Indigenous Stewardship in Campus Planning: Addressing Ecological Design and Spatial Opportunities in University of New Hampshire.
Course Number: ARCH 2500
Lecture/Lab/Total Credits: 0/12/6
Class Schedule: MWF, 1:00 pm - 4:50 pm
Professor: First Name, Last Name of your Studio Professor.
Syllabus Summary
G1 - Living Harmonies
G2 - Dawn of the Land
G3 - Centrality in Urbanism
G4 - Roots to Routes
Partnership References
Syllabus Summary
This studio course introduces topics of design in the urban realm. Students engage with complex issues and agendas, and develop proposals in response to the physical, cultural, and social contexts that inform design at the urban scale. Topics pertinent to the Urbanism concentration are addressed.
“You can have it all”
Denise Pouliot, Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective,
This edition of Studio 7 (Urbanism) centers on the University of New Hampshire (UNH) campus as a dynamic case study to explore the intersection of climate justice and spatial equity within campus planning. A key focus will be on prioritizing Abenaki’s values of convergence, where people’s inclusion does not contradict ecological regeneration and the economic improvement of UNH educational activities.
This research studio works under the framework of a Restorative Community Desgin that recognize the profound historical and cultural significance of Indigenous Community in the region. Students conducted comprehensive site analyses and research on their heritage to develop strategic environmental design proposals that address spatial opportunities and the production of nature.
Design Process
Phase 1: Analysis: Site Examination
Phase 2: Speculation: Vision Collage
Phase 3: Systems: Spatial Data Taxonomy
Phase 4: Framework: Urban Proposal
Phase 5: Desing Test: Architecture Proposal
Wentworth Institute of Technology
School of Architecture and Design
Studio 07 | Fall 2024
Indigenous Stewardship in Campus Planning: Addressing Ecological Design and Spatial Opportunities in University of New Hampshire.
Course Number: ARCH 2500
Lecture/Lab/Total Credits: 0/12/6
Class Schedule: MWF, 1:00 pm - 4:50 pm
Living Harmonies
Professor: Ignacio Cardona
The University of New Hampshire campus framework plan blends seamlessly with its natural environment, prioritizing ecological balance and sustainability. Restored wetlands and protected waterways are at the heart of the landscape, where natural vegetation buffers manage stormwater and prevent pollution without the need for heavy infrastructure. Scenic gathering spots along the paths offer spaces for students to unwind, surrounded by nature. A network of trails weaves through forests and fields, enhancing mobility while preserving wildlife corridors. Raised boardwalks and strategically placed bridges allow students to explore sensitive areas without disrupting the environment, making the campus a living model
Living Harmony (Framework)
This framework restores wetlands, protects waterways, preserves wildlife, and fosters sustainable harmony with nature.
This campus landscape design test honors the natural and cultural heritage of Indigenous People by revitalizing wetlands and restoring waterways. It prioritizes the use of native plants and habitats that support the region’s diverse wildlife, fostering ecological balance and resilience.
Inspired by Indigenous values, the design emphasizes harmony with the land, recognizing its inherent connection to local ecosystems and human well-being.
The Green Connection (Design
Campus design revitalizing wetlands and waterways, featuring trails, raised boardwalks, and vibrant
A network of trails and raised boardwalks invites exploration and reflection, while thoughtfully integrated community spaces encourage social connection and learning. This design test is a commitment to sustainability, biodiversity, and the cultural significance of the land.
BLUEBERRIES STRAWBERRIES
The project provides a continuous network of trails starting from a civic axis that provides outdoor spaces in four stages that offer different immersive, playful, and attractive experiences for people, allowing them to interact with the landscape and enjoy recreational activities. At the same time, the floodplain ecosystem of College Brook Ravine has recovered and been restored, making water accessible to people through the wetland. The expansion of the Abenaki Trails, along with the development of various platforms, walkways, and overlooks, serves as a focal point in the landscape. It creates opportunities for education and activities while allowing visitors to appreciate and contemplate the beauty of this piece of nature.
Ôtawazek
A trail system designed to restore a floodplain while expanding pathways that honor the Abenaki community.
Indigenous Stewardship in Campus Planning: Addressing Ecological Design and Spatial Opportunities in University of New Hampshire.
Course Number: ARCH 2500
Lecture/Lab/Total Credits: 0/12/6
Class Schedule: MWF, 1:00 pm - 4:50 pm
Dawn of the Land: Reintroduction of Natural Infrastructure
An Urban Revitalization Project located in Durham, New Hampshire
Professor: Ignacio, Cardona
Our proposal for the University of New Hampshire campus is to restore the historic site conditions of the Durham Woods, primarily by reintroducing historical waterways and wildlife corridors to the site. In doing so, we plan to relocate existing buildings that have been identified on the UNH 20 year plan for renovation by consolidating building functionality, create bridges and land bridges for the Durham community and wildlife respectively over both existing and proposed waterways, and finally reintroduce the biodiversity seen in indigenous fruits, berries and nuts that once existed on the site.
Preservation of Heritage
The reintroduction and reintegration of historic site conditions to honor the history of the people who once lived there
1.Perkins&Will Proposal | 2. Qunli Stormwater Wetland Park Precedent | 3. Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park Precedent| 4. Cheongye Stream Precedent | 5. Anacostia Riverwalk Trail Precedent
50 Academic Way -UNH Department of Transportation Building -Johnson Theatre -Paul Creative Arts Center
83 Main Street -Memorial Union Building -WUNH Radio Building -UNH Bookstore -
2 Library Way -Heat Plant -Power Plant
51 College Road -Durham Fire Department -Fire Station -Service
18 Library Way -Diamond Library
4 Library Way -Hewitt Hall -Recreation Management and Policy Vuilding -Northeast Pie Company
10 Library Way -Conant Hall
After a need to bring back blue/green infrastructure corridors were established spanning across Main Street heading northeast towards the northern“barrier” as shown in the framework. areas needed to be relocated in the westerly direction of the street. As a result, a means of connection was needed to connect equine related sites on the opposite sides of Main Street.
Therefore, an equine bridge is proposed that not only also for pedestrians.This allows a scenic and safe route to be taken by horses an unique approach to site circulation.
An Equine ConnectionBeyonda Green Corridor
Traveling down Main Street through a green corridor, a bridge meant for horses and passerby spans across, providing a safe and scenic path.
1.Perspective from Horseback crossing bridge | 2. Perspective from parking lot overlooking southern access point to bridge 2
3.Site Plan showing intervention | 4. Zoomed in Scale to Inter vention
Jonathan Yiu
This framework intervention is to create bridges and pathways for people and animals to better connect the essential parts of campus while redirecting unnecessary and/or dangerous circulation. Many pathways and roads outside of the downtown campus are secluded and run in or along the treeline of the Durham woods. By creating bridges to support the reintroduction of historical wildlife corridors, people and animals are less likely to have dangerous encounters with one another. These pathways also benefit from the reintroduction of the historical waterways, as indigenous blackberries, hazelnuts, serviceberries and huckleberries can be grown for both people and animals.
Bridging New and Old Durham
Bridging the gap between the original conditions of Durham to the already proposed plans of historical
1.Conceptual Land Bridge Sketches | 2. Conceptual Wildlife Bridge and Wildlife Path Framework | 3. Reimagined Existing Pathway Renovation
4.Site Section through Proposed North Framework Fragment Wildlife Bridges at 1”:256’ scale | a. Bridge A Section at 1”:128’ scale| b. Bridge Section B at 1”:128’ scale | c. Bridge A Section at 1”:64’ scale | d. Bridge B Section at 1”:64’ scale
Kevin Willett
d.
c.
PathwaysTo Nature
Reconnecting the human and vechicular space to nature, creating balance in a once disrupted space.
The PathwaysTo Nature project is a transformative urban intervention at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) that seeks to reintegrate nature into the daily lives of students, faculty, and the surrounding community. Recognizing the growing disconnect between urban living and the natural world, this initiative aims to create a harmonious balance between built environments and ecological spaces, fostering well-being, sustainability, and community engagement. By Enhance Outdoor Accessibility the project aims to develop accessible pathways and green corridors that connect key areas of the campus, encouraging walking, cycling, and outdoor interaction.These pathways will incorporate features such as bioswales and permeable paving to enhance environmental resilience.
1.Site Map with Proposal | 2. Zoom in of site map highlighing fragement 1
Wentworth Institute of Technology
School of Architecture and Design
Studio 07 | Fall 2024
Indigenous Stewardship in Campus Planning: Addressing Ecological Design and Spatial Opportunities in University of New Hampshire.
Course Number: ARCH 2500
Lecture/Lab/Total Credits: 0/12/6
Class Schedule: MWF, 1:00 pm - 4:50 pm
Centrality in Urbanism: A Connected and Sustainable Vision for UNH
This master plan for the University of New Hampshire campus centers around creating dynamic hubs of activity, known as centralities, to enhance connectivity, sustainability, and community engagement. The design includes a vertical North Campus hub, an Innovation District near the train station, and a South Campus skate park, all connected by green spaces, transportation networks, and cultural elements. A key feature is the Collage Brooks River area, where permeable paths function as recreational spaces and flood barriers, supporting both environmental resilience and community interaction.
Professor: Ignacio, Cardona
Our master plan for the UNH campus focuses on enhancing centrality through the integration of transportation, mixed-use buildings, public spaces, and landscape. By analyzing existing centralities, we identified key areas for improvement, creating new hubs that foster interaction and community engagement. Proposed centralities include a vertical hub on North Campus, an Innovation District near the train station, a community-focused skate park on South Campus, and a smaller-scale centrality around the Collage Brooks River Area with recreational spaces and bike lanes. These hubs will be connected through pedestrian and bike pathways, improving campus mobility and accessibility, while promoting sustainable growth and long-term development.
“Unified
Centralities`: (Framework)
Our project focused on enhancing centrality at UNH campus through mixed-use buildings, transportation,
“Unified Centralities: A Master Plan for Connectivity and Community at UNH Campus”
“Collage Brooks River: A Sustainable Hub for Community and Heritage”(Design Test)
A sustainable design for the Collage Brooks River area, integrating recreation, mobility, and indigenous heritage.
The Collage Brooks River Area is a smaller-scale connection within the UNH campus master plan, featuring recreational spaces, bike lanes, and paths that loop around the river. These paths not only create a peaceful, active environment but also function as a water barrier during flood season. Edible plants will be integrated throughout the area, providing accessible food for students and the Durham community while honoring indigenous traditions. This space fosters connectivity, social interaction, and sustainability, linking with larger campus centralities. By combining green spaces, mobility, and cultural respect, it enhances both the campus experience and environmental resilience.
The river-looping pathways are designed with paver steps and gravel stones, creating a permeable surface that absorbs and redirects stormwater. These paths serve a dual purpose: as active recreational spaces and as natural barriers during flood events. The gravel infill allows for water infiltration, reducing runoff and preventing overflow. The stepped design enhances the landscape’s aesthetic while providing a functional solution to manage water flow, ensuring both resilience and accessibility.
In relation to our framework, the implementation of mixed-use infrastructure, respecting the existing vegetation, and reconnecting to the waterways were all potential goals I could reach while revitalizing this campus housing center. In order to resolve the lack of a centralistic nature, I took the following steps: placing vertical additions on each of the housing halls included in the forum. I then move the student beds to these additions, opening up the lower floors to other functions such as retail, recreation, and education. I also implemented 4 Indoor connections, and one outdoor, crossing the brook to connect to the adams tower. These connections allow seamless transitions throughout all the buildings, provided covered access to the dining hall, as well as being open to other functions.
New Campus Mixed-Use Forum
Vertical additions and bridging connections create a transparent, but binding public space.
C Outdoor Hallway | 15. Connection D Approach from Quad | 16. Title of the Image
Wentworth Institute of Technology
School of Architecture and Design
Studio 07 | Fall 2024
Indigenous Stewardship in Campus Planning:
Addressing Ecological Design and Spatial Opportunities in University of New Hampshire.
Course Number: ARCH 2500
Lecture/Lab/Total Credits: 0/12/6
Class Schedule: MWF, 1:00 pm - 4:50 pm
Roots to Routes
A project serving mnay different clients, the community of Durham gaining public and institutional landscapes to peruse and be apart of. The students of UNH who will use the nature to benefit their studies. Even the wildlife and native vegetation will thrive in a campus with this concept.
Professor: Ignacio Cardona
Roots & Routes: Stitching Communities with Ecologies
Employing ecological stitching corridors to revitalize interconnectivity between the campus body and native species.
Theory Precedents
The revitalized UNH campus framework calls for design practice emulating that of indigenous practice in which the natural world is treated as the greater context for all design solutions. Reintroducing native flora and rearranging the existing fragmented landscape typologies form the stitching notion in dividing areas of campus. The built environment previously turned their backs to ecologies and waterways now properly addressing these natural systems. The complete street circuit redirects traffic efficiently forming a walkable campus while also reclaiming a great number of impervious surfaces as social nodes, strategizing upon mobilities and further providing easy way finding paths reinforcing interconnectivity.
1. Parc de la Villette - Rem Koolhaas | 2. Madrid Rio ParkMorphosis
The reclaiming of the previous car-based infrastructure of the campus gives way for a brick promenade that accompanies the restored corridor stripping in reconnecting the UNH campus to the natural environment that it occupies. The crossroads of this promenade and a wooden boardwalk circuit creates a node around the neglected Pettee Brook that incorporates campus life with the natural ecology without disturbing it. This contributes to the ultimate goal of revitalizing the natural ecology for the benefit of humans and wildlife alike.
WEAVING WALKWAYS & WILDLIFE
Bridging the gap between the campus core and surrounding hemlock-hardwood pine forest.
1.Speculative Collage
“Thoreau, in particular, claimed that greater the values of wilderness” meaning could be found in experience alongside nature, and that humans live their best lives, either as individuals or in society, when cognizant of
Connor Murphy
2.Luís Rebelo de Andrade: Margens do Rio Avelames | 3. Bruun & Möllers Landschaften: Wasserplatz, Lüneburg | | 4. McLennan Design: Yale Divinity School | 5. Sasaki: Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Master Plan
The “Brookside Boardwalk” located at the core of the UNH campus academia achieves the stiching of existing fragmented spatial opportunities. Through the process of transition design, a form of design recognizing the natural world as the greater context for design, the deck works in harmony with the College Brook and concedes to its precense for its scheme. The boardwalk seamlessly mends the landscape strips and brings you towards College Brook, emphasizing the journey and includes an abundance of social niches and agriculture pockets paying homage to indigenous practice. Furthermore, the boardwalk blends with the existing fabric and occupied by ecologies and people alike.
BROOKSIDE BOARDWALK
The College Brook, once dishonorably neglected, now serving as a key campus epicenter. 1.Hero Image Section | 2. Post-Site Visit Speculative Collage
BUILDINGS PATHS
EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS
Colin Sainato
5. Zoomed In View of Axon (West) | 6. Zoomed in View of Axon (East) | 7. Exploded Axonometric of Land Build-Up
PICKERELWEED
Isolated Tree Ecology Study | 13.) Isolated Shrub Ecology Study
To truly rematriate a living area means to connect with nature as often and as spontaneous as possible. The bottom of UNH Campus houses a secluded sector of living quarters with some recreational spaces and a dining hall. The rolling hills in this part of the campus are shrouded with overgrowth and invasive species. If trimmed and replanted with more ecologically relevant species there could be very appealing hillsides for students to dwell upon. This inspired the program to be study spaces situated at the top of high elevations and then providing decks or green hills to be where people spread out and take in the nature. The greater Durham area could take advantage of this trail system as it is connects to other public parts of the campus.
RESIDENTIAL REMATRIATION
A cluster of dormitories shrouded in nature with the opportunity to be a prime educational setting.
1. Render From Mass Design Group | 2. Biodiversity Pictograph | 3. | 4. | 7. Sylvan TheatreWeiss/Manfredi + Olin | 6. Haaland Hall | 6. Occupiable Hill Example
THE TEST
A recreational valley, the unifying aspect of this neighborhood
11. The forming of the particular area of interest and why it informed the design |
Partnership
Perkins&Will
Gautam Sundaram. Principal, Campus Planning Global Leader. University of New Hampshire.
Ken Weston. Executive Director of Campus Stewardship, University Architect. Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective Denise and Paul Pouliot, Professors and Tribal Leaders.
The course included the following Lectures:
Thu. 10/03 | Campus Planning | Kenneth Weston, Executive Director, Campus Stewardship, University of New Hampshire.
Thu. 10/07 | Community Meeting | Denise and Paul Pouliot | Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People
Thu. 10/17 | Indigenous Culture | Paul Bunnell, Chief & Elder of Ko’asek Tradition Band of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation.
Thu. 10/31 | Landscape Arch. | John Grove | Principal, Reed Hilderbrand | Tekαkαpimək Project at the Wabanaki Nation of the Katahdin Woods and Waters
References
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- Correia, Joel E. “Between Flood and Drought: Environmental Racism, Settler Waterscapes, and Indigenous Water Justice in South America’s Chaco.” Annals of the American Association of Geographers 112, no.7 (2022.): 1890–1910.
- Escobar, Arturo. Designs for the Pluriverse: Radical Interdependence, Autonomy, and the Making of Worlds. New Ecologies for the Twenty-First Century. Duke University Press, 2018.
- Indigenous NH Collaborative Collective. “An Abenaki, Pennacook, and Wabanaki Planning and Resource Guide for New Hampshire Educators.” INHCC, 2021.
- Jarratt-Snider, Karen, and Marianne O. Nielsen. Indigenous Environmental Justice. The University of Arizona Press, 2020.
- Kallipoliti, Lydia, Foivos Geralis, and Youngbin Shin. Histories of Ecological Design : An Unfinished Cyclopedia. Actar Publishers, 2024.
- Tuck Eve, and K. Wayne Yang. “Decolonization is Not a Metaphor.” Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society 1, no. 1 (2012): 1-‐40.
- Vickery, Jamie, and Lori M. Hunter. “Native Americans: Where in Environmental Justice Research?” Society & Natural Resources 29, no.1 (2016): 36–52.
- Wall, Ed. “The Landscapists: Redefining Landscape Relation.” AD 01, no.90. Architectural Digest, 2020.
- Whyte, Kyle. 2020. “Indigenous Environmental Justice: Anti-Colonial Action through Kinship.” In Environmental Justice: Key Issues, edited by Breandan Coolsaet. Routledge, 2020.
