Landscape Architecture Commons^™

Designing For A Resilient Waterfront, Laura Festa

Architecture Thesis Prep

The project will use soft infrastructure systems to create a more environmental, technical, and economically resilient waterfront development. The threat of rising sea level will become the framework for a flexible and holistic design between architecture, landscape, and soft infrastructure. By arraying the activities of recreation, ecology, and urban development along the waterfront and combining these design strategies with a soft infrastructure system, the coastline of East Boston has the potential to become a precedent for other urban waterfronts vulnerable to sea level rise. By rethinking the division between landscape and infrastructure to form a soft infrastructure system, solutions can …

Low-Impact Infrastructure: Development And Design Potential For Surface Application Alternatives For Subsurface Infrastructure In Yellowstone National Park's Upper Geyser Basin, Michael R. Pace

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

In sensitive and iconic landscapes, such as Yellowstone National Park’s Upper Geyser Basin, construction and expansion of visitor services is hindered, and often blocked, by the potential for environmental damage that could occur during the installation of subsurface utilities. These utilities, crucial to the success of development, require an alternative method of installation when placed in locations requiring special consideration and protection.

Yellowstone, in particular, is faced with the responsibility of protecting limited hydrothermal resources while also providing access to the general public. Sub-surface utilities threaten this responsibility due to the unknown nature of much of the subsurface

geology in …

Mind, Body And Soul: Performance Landscapes For A Healthy Community, Angelike G. Angelopoulos

Masters Theses

According to the World Health Organization, there have been increases in the adverse physical, mental and social conditions amongst urban populations in recent years. These issues have been attributed to impediments to healthy lifestyles, a lack of physical activity and poor food choices (WHO 29). This can lead to obesity, increasing risk of diabetes, heart disease and other health related problems. Sedentary lifestyles are worsened by modern technologies such as cell phones, computers, and video games.

Urban landscapes have evolved over time to suit the needs of various, and sometimes-competing priorities of growing cities. As a result, the health of …

The City’S Unnoticed Limits: Considerations About The Boundaries In Caracas, Fabio Capra-Ribeiro

Faculty Publications

In Caracas, insecurity has prompted an individual but generalized quest for isolation that is translated into an accelerated growth of boundaries as walls and fences. This situation has led to a significant deterioration of the spaces around them, setback space on one side and the street on the other, confined and divided, urban fabric if getting fragmented. The research wants then to illustrate this complex problem from a qualitative methodology and the hermeneutic circle, from which dialogical relationships are established between the elements analyzed. The main contributions of the research highlights the explanation of a reality that is happening nowadays …

Soundscape Assessment Of Cameron Highlands Environment For Sustainable Development., Engku Mastura Engku Ahmad, Hazreena Hussein, Nazli Che Din

Hazreena Hussein

No abstract provided.

Discussion Of The Contradictions Of The Contemporary Urban Landscape: The Case Of Caracas, Fabio Capra-Ribeiro

Faculty Publications

In the ongoing debate between seemingly conflicting conditions, the author contrasts several features of urban landscape to dig deeper into the understanding of the current Caracas. An interpretative process allows viewing the city from a daily perspective of joy and suffering. The process takes into account different scales of approach, the relationship between buildings and emptiness, and the role of green in the city. Gradually the carelessness of Caracas’s urban landscape becomes evident, fed by little attention to the small scale, the clustering of individualistic interventions and the neglect of the natural component. Final considerations will show the urban landscape …

Freshwater Springs Preservation In Jejudo: Reinterpretation Of Springs As An Ethnological And Environmental Resource, Chang-Yu Hong

International Journal of Geospatial and Environmental Research

On Jeju Island, there are many freshwater springs because it is a volcanic island with abundant precipitation and rainwater. While springs were once plentiful in the island, due to depletion and urbanization pressures, many of the traditional wood and rock structures and spaces surrounding springs have become severely deteriorated. Until the 1970s springs served as vital community resources for water provisioning for drinking and household use, agriculture and livestock. However, after most springs fell into disuse, hydraulic engineers have maintained Jeju’s springs with a concern for springs with strong flow and good water quality but disregarding human activities such as …

Downtown Athol: A Revitalization Plan (Athol, Ma), Brendan Conboy, Nicole Forsyth, Robert Hummel, Ian Kolesinskas, Christina Pillarella, Katelyn Silva

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

The goal of the Master of Regional Planning Studio is to develop a student’s techniques for collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing spatial and non-spatial data and then presenting that collective data in a manner (i.e., report, video, presentation, and 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 the fall of 2014, three local governments contracted with the MRP Studio to create separate vision plans …

Recreating Winchendon Village: A Distinct Destination In Toy Town (Winchendon, Ma), Cat Bryars, Kathleen Doherty, Brandon Gibbs, Sheena Grewal, Allyson C. Manuel, Johanna Stacy

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

The goal of the Master of Regional Planning Studio is to develop a student’s techniques for collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing spatial and non-spatial data and then presenting that collective data in a manner (i.e., report, video, presentation, and 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 the fall of 2014, three local governments contracted with the MRP Studio to create separate vision plans …

Memorial Drive Revitalization (Chicopee, Ma), Emily Anyzeski, Pei-Yu Chen, Noam Goldstein, Stephanos Koullias, Jesse Regnier, Elena Shulman

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

The goal of the Master of Regional Planning Studio is to develop a student’s techniques for collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing spatial and non-spatial data and then presenting that collective data in a manner (i.e., report, video, presentation, and 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 the fall of 2014, three local governments contracted with the MRP Studio to create separate vision plans …

Reconnecting Downtown To The Riverfront. Springfield, Ma. Senior Urban Design Studio,, Aqsa Butt, Justin Cooper, Elyse Couture, Matthew Crosby, Valerie Degroote, Andrew Duncan, Caroline Fay, Adam Fearing, Russell Greene, Mark Gullifer, Bladimir Hernandez, Christopher Johnson, Daniel Keirstead, John Milos, Jing Pan, Benjamin Perrett, Rebecca Jean Walton

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

The work of this urban design studio illustrates visions for the revitalization of Springfield’s downtown riverfront through landscape architecture facing the challenges of a dissecting I-91 highway corridor. Re-Connecting people to the riverfront capi­talizes on the great Connecticut River and will revitalize the city to attract and engage residents and visitors alike. The proposals foster creating spaces in Riverfront Park for multiple activities such as recreation, places for arts and culture, education and enhancement of the River’s ecology. They further promote pedestrian/bicycle arteries to and along the riverfront that are embedded in a livable, mixed-use, diverse neighborhood.

The work explores …

Greening Worcester: Planning And Designing Green Infrastructure Networks For Habitat, Recreation, And Landscape Interpretation:, Meilan Chen, Zhuoya Deng, Ericka Duym, Matthew R. Hisle, Laura Keskula, Joseph Larico, Bin Liu, Shu Liu, Wenjie Liu, Tharyn S. Nein-Large, Junbo Zhang

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

This graduate studio focused on the creating green infrastructure networks in Worcester, Massachusetts which is the second most populated city in Massachusetts. The studio worked in conjunction with the EcoTarium, an innovative science museum in Worcester in order to link the City’s rich cultural, historic, and academic resources across a densely populated urban region; and expand opportunities for local residents to learn about urban ecology in their own neighborhoods. The studio project builds on the City’s open space plan goals by planning improved access to water resources, increased connectivity between existing parks and open space, and safer bicycle and pedestrian …

The Lake View Cemetery: Photographs From Cleveland's Historic Landmark, Barney Taxel, Laura Taxel

University of Akron Press Publications

The Lake View Cemetery, founded in 1869, was modeled after the great garden cemeteries of Victorian England and France. Over 107,000 individuals are interred on the sprawling 285 acre expanse that is located four and one-half miles from Cleveland's Public Square. According to a Plain Dealer report in 1870, the cemetery was designed to combine all the attractive features that "nature and true art can produce" to harmonize nature's alphabet-"stone, earth, wood and water." The landscape was laid out with broad avenues and shady walks "near the fountains in view of many a rustic pile [edifice] and quiet grave and …

Ogden College Of Science & Engineering Newsletter (Fall 2014), Cheryl Stevens, Dean

Ogden College of Science & Engineering Publications

No abstract provided.

A Unique Approach To Allow Low-Income Families The Opportunity To Gain Home Ownership Access Through Alternative Financing, Wilbert Abbott, Jr.

Wilbert Abbott Jr

Community and Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture professionals along with state and local politicians need to aid low-income family's by informing them of opportunities that will allow them to become home owners in mixed-use (New Urbanist) communities. In one example a study prepared by the Social Enterprise Fund of Edmonton and Calgary, Canada creates an alternative financing source to help social enterprises provide career and economic services low-income families. The purpose of this study is to 1) illustrate the barriers present to purchase a home for low-income households when there is a lack of economic resources, 2) analyze case studies …

Children's Playscapes: Risk, Safety, And Creativity, Ngoc Doan

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

This project focuses on urban playgrounds in the Boston metropolitan area in Massachusetts. Since 1995, renovations implemented through the Boston Schoolyards Initiative (BSI) have transformed school playgrounds into more vibrant environments for children. Nonetheless, these playgrounds may provide further opportunities for innovative designs that help promote creativity.

In the twenty-first century, children seem to be more interested in exploring the world of digital technology rather than spending time outdoors. However, the outdoor environment provides a great medium for children to explore and learn along with other children, which cannot be experienced via technology. One of the challenges that prevents children …

Building A Modern Agricultural Planting Garden In An Urban Area, Restoration Of Shenzhen Central Park, Guangdong, China, Yan Xu

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

This master project proposes a restoration plan for building a modern agricultural planting garden in an urban area for Shenzhen Central Park, China. There are various challenges in the selected area including weak accessibility, lack of social activity, and loss of cultural identity. This paper will propose a restoration plan based on field study, literature review, background data analysis, and case studies. Urban agriculture practice and community garden study provide guidance on the selection of strategies to deal with those challenges in the urban context. Specific concepts include sustainable urban development and creating social and cultural experiences. The design proposal …

Architecture For Science: Space As An Incubator To Nurture Research, Maryam Mohammad Shafiee

Masters Theses

This thesis will study how scientific research environments should be designed, specifically addressing the issues beyond mere needs of research scientists. Assuming that the purpose of research is to create new knowledge and foster discoveries, as well as positively influence the community in its processes and results, this thesis will explore the potential of the influence of this building typology that has not been previously considered enough. The objectives of the thesis are on one hand, the changes in science disciplines and their reflections in the evolution among this building type, on the other hand, the impacts of research environment …

The Community Cohesion Trail Of Brattleboro, Vermont, Patrick C. Kitzmiller

Masters Theses

The focus of this thesis is the creation of a series of architectural installations, bridges and gardens that link together via a pedestrian/bike path to connect the urban center of Main St. in Brattleboro, Vermont with the municipal park on the western end of town known as Memorial Park.

This thesis argues that the vast majority of community interactions take place along the sidewalks of the urban downtown, and in certain centers of activity in and around the area, such as Memorial Park. Thus, these two places have been chosen to test whether architecture can be used to bridge the …

An Interpretive Plan Guide For Wilderness Park In Lincoln, Nebraska, Rachel J. Ward

Community and Regional Planning Program: Professional Projects

Wilderness Park, located in Lancaster County, Nebraska, is a public park of unique ecological and historical value to the city of Lincoln and to the surrounding region. The natural and historical features of the park present an opportunity to communicate environmental and historical topics that are relevant on local, national, and global levels, as well as inspire a lively sense of pride in the community. The problem is that many topics relevant to Wilderness Park are not currently being interpreted at the park, and that there are relatively few interpretive resources available to park visitors.

The purpose of this project …

Creative Placemaking: A Case Study Exploration Of How Creative Economy Strategies Can Provide Potential Opportunities For Revitalization In Downtown Chicopee, Ma, Laura Selmani

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

Chicopee, a former industrial center in western Massachusetts, is experiencing a stagnant economy, high vacancy and a steady loss of population. City of Chicopee wants to increase downtown visibility and bolster its economy by attracting in the area people constituent of creative class. This research represents an attempt to identify creative strategies to develop the neglected downtown of Chicopee. After more than a century of economic blight, vacancy and declining population, the city wants to research and exploit the potential of arts and culture as means to a physical, social and economic revivification of its downtown.

A key aim of …

Agri[Culture]: An Alternate Paradigm For The American Landscape, Melissa Erin Morris

Masters Theses

Throughout the Appalachian region, one can experience the vast disappearance of the American landscape as we know it. Whether driving through the rugged coal mining towns of Virginia, or the suburban sprawl taking over the rural farmland of Tennessee, it becomes clear that this is a spreading epidemic. Without an appropriate balance of urban, suburban, and rural areas, we begin to loose the landscape which has always been so closely linked to this country’s cultural and physical identity.

This thesis focuses on the agrarian Appalachian culture with a proposal for a project rooted heavily in cultural identity. With programs based …

Insites, 2014, Utah State University

inSites

Magazine of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

The Ark: Grafting Productive Programs Onto Contemporary Waste-Space, Caryn Brause, Carey Clouse

Caryn Brause

As the intertwined issues of climate change and resource scarcity profoundly alter the shape and scope of urban life, emerging designers must be positioned to respond in meaningful ways. This paper documents a research and design project that foregrounds several key design considerations for the future city: the expanded role of animals, the necessity for communal spaces to share knowledge, tools, and materials, and the waste-spaces that can be appropriated for that purpose. In doing so, it critically considers how we can prepare future design professionals to propose architectural and landscape program types that have yet to be invented, to …

Wind Cave Bison Station, Nathaniel R. Cimala

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

From The Spoils: Revitalizing Abandoned Coal Mines And Their Communities, Jamie Yousten

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Concept Of Ecosystem Services In Adaptive Urban Planning And Design: A Framework For Supporting Innovation, Jack F. Ahern, Sarel Cilliers, Jari Niemela

Jack F. Ahern

Recent research and professional interest in planning for sustainable and resilient cities emphasizes the assessment of a broad spectrum of urban ecosystem services. While such assessments are useful to establish specific benchmarks, and for measuring progress toward sustainability and resilience goals, they do not motivate, or support the innovations required to provide specific ecosystem services as an intentional part of routine urban and infrastructure development activity by municipalities and professionals. In this context, predictions for unprecedented future urbanization and development of new urban infrastructure represent a unique opportunity to “learn-by-doing”. Significant advances in urban sustainability have recently been made through …

A New Suburban Elysium: A Headstone For The Dying Periphery, Samuel David Chertock

Honors Capstone Projects - All

The proposed “cemetery” and retail center for the Idora neighborhood of Youngstown, Ohio is the result of one research semester and one design semester. The design proposal arose from dissatisfaction with the architectural community’s propensity for using jargon and clichés when describing the contemporary suburban condition. Many critics and commentators understand suburbia through the lens of the postwar period. It has been suggested that suburbia was developed for use as a media weapon – and thus, at the conclusion of the Cold War, should have been rendered architecturally irrelevant. However, suburbia has remained stagnant. Design standards employed by developers continue …

Representing Rurality, Carolina Esther Jimenez

Honors Capstone Projects - All

Architecture is a system of representation. Architecture’s power is that through representation we may change previously constructed conceptions and misperceptions, and ultimately it can transform patterns of spatial inhabitation. Through words, images, drawings, and built work, we define modes of experiencing space. This project seeks to redefine Nebraska as a territory of critical social, political, economic, and physical importance through architectural representations.

Increasing Urban Biodiversity In Springfield, Ma By Restoring The Native Floodplain Plant Community Along The Connecticut River, Keith W. Hannon

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

The purpose of this project was to increase urban biodiversity by restoring the native floodplain plant communities along the Connecticut River at the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club (PVRC). Restoring or designing native plant communities is an important design alternative to the typical design methods of using non-native plant species and mono-culture plant palettes. Restoring a native plant community at the PVRC will allow the landscape to function once more as usable habitat for wildlife and native plants, encourage the natural succession of native plants, and become a more resilient landscape that can better withstand ecological changes caused by various factors …