media, stranger danger, and urbanization have reduced both the time and access children have to play in natural areas. Many people believe that this is an integral part of childhood and, therefore, concern that children are not interacting with the natural world is becoming a popular topic. Research has shown that natural environments can have various benefits such as reducing anxiety and promoting developmental skills. Play providers are now creating playgrounds that attempt to recreate natural settings, referred …

The Relationship Of Outdoor Recreation And Gardening With Depression Among Individuals With Disabilities, Justin Floyd Wilson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Activities involving natural environments have positive psychological impacts on participants. Both outdoor recreation and gardening have been shown to reduce feelings of depression. However, the effects of these activities on the depression levels of individuals with disabilities have not yet been studied. In order to better understand the relationship between these activities and depression among individuals with disabilities, two separate studies were conducted.

The first study seeks to better understand the relationship between outdoor recreation participation and depression among Montana residents with disabilities using publicly available Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. It hypothesizes that depression would be negatively …

A Critical Evaluation Of The Sustainable Sites Initiative's Guidelines And Performance Benchmarks 2009 As Applied To The Design And Development Of The Orem, Utah Intermodal Center, Jeffrey E. Dzikowski

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

In 2006 the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the United States Botanical Garden, and additional stakeholders joined together to form the Sustainable Sites Initiative^TM (SITES^TM), an organization dedicated to the promotion of sustainable land development and management practices. As part of this effort SITES recently released its Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009, a document which provides a voluntary guideline and rating system for the development, operation, and maintenance of sustainable landscapes.

This guideline and rating system is currently being tested through the Sustainable Sites Initiative pilot program, in which a select …

Utah State University Botanical Center Stream Master Plan, Daniel Willard Schults

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The Utah State University Botanical Center Stream Master Plan is a design to assist Utah State University Botanical Center (USUBC) administration in fulfilling their goals of community outreach and education, implementing sustainable practices and creating aesthetically beautiful areas for public enjoyment. These goals are met through updating the USUBC master plan to account for the newly built man-made stream as well as other future buildings. Trails, overlooks and information nodes are part of the new master plan. The planting plan includes representations of six natural plant communities found in Northern Utah. Additionally, the stream design improves the water quality of …

A Cpted Bibliography: Publications Related To Urban Space, Planning, Architecture, And Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, 1975-2010, Sean E. Michael, Gregory Saville, Joel W. Warren

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

This compendium is the result of two different bibliographies. The first was completed by Sean Michael, Professor and Department Head of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planing at Utah State University. The second was completed by Gregory Saville, urban planner and Principal of AlterNation Consulting, started during graduate work at the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University. Consolidation and expansion of the two works was overseen by Joel Warren, during his Masters of Landscape Architecture at Utah State University.

Our thanks go to the many students, colleagues, and friends who contributed to this work over the years. …

Insites, 2012, Utah State University

inSites

Magazine of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

South Grand Boulevard Great Street Landscape Performance Benefits Assessment, Bo Yang, Yue Zhang, Pamela Blackmore

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Culturally-diverse South Grand Boulevard is a historic district of St. Louis noted for its multitude of international restaurants. It is a growing commercial and residential area selected as one of four Great Streets Initiative pilot projects in the St. Louis region in 2009, demonstrating the character of the local neighborhood. The project, which was scrutinized by local government officials, brings people together and strengthens transit, walkability, recreation, and sustainability, while promoting a safe street environment. South Grand Boulevard applies innovative green solutions to reduce stormwater loading at moderate cost and in a manner that provides additional environmental benefits.

High Desert Community Landscape Performance Benefits Assessment, Bo Yang

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

High Desert community in Albuquerque, New Mexico honors low-impact design practices of water conservation, wildlife habitat restoration, material recycling and cultural endowment. This project changed water-conservation and landscape planting ordinances at city and state levels. Through this master plan, Design Workshop pioneered the firm's philosophy and comprehensive approach, DW Legacy Design®, which strives to balance environmental sensitivity, community connections, artistic beauty and economic viability with metrics that gauge the success of outcomes. High Desert's demonstrated success is a model for sustainable master planned communities.

Daybreak Community Landscape Performance Benefits Assessment, Bo Yang, Amanda Goodwin

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Daybreak is a 4,127-acre model mixed-use community for comprehensive sustainable design. The project was planned on surplus mining land and will accommodate over 20,000 residential units, approximately 9.1 million sf of commercial space, and 20,000 jobs at build-out. The extensive parks and open space integrates stormwater management, merges with natural systems, and is enlivened by social and recreational programming. The full range of sustainable features includes walkable streets, an extensive trail system, native and drought-tolerant plants, habitat conservation, recycled materials, and a vibrant mix of amenities and services. Landscape Performance Benefits • Retains 100% of storm water that falls on …

North Park: A Regional Approach To Parks, Recreation, And Trails Planning, Alan John Luce

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The North Park study area is mainly focused on the parks, recreation, and trails of two municipalities: North Logan and Hyde Park. These two municipalities have formed several partnerships to provide the police, fire, and other civic needs of the citizens of both communities. Coincidentally, these services have been given a name that combines the names of the two municipalities, North Park. However, this particular study area also includes small portions of land that are currently located in Logan City, Cache County, and the U.S. Forest Service.

North Park is a beautiful area nestled on the east bench of Cache …

An Exploration Of The Potential Benefits Of Healing Gardens On Veterans With Ptsd, Brock Justin Anderson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Healing gardens are places that facilitate in improving or restoring an individual’s mental or physical health. Today, therapeutic landscape design is a growing facet of landscape architecture. This study looks at the potential benefits of using healing gardens in addition to traditional methods of treatment for veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A reasonable amount of research has been done into the area of therapeutic landscapes and their influence on certain populations, but the potential positive effects these healing gardensmay hold for veterans suffering from PTSD seems to be unidentified. This study examines the history of healing gardens, problems …

The Impact Of Different Play Environments On The Social Interactions Of Toddlers With Disabilities, Rebecca Buckley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Play is a crucial part of any child’s social behavior and development. It helps children develop self-determination, self-control, and identity. These skills are primarily learned through interactions with other children. Play is particularly imperative for children with disabilities approaching the age of three, an age that studies have shown to be pivotal for their social and emotional growth.

Children with disabilities often have difficulty with social interactions. Play serves as a platform for these interactions, and provides a way for children with disabilities to learn social standards and values. Children with disabilities who do not participate in play can suffer …

The Solitary Place Shall Be Glad For Them: Understanding And Treating Mormon Pioneer Gardens As Cultural Landscapes, Emily Anne Brooksby Wheeler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The gardens of early Mormon pioneers are a unique cultural resource in the western United States, but little guidance has been provided for understanding or providing landscape treatments for Mormon landscapes. Mormon pioneers came to Utah and the Great Basin to escape religious persecution and build their own holy kingdom. In relative geographical isolation, they built towns that have a distinctive character delineating a Mormon cultural region in the West. Self-sufficiency was an important feature of these towns and of the religious culture of early Mormons, both because of their geographical isolation and their desire to be independent of the …