2015: VOLUME 9, NUMBER 3
MICHIGAN CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIET Y
OF LANDSCAPE
ARCHITECTS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 2015: VOLUME 9, NUMBER 3
MICHIGAN CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIET Y OF LANDSCAPE
By Paul R. Andriese, ASLA Grissim Metz Andriese Associates
ARCHITECTS
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Greetings fellow landscape architects! I hope this letter finds you all well and busy. Is it me, or did the summer just come to a screeching halt? Well, before we come to terms with the reality that the white stuff is just around the corner, we can at least enjoy the wonderful fall season, which happens to be the best time of the year in my opinion. You just can’t beat a season that includes things like apple cider, football, honey crisp apples, leaves changing color, pumpkin flavored everything, and my favorite holiday – Halloween. In addition to all of the great activities and treats of the season, fall is also the time of year when the Chapter holds its Annual Meeting. This year the Annual Meeting was held on October 1st at the Ann Arbor Marriott at the Eagle Crest Golf Club and was a huge success. Attendance was great this year as 110 landscape architects convened at the conference and were treated to a fabulous slate of renowned speakers from Michigan and around the country. Chad Danos, President Elect of ASLA National, attended our conference and also hosted the awards dinner. It was great for our members to have the opportunity to speak with the ALSA President-Elect throughout the day and it was also an important opportunity for Chad to see the great work being done by Michigan landscape architects. With change to the season brings change to MiASLA as well, as we will have a new Executive ON THE COVER: Oakland University - Elliott Carillon Tower and Plaza. Image courtesy of Grissim Metz Andriese Associates.
Committee taking over in November for 2016. Congratulations to all of the newly elected committee members and thank you for volunteering your time to serve MiASLA! With the outgoing executive committee brings the “end of an era” for MiASLA. Vanessa Warren (15 years), SuLin Kotowicz (12 years), Craig Hondorp (8 years), and Christy Summers (5 years) are all leaving the Committee this year. On behalf of MiASLA I wish to thank these individuals for their many years of service, hard work, and dedication to the MiASLA chapter, you will all be greatly missed! In this season of change, our own publication will be adopting a new name this winter. SITES is now the name of the rating system for the Sustainable Sites Initiative, and National has indicated that we need to change our publication’s name to avoid any potential trademark conflicts. We put it out to the membership for a vote, and after several rounds we have a winner – the new name for this publication will be MiSITES.
Oakland University - Ellio Carillon Tower and Plaza
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Edsel & Eleanor Ford House Master Plan By Alexa Bush SmithgroupJJR
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Visions and Reality By William J. Johnson, FASLA
EDITOR’S NOTES Correc on
Vol. 9 No. 2 Legacy ArƟcle:
Dennis Hansen had a 42-year career in landscape architecture. Forty of those years were spent working for Michigan State University.
Please enjoy this great issue of SITES and as always, don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about MiASLA or volunteer opportunities. Hope you all have a great fall! John W. McCann, ASLA, LEED AP President, Michigan Chapter of ASLA For more information, please visit our website at www.michiganasla.org, or find us on Facebook or LinkedIn.
If you would like to contribute to SITES or have a topic of interest, please email: SITESpublica ons@michiganasla.org
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY - ELLIOTT CARILLON TOWER AND PLAZA ROCHESTER, MICHIGAN By Paul R. Andriese, ASLA Grissim Metz Andriese Associates
Carillon Noun; a set of bells in a tower, played using a keyboard or by an automatic mechanism similar to a piano roll. ~ Oxford Dictionaries An Integral Part of Campus Culture The Elliott Tower Plaza is a dynamic gathering space with a stunning architectural centerpiece, located in the heart of Oakland University’s campus in Rochester, Michigan. Encompassing two acres, the plaza is defined by a 151 foot tall carillon tower, water feature, plaza, landscape plantings and site furnishings. It has already become a place to meet, gather and be inspired. As an iconic element within the campus, the tower and plaza strengthen the identity of Oakland University and enhance the entire campus culture. The Donor’s Vision Gifted by long-time University philanthropists Hugh and Nancy Elliott, the Elliott Tower features a fully chromatic 49-bell carillon and is the 14th carillon tower in Michigan. It was the Elliotts’ desire to build a carillon tower that would be a landmark, unique to Oakland University, and include a significant water feature and a plaza for students to enjoy. Oakland University is only the fourth Michigan university to have a carillon. The 151 foot tall masonry tower houses 49 bells, with the largest bell weighing about 5,000 pounds and is 5 feet in diameter. The bells were custom-made in the Netherlands and weigh more than 30,000 pounds. Mechanical equipment for the water feature is housed below the tower in a conditioned space. A titanium metal roof caps the brick and limestone tower to minimize maintenance and to glisten in the sunlight. 2
Opposite: Central Plaza and Tower Plinth. Behind: Water Feature and Seating. Images courtesy of Grissim Metz Andriese Associates.
A Location is Selected After considering a couple of options, it became apparent that the tower should be placed between the Oakland Center and Kresge Library due to its central location and visual proximity from the rest of the campus. This location was also directly accessible from the Athletic and Recreation Buildings, allowing for a great place for pre-sporting event gatherings and collegiate camaraderie. Design Process Included the Donors Since the design concept had been established for the tower as a previous architectural submission, a series of meetings were held with the donors, University, architect and landscape architect to establish the design direction
for the plaza and water feature. The Elliotts’ provided input and design guidance throughout the project’s planning and design process. The donor even expressed preference for certain plant materials that were included in the final design. Options for layout of the plaza, water feature, building location and orientation were presented and discussed. It was desired the plaza be a versatile space that could accommodate large gatherings, but also provide a variety of seating options. The tower would be the centerpiece with its location at the intersection of the two major pedestrian axis which passed through the space.
continued on page 4 3
Elliott Carillon Tower and Plaza
C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3
Site Plan. Image courtesy of Grissim Metz Andriese Associates.
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The Plaza Design Responds to the Tower and Existing Campus The preferred plaza design implements a playful use of elliptical shapes with varied rotations to create the forms of the hardscape and landscape spaces. The plaza and water feature were designed to be in scale with the exceptionally tall tower. With over 80 nozzles and the ability to spray 60 feet into the air, the water feature was designed to intrigue and inspire. A 60 foot diameter stepped plinth forms an architectural base for the building and offers informal seating on the steps. The existing topography reinforces the central elliptical space by ‘carving out’ the adjacent grade, creating a sloped edge for informal seating in the lawn, and terraced steps for pedestrian circulation and casual seating. A variety of seating options were deliberately included in the plaza to promote social interaction or allow for individual seating. A network of existing sidewalks culminate at the tower plaza inviting pedestrians to pass through and engage in the space. Circular openings in the central plaza are planted with Honey Locust trees and Elijah Blue Fescue grasses, adding scale, shade and color to the plaza. Perimeter plantings include Red Carpet Roses and Boxwood hedges (a donor favorite). Over 30 Maple trees, installed in an elliptical arrangement, define the outer perimeter of the space and reinforce the significance and scale of the plaza. “The vision was to create a space that was the centerpiece of the campus and would be a landmark place for students, faculty and campus visitors to enjoy. It is a location where people can meet, study, socially interact, and where the University can hold outdoor gatherings and events. The Tower and Plaza provide social benefits for the campus community and enhance the overall campus experience.” ~ Paul Andriese, Vice President of Grissim Metz Andriese Associates. An Enhancement to Campus Life A live concert, performed by the University’s carillonneur, plays every Friday at noon. The program selection is generally related to a current event, local or global. The relationship between the landscape and the users’ senses are enhanced by the acoustic experience of the carillon bell tower and movement
Above: Aerial View of Central Plaza. Image courtesy of Grissim Metz Andriese Associates.
of water from the dynamic water feature. The Elliott Tower and Plaza reinforce the Oakland University brand and identity, as well as support social interaction between people, increasing the quality of the campus environment. For more information contact: Paul R. Andriese, ASLA Vice President | Principal (248) 347-7010 PaulA@gma-la.com 5
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EDSEL & ELEANOR FORD HOUSE MASTER PLAN GROSSE POINTE SHORES, MICHIGAN By Alexa Bush SmithgroupJJR
The 87-acre, 1929 Jens Jensen designed historic landscape is taking center stage as the master plan implementation projects begin to unfold. Image courtesy of SmithgroupJJR. 8
On the surface, historic preservation and sustainability may seem unrelated, or at the worst, at odds to one another. How does the preservation of the structures and landscapes of the past relate to the new tools, technologies, materials and design strategies of the contemporary sustainability movement? The current preservation efforts at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House (Ford House) in Grosse Point Shores suggest how historic preservation and sustainability are integrally related. This is particularly true when it comes to landscape preservation, where its materials, such as vegetation, change. Approaching preservation through the framework of sustainability suggests how managing the ecological health of a landscape is crucial to its stewardship, ensuring its longevity and resilience over time. The Ford House is an 87-acre estate along Lake St. Clair, the former home of Eleanor and Edsel Ford where they lived and raised their family between 1929 and 1976. Eleanor Ford generously left the estate for public benefit in her will, and it has been open for tours, programs and events since 1978. The Ford House is a unique cultural resource in the state of Michigan and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its significance comes not only from its relationship to the legacy of the Ford family but also from the contributions of its designers— landscape architect Jens Jensen and architect Albert Kahn. Together in dialogue with the Fords, the landscape and buildings they designed transformed an area of farmland along Lake St. Clair into a residence that provided an opportunity for immersion into the natural world through its woodlands, meadows, gardens and waterfronts. In the context of the rapid industrialization of the early 20th Century, particularly for the growing Ford Motor Company, Ford and Jensen shared a belief in the restorative power of nature to counteract what they perceived to be the negative effects of this new working environment on the human spirit. The estate is one of the best preserved examples of Jensen’s residential work, reflecting his ability to integrate the formal and functional outdoor program elements of gardens and recreation spaces requested by his clients into a naturalistic landscape. It also showcases his use of native plants, which give structure and seasonal interest to the landscape and celebrate the character of plant communities from the floodplain. Even today, the Ford House offers unparalleled, public access to woodlands and the waterfront while providing a
Above: After removing a section of the peninsula, stabilizing the shoreline and building a footbridge, the Cove’s water quality has improved dramatically. Image courtesy of SmithgroupJJR.
significant patch of novel upland and wetland habitat opportunities in the Great Lakes system. The Ford House has taken on a number of new projects to preserve and enhance the historic estate in order to ensure its longevity. Recognizing its important role as a public resource, these efforts aim to ensure that it will continue to provide an authentic experience of the past through pursuing careful stewardship of the physical fabric of the landscape and buildings, which include the Main House, the Fords’ residence, a Gate House, Power House, Recreation Building, swimming pool, lagoon, cove, formal gardens, a great Meadow, habitat on Bird Island and a Play House, a gift from Clara Ford to her granddaughter, Josephine. Preservation of the estate, particularly the opportunity to restore lost site and building features from the estate’s period of significance (1929-1943) would continued on page 10 9
Edsel & Eleanor Ford House Master Plan
C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 9
provide new opportunities for interpreting the history of the landscape and the Ford Family story. These efforts present unique challenges inherent in historic landscape preservation – how do you preserve a living material, which grows, transforms and senesces through time and possesses a “very uncooperative tendency to change” (Cook).
Above: The master plan was the first comprehensive evaluation of the estate in over 30 years. Image courtesy of SmithgroupJJR.
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To address this challenge, the Ford House worked with a planning team from SmithGroupJJR to develop a framework for managing change in the landscape while maintaining the historic character of the estate. Rather than focusing narrowly on preserving individual plants and landscape elements as isolated projects, the team shifted its focus to considering how to manage the broader landscape systems that ensure the health of the individual elements and the estate as a whole. The very act of landscape preservation is an act of sustainability, to establish a resilient and enduring system through time. This shift included learning from the lessons of the past, such as the dangers of relying too heavily on a single species. Many of the Elm trees, which were the predominant species in Jensen’s design, have been lost to Dutch Elm disease. Finding appropriate replacement species that maintain Jensen’s design intent presents one set of challenges, but so does the preservation of features that have remained intact from the period of significance until today. Many of the tree species in the floodplain are fast growing and short lived, an important adaptation to their environment, but a liability in maintaining their longevity, as many are now nearing the end of their lifespan. How can the woodlands and canopy at Ford House be better
managed today to create greater resilience of the vegetation of the estate in the face of ecological change? An example of how sustainability can be used in the preservation framework for intact historic landscape features can be found in Maple Lane, an allee of Silver Maples which once lined an old farm road predating the Ford House that Jensen integrated into his design. A survey of trees on the property revealed that the canopy today is dominated by Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum), and that Maples as a whole make up 43% of the canopy, having assumed canopy dominance from Elms and Ashes. To protect Maple Lane, where the Silver Maple species is integral to the feature, areas of the interior woodlands from across the grounds, where the character of the historic feature is not so closely related to a particular species, could be managed to have fewer maples with a goal of diversifying the overall estate canopy composition for greater resilience. Thus, the preservation of Maple Lane cannot be disconnected from the broader sustainable management practices of the entire estate.
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While the historic landscape preservation plan is ongoing, there are a number of green initiatives that enhance the landscape systems of Ford House that have already been completed or that are underway. These include the replacement of the estate’s original electrical systems, irrigation systems, and the construction of a new stormwater bioswale which filters and slows down runoff from the estate before entering Lake St. Clair. Each of these projects not only improve the overall ecological health of the estate, but they have interpretive potential for increased environmental education, and for the legacy of the Fords’ and Jensen’s collective vision to create habitat and immersive opportunities for people in the natural environment.
For more information contact: Paul Evanoff, ASLA paul.evanoff@smithgroupjjr.com
Creating HAPPY PLACES...Naturally!
VISIONS AND REALITY CREATING AND SUSTAINING A VISION IN THE COMMUNITY BUILDING PROCESS By William J. Johnson, FASLA
Holland long-term vision, 1990. Image courtesy of William Johnson.
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During the course of my Landscape Architecture career, I have been involved in countless projects at every conceivable scale. In all of those assignments, the way in which we worked through ‘The Process’ was central to a successful result. The one part of that process which consistently seemed the most important in assuring creative results was the initial visioning stage; defining the need and shaping a Vision accordingly. Whenever the project results were questionable, the initial Visioning stage was invariably faulty. For this reason, my work in recent years has emphasized the early direction setting stages of the overall process. The following may provide some helpful insights on shaping a Vision.
Noting the Overall Process
The Premise – In our Community-Building endeavors, a commonly-held longterm Vision can be a valuable source of inspiration, motivation and ready reference throughout the complexities of the building process.
This way of deliberate problem solving can apply to any scale of a building need but the reference in this case is on the broader side; a community as a whole or to a significant portion of a community such as a downtown, a
Planning ahead in any community is a complex and multi-layered process with many moving parts. Each of us has our own unique perception of a problemsolving process. In the planning-ahead world there are many versions of how to describe it. But the general approach is very basic to most...a series of sequential steps moving deliberately from the earliest statement of a perceived need to a culminating building program. How to depict the sequence and what terminology fits best is also a great variable, but most problem solving procedures follow the general order noted in the diagram on page 15.
campus, a transportation corridor or a neighborhood. The scale of time in mind is long term rather than short term, say 10 - 20 years or more. Within the context of a broad community scale process, there will occur many more specific public and private projects, each driven by its own visionary goals. The Overall Process is often initiated with a gathering of key public and private leaders. It might take the form of a Leadership Summit, in concert with community stakeholders. The intent is for key leaders to understand both the need for a visionary goal and the process of moving towards that end. Such a leadership summit, as a kick-off, can set the tone for the intended creative spirit of the many conversations to come. The vision-making process comes early. Dialogue, or the exchange of ideas, is central to the visioning process. It’s important that it be easy and fluid. A sense of confidence in the process can be strengthened early by building new ideas around existing features the community already recognizes. Since the effectiveness of a vision depends so much on the degree to which it is commonly held, it needs to be shaped in concert with the inputs of a broad range of stakeholders and citizen interests. An effective leader encourages easy involvement. The manner in which the dialogue sessions are led is key to bringing an interesting and a dis-arming spirit to the search. The objective is: •To help people listen and build thoughtful conversations •To guide the assembly of seemingly disparate thoughts into compelling ideas •To help summarize them into potential future directions Once involved in such a healthy process, most come to trust the source and strong support for the Vision tends to follow. The diagram on page 15 also illustrates that after a Vision statement is created and gains broad support, the rest of the process moves through a series of analytical, assessment and design development phases. Note the arrows point both ways in the diagram, suggesting that one can go back any
time to review/modify earlier assumptions, including the Vision itself. In this sense the process is ‘feedback-oriented’ or more circular than lineal. Public and stakeholder inputs should be sought after and welcomed. Inputs and reviews are best when they are brief but frequent – long delays diminish freshness. A successful public process is not automatc, it calls for a careful strategy, trust and creative leadership each step of the way. The Nature of a Vision A ‘Vision’ is an inspiring glimpse of a hoped for outcome. It is the beginning of a search for physical development initiatives that match long-term hopes. A Vision statement should inspire. It should suggest a future that seems to fit the tangible circumstances at hand while at the same time it dares to describe a prospect that rises above the daily grind of ‘nuts and bolts’. The Vision has the most value and influence when it provides a quietly persistent, clear and ready reference point to where a community is headed and why…a kind of north star. One can experience the refreshing reference to a Vision when things get complex and muddled. It is easy to lose one’s way in the rush of intense debates over a myriad of design details, funding and engineering challenges. Articulating the Vision The Vision statement can be expressed in written and graphic terms, but both need to be brief, succinct and highly generalized. Note this 1989 Holland Downtown Vision statement; “A New Kind of Destination Downtown. A PLACE of distinction, where quality shops and residential life commingle, where campus functions blend with the urban center, where tiny green places provide respite, where waterfronts are lined with greenways and walkability is a priority. This is the spirit of the kind of Downtown we seek”. continued on page 15 13
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Visions and Reality
C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3
Note the simplicity of the diagram used in 1990, outlining the fundamental aspirations of the Downtown plan for Holland, Michigan (page 12). It outlines the ‘connectivity’ theme of a long-term set of hopes and dreams…much of this has been achieved but it remains a guide for more to come. A Vision should not be confused with a ‘plan’, a ‘concept’ or a ‘Master Plan’… these follow a Vision as more specific products. If a ‘Vision’ is stated too specifically and near-term initiatives don’t turn out quite that way, it can then be perceived as ‘out-of-date’ and quickly placed in the ‘obsolete’ file. Unfortunately an out-of-sight Vision is an out-of-mind Vision. Skeptics tend to refer to the visioning process as a product of elusive ‘daydreaming’ or ‘blue-sky’ irrelevance. A Vision can be too distant from reality… such a Vision usually fades away anyway. But with care, an enduring Vision statement can combine relevance and practical achievability with the inspiration of a transforming ‘Idea’.
Diagram of visioning process. Image courtesy of William Johnson.
Sustaining the Vision Over Time Openness and trust are important to shaping a vision that is commonly held. It will prevail over time only to the degree most find it inspirational, easy to describe and directly relevant. Once a Vision statement is worked out and gains the positive nod from most folks, the key is to ‘keep it on the table’. Because the community building process is so complex and demanding in the later building stages, it is only natural that a Vision can fade from view as the process proceeds. Accordingly, it is important to find ways of keeping the Vision alive, fresh and familiar. The diagram to the right illustrates with the horizontal arrows, the idea of a continuing presence of the Vision throughout the process. It only needs occasional attention and sharpening along the way, providing an ‘ever present’ reference point along the way. The intent is to bring a familiar and memorable ring to the Vision, even to the point that a supportive diagram is simple to draw. Some communities have found that reproducing the Vision in modest formats such as paper place mats or inexpensive newsprint foldouts can facilitate easy referencing and inexpensive updates.
And lastly, community leaders, both public and private, need to know the Vision well, help frame it, believe in it and reference it with ease. When leaders join in carrying the Vision forward, it has the best chance to endure. In Summary – In order to be effective, Vision statements along with any diagrams, need to be brief, articulate and memorable - adaptable to easy and frequent reference. It calls for a high degree of stakeholder input and leadership commitment to the long-view. Well-conceived Visions of this kind, commonly held by most, can become critically important and enduring “road maps” for the future.
For more information contact: William J. Johnson, FASLA wj-johnson31@comcast.net
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2015 MICHIGAN ASLA OFFICERS AND STAFF
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President John McCann, ASLA
Member at Large Andy McDowell, ASLA
President Elect Clare Jagenow, ASLA
Associate at Large Lindsay Nelson, Associate ASLA
Immediate Past President SuLin Kotowicz, ASLA
Executive Director Matt Solak
Trustee Vanessa Warren, ASLA
MSU Student Representative Katie Ling, Student ASLA
VP of Marketing Craig Hondorp, ASLA
U of M Student Representatives Robert Primeau, Student ASLA Amy Motzny, Student ASLA
VP of Education Joane Slusky, ASLA VP of Government Affairs Bill Sanders, ASLA
SITES: Editor and Layout Wesley Landon, ASLA wlandon@geiconsultants.com
Treasurer Monica Schwanitz, ASLA
Advertising Sales Andy McDowell, ASLA
Secretary Christy Summers, ASLA
Want to get involved? MiASLA is always looking for chapter members to par cipate at a greater level. Please feel free to reach out to the Execu ve Commi ee or sta members: manager@michiganasla.org
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