During my undergraduate studies at Pennsylvania State University, I was introduced to different forms of how we as landscape designers and architects cultivate space for both form and function. How we spatially analyze our sites and define the functions of the space can impact the landscape - and in turn the people inhabiting the space.
These concepts formed some of my personal interests within the profession, with those being water systems, pollutant mitigation, and reclaiming spaces for people. Within the contents of this booklet, many of these key values play valuable roles in the graphics produced within my studies and shaped me into the designer I am now.
Projects
Blackstone Valley Ecological Corridor
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Stiftsplatz Plaza Redesign - Bonn, Germany
Co-Creating with Animals - Northern Flying Squir -
Riveredge Park - Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
Millennium Science Complex Planting Project
University Park, Pennsylvania
Arts Alley - University Park, Pennsylvania
Blackstone Valley Ecological Corridor
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
PSU LArch 414
Spring 2024
The Atlantic Flyway is an important migratory path for bird species that are migrating as high as Canada and as low as South America. Along this flyway connects Rhode Island as a prominent spot for birds to pass through, leading to connections between these species and the Blackstone River, which is the historical location of the Industrial Revolution in 1790.
The proposed Ecological Corridor would consist of a systematic ecological pathway along the Blackstone River, starting at historic Slater Mill and ending in Valley Falls Park, with the thought that this project can be expanded depending on the needs of the environment and the community. The goals of this project are to understand how the species on site affect the ecology that we see currently and in turn and how the river affects them. The proposal addresses the river’s current pollutant contents, and how we can work towards creating a better quality that can affect both the migratory bird species that visit this site, as well as the food chain that these species are attached to. By doing so, we can understand how the ecosystem isn’t just apart of one small community, but on a global scale, and how impacting the species in one state can impact another in a completely different part of the world.
The process to work towards repairing the river’s quality includes riparian buffers, creating community imvolvement oppurtunities through programs such as master gardener, and creating more spaces for bird species to exist alongside other species by the river.
Understanding the physical relationship between the river and the species living in the current conditions is important because it won’t affect us, but many other species that interact with the river. Potential hazards around or in the river are extremely important to be aware of, and how we can work towards creating a better relationship with ourselves and the natural environment through education and building co-designing relationships through the river and the species that inhabit it.
Conditions such as pollution, lack of vegetation or cover, sediment backup, or intense land development are all potential problems and can cause more issues for the local ecosystem if not considered. Our audience should care about the health of the river (and they do). Still, part of caring for the river is also caring for the animal communities that the river provides for. This project’s main intent is to show the public why we should care about how the river provides for avian and aquatic species that use this site all the time.
During this project’s research, different “resident” bird species were tracked along the Atlantic Flyway, and were identified based on their population, and whether a certain species was threatened. Aligning these species to a map showed how the birds move along the Eastern United States, and more specifically how many birds gather along Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
The proposed corridor focuses alongside the river, as seen in the yellow. While the target area was along the river, the techniques proposed can also be focused more into the city as well.
To assist in adding greenspace alongside the river before the slope, pollinator plantings could be added to add a potential food source while also giving possible roosting areas.
To protect some of the areas of the vegetation, a trellice system is set up so that we could protect some of the plants from passerbys trampling by accident. Once the plants are established the trellice can be removed.
Upland Trees and Shrubs
Zone 1:
Middle Bank Shrubs and Perennials
Zone 2:
Low Bank Grasses and Perennials
Zone 3:
Stiftsplatz Plaza Redesign
Bonn, Germany
LArch 499B Fall 2023
This project was done during my semester abroad in Bonn, Germany, where the focus was on doing a project that separately incorporated stormwater, heat reduction, and recreation activities within three separate design ideas, and then made a combined concept of all three. While working on the site, other criteria were also needed for the project, such as e-bike and car-sharing designated spots.
Listed below is the write up describing the project:
This project consists of a combination of techniques to add to the site to assist in Stormwater, Heat Reduction, and Recreation. The project shown is the product of initially three separate concepts for the site, and how all three techniques can be incorporated. The site addresses the main factors within this design are stormwater drainage, shady spots, and the addition of native ecology to create a green spot in a space created as a parking space. To achieve this, the site includes rain gardens, a manmade channel that drains in the center, tall grasses, native wildflowers, and large trees that can help mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect (UHI). Additionally, traffic around the site was also analyzed, and areas where vehicles will drive slower and entrances into the site have also been opened to allow for good movement on site.
Welschnonnenstraße
Elevated Trees
Lights
Seating
Open Grass
Tall Grasses
Shade Canopy
Stormwater Canal
Shade Sails
Fountain
Rainwater Garden
Bike Parking
Car Sharing Lot
Tree Platform
Rainwater Garden
Wildflower Garden
Plant Palette
The plant palette listed features a wide range of grasses, wild flowers, shrubs and trees that accomodate the weather conditions typically seen in Bonn, as well as the building blocks for starting the local ecology in the site.
The flowers listed here are categorized by Low Wildflowers, Tall Grasses and Rain Water Garden.
LowWildflowers
Features
Additionally on site, there is added bike parking along the edge of the site, and car sharing spots. To aleviate the use of large vehicle traffic on site, there are more bicycle spots on site than vehicles. There is also a light green roof attached to the top of the overhead of the bike parking.
The thumbnails shown here relate to how people use this space for recreation use, including the seating, the sails and the tree platform view.
Acer pseudoplataus Sycamore Maple
Acer pseudoplataus Sycamore Maple
Populus tremula European Aspen
users would interact with each feature on the site.
Co-Creating with Animals: Northern Flying Squirrel
PSU LArch 424 Spring 2024
This course focused on co-existing with animals within the Pennsylvania reigon. My chosen animal for this semester long research project was the Northern Flying Squirrel, which is threatened to the northern Pennsylvania reigon. The course focused on understanding how this animal is considered an engineer, and how they alter the landscape, and what we can do to work alongside these animals to design in the environment.
With the Northern Flying Squirrel, many of the research that was done is how they alter the landscape through seed dispersal, and how far these squirrels can travel as they repopulate coniferous forests back into these areas that are being cut down. By seeing how the flying squirrels can move, we could potentially co-create with them so that we can measure the impact that they have on forests, while also benefitting the squirrels at the same time.
Animals as Researchers in Repopulating Forests
Seed Dispersal Through Enrichment
Its no surprise that flying squirrels are food driven, but what if we were to co-create with them to help repopulate the conifer trees that we lost to overcutting? Pair the need for seed dispersal and the flying squirrels’
Goals!
*Research range of squirrels, and the time frame that they move. *Track favorite seeds, and the range that they move with target species.
impressive range of travel, and we can look into ways that we can work with the squirrels to research how to repopulate spruces and hemlocks through dispersal, while also getting a treat for their efforts!
Looking at existing observations, we can conclude that the squirrels favorite foods are truffles and pinecones! the truffles are liked significantly more, douglas fir and other seeds are also liked, these seeds can be dispersed through the squirrels
Engineering in Forests - Seed Dispersal
Generally, flying squirrels exhibit positive changes to the environment due to their ability to disperse seeds while gliding from tree to tree. By doing this, the squirrels are actively adding to the seed bank.
Many of the Northern Flying Squirrels are moving up as many of the conifers die back due to overcutting, and Southern Flying Squirrels are moving up and dispersing deciduous seeds, overcompeting the trees that the Northern needs. Research in moving the squirrels south to bring back coniferous trees is neccesary for balace in Pennsylvania’s mixed forests!
Additionally, the Northern Flying Squirrel hides their nuts and seeds collected from foraging as reserves during the winter. The seeds not found are already in areas where seeds could grow, also contributing to tree growth in coniferous forests. They are also responsible for moving fungi spores as well!
Prospective Seed Dispersal Location
RiverEdge Park
Coraopolis, PA
PSU LArch 414
Spring 2023
This project focused on community and how to work with those within to create a project that has a large influence on the population there. Our site was located in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, and was located in an area that previously had an industrial history behind it. From this, one of the main factors of the project that was discussed with the community is the want for connection from the original site to the Ohio River where it borders. From there, other ideas came to fruition, such as kayak/ boat access, fishing areas, and creating a starting point for rip rap barriers along the river to start the conversation of cleaning up the river.
The end of the project proposed riparian buffers along the side of the river while removing the Japanese Knotweed that has currently taken place. Additionally, pollinator plantings were also introduced to give the space more areas for education on the needs of such species.
This studio also introduced charettes and open house ideas, where we were tasked with creating a table that allows community members to interact with the site with what could be potentially done with the site, and what they would like to see in the future, as this particular site was already in the process of installing an amphitheater.
Coraopolis Towers
Public Works Building
Ronald L. Bliwas Field
MillSt.
1stAve
Drop Off Parking
Phase One: Parking/ Amphitheatre
Kayak/Boat Launch
Plaza Playground
Outlook
Walkway
Switchback
Garden
Fishing Dock
1stAve
Trees
Pollinator Plantings
Tall Grasses
Wood Outlook
Playground Set
Walking Paths
Riparian Plantings
Switchback
Drop Off Lot
Greenroof
Plaza Trees
Pollinator
Riparian Buffer Plantings
Pollinator
Planting Technicals- Millennium Science Complex
University Park, PA
PSU LArch 335
Fall 2022
The projects shown are a pollinator and meadow design conceptualized for The Millennium Science Complex located on Penn State Campus. The idea behind these two projects is to get a feel for how to work on technical drawing in tangent with large conceptual ideas. The two areas are designed for the human experience, while also incorporating ecological impacts, such as places where small animals, birds, and insects can take refuge.
Listed Below are the Statements for both the Pollinator and Meadow Gardens:
Pollinator:
Incorporating native species is vital for wildlife in any area. It is critical for us as designers to include these species in gardens, while also paying attention to the condition and health of these plants so that they can continuously support the natural process that pollinators go through.
The focal point of my design is for visitors of the Millennium Science Complex to get an opportunity to learn more about the importance of pollinators, and how this benefits the wellbeing of bird and insect species.
Many of the perennials chosen benefit insect species such as butterflies and bees, as well as plants that benefit birds.
Meadow:
When creating the design for each meadow on site, incorporating a diverse plant set for each meadow was vital to create a habitat for insects and animals. Many of the large grasses picked for all of the meadows were chosen with wildlife cover in mind, with the addition of larger forbs to also allow many of these species to be seen by visitors of the space.
The pathing of the space was made larger to allow for ADA accessibility throughout the three meadows, in addition to an ecolawn located towards the edge of the mesic meadow, All of the forbs chosen for each meadow follow similar colors to show a transition from each meadow to the visitor. Many of the forbs chosen for the mesic meadows were tones of yellow, the rain meadow being purple, and the prairie meadow having a mix between the two colors.
Existing Trees
Seating
Tree Plazas
Rain Meadow
Prairie Meadow
Mesic Meadow
Lowland
Ecolawn
15’
Arts Alley-Technical Drawings
University Park, PA PSU Larch 236 Fall 2022
The project shown below focuses on technical drawings, and creating a set of drawings showcasing the process of conveying the process of building a site. This project in total ranged many different sheets ranging from the overall site plans to the conditions the site is facing now, the demolition process, the materials, and many more other factors we must consider when implementing a project. Regardless, this project showcases different site requirements, such as a fire lane, and creating this site to be more ADA accessible.
The space outside of the Palmer Museum is the location for the project, and consists of varying grades that were proven to be difficult to work with, so understanding the balance between working with the grade and creating accessibility was key for completing the project. Ultimately, adding in small touches of ecology and pollinator planting while aligning with my tastes was also done to give the space more ecological value, as this project’s goal was to understand the process of creating a set of documents.
