Mt. Cuba Center Master Plan

MT. CUBA CENTER MASTER PLAN April 5, 2018

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1” = 1000’ 0’

500’

1000’

2000’

Education Courtyard and Gardens

Core Gardens

Welcome Center Greenhouse Complex

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WELCOME CENTER

Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects with Beyer Blinder Belle

New Arrival

Welcome Center Site Plan and Aerial Perspective

Pedestrian bridge over Barley Mill Road

Visitor Experience staff cart access Native Allee and shrub entry garden

Overlook and trailhead Trail crossing and haywagon loading Arrival Garden

Welcome Center

Group entrance Group/bus drop-off Visitor entrance

Two-level parking garage 324 car spaces, 4 bus spaces (Potential to build one level at a time, depending on need) maintenance / emergency access only

Stair between upper and lower levels Bus turn-around N

1” = 80’ 0’

40’

80’

160’

New Arrival

Welcome Center Site Sections and Precedents

A. Section at Welcome Facility and Parking

Precedents at Welcome Facility

Meadow overlook at Arrival Glade

by NBW

1” = 40’ 0’

20’

40’

80’

Arrival building

by Casey Brown Architecture

Garage atrium garden

by ArquitectonicaGEO

Garage edge

CORE GARDENS

LEGEND

Education Gardens

New garden Adapted existing garden

Rain Gardens Edible Woodland

Groundcover Gardens

Orientation Glade

Rock Garden

Forecourt Lawns

Allee and Shrub Garden

Main Lawn

Arrival Garden

Oak Allee Tennis Lawn and Perennial Border Hedge Passage

Lilac Allee

Entrance Grove Canopy Overlook Clematis Garden Trial Garden Mt. Cuba Introductions and Trial Garden Winners

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1”= 1” = 250’ 1000’ 0’ 250’ 0’ 500’

500’ 1000’

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Stormwater Swales

Proposed Circulation

LEGEND Accessible path Ramp Inaccessible path

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1”= 1” = 250’ 1000’ 0’ 250’ 0’ 500’

500’ 1000’

1000’ 2000’

Main House and Formal Gardens

Site Plan

As part of the historic landscape and setting for the Main House, the Formal Gardens are essential to maintain into the future. The proposed adaptations are careful adjustments to the existing gardens, intended to encourage more use and improve circulation and accessibility.

Adaptations to the Formal Gardens include: • Integrating the Oak Allee into the path network and removing a portion of the boxwood understory to improve visual and spatial connections with the Tennis Lawn • Adding a pavilion at the threshold between Tennis Lawn and Naturalistic Gardens to formalize this transition and add adaptable program space • A new border between the Tennis Lawn and Lilac allee to strengthen the edge • Widening the perennial borders within the South Lawn • Adding shrub planting to the Forecourt lawns

The Trial Garden remains in its central location to forefront Mt. Cuba’s research and conservation program. With the adaptation of paths within the Trial Garden, the existing shade structure is proposed to be removed, and a new structure built in keeping with the material approach of the new pavilion. Multiple locations for the shade structure should be explored in future phases of design – while maintaining the existing growing area and improving viewsheds within the garden.

Forecourt Gardens Tennis Lawn and Pavilion Adapted Oak Allee Formal Garden paths adapted For accessibility Potential shade structure location Trial Garden Clematis Garden

Potential shade structure location Tool shanty adapted for public programming Mt. Cuba Trial Garden Winners and Introductions

EDUCATION COURTYARD AND GARDENS

Site Plan Connection to natural lands trails Education gardens • demonstration gardens • home-scaled gardens • pollinator gardens Staff-only basement access (location to be studied further in future design phases) Learning Building

Pergola

Stormwater garden Adaptable courtyard Home-scaled demonstration gardens Adapted Tenant House 5 Student drop-off

Parking lot • 73 spaces Rain gardens

New entrance to staff parking at Main House

End of public vehicular access Natural Lands trail connection

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1” = 80’ 0’

40’

80’

160’

Education Courtyard and Gardens

Site Sections and Aerial Perspective

A

B

A. Section at Education Court and Parking

B. Section at Education Court and Terrace Gardens

GREENHOUSE COMPLEX

Greenhouse Complex

Site Plan

New retaining wall Nursery rows Adapted 3 bay garage Adapted 2 bay garage Adapted 6 bay garage Raised beds, moss farm, stock plants Service courtyard Rain garden New head house New 9 bay garage Short-term parking (6) New shade house New greenhouse and prop house

Road connection to composting New hoop houses Staff courtyard, offices + adapted buildings New service building + storage Bulk storage Possible new weather station location Tenant house 1 staff housing Tenant house 2 intern housing Adapt retaining wall & lower garden area to create 5 additional parking spaces Expanded staff parking (53 total)

N

1” = 80’ 0’

40’

80’

160’

Potential Solar panel location integrated into covered parking Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects with Beyer Blinder Belle

87

Greenhouse Complex Site Sections and Aerial Perspective

SERVICE COURTYARD

A. Section at Maintenance Court and Terrace Gardens

B

A

SERVICE COURTYARD

C

B. Section at Maintenance Court and Greenhouse

EXISTING STAFF PARKING (42)

EXPANDED STAFF PARKING (12

C. Section at Staff Parking and Greenhouse

1” = 40’ 0’

20’

40’

80’

NATURAL LANDS

LEGEND Existing forest Reforestation (increasing core forest) Existing forest cleared to enhance grassland habitat and viewsheds Preserved open areas - enhanced native grasslands Continued forest management

Scenic open views preserved along Barley Mill Rd.

Public trails kept out of interior forest to enhance habitat quality.

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Continued transition of hayfields to grassland ecology. Open character maintained to reflect historic agricultural landscape.

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Scenic open views preserved along Old Wilmington Rd.

1” = 1000’ N

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fo res t ha bita t corr idor

Scenic open views preserved along Ashland Clinton School Rd.

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500’

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2000’

LEGEND Trail Canopy walk Boardwalk Trail shared with hay wagon route Path and road network

N

1” = 500’ 0’

250’

500’

1000’

Natural Lands Expansion

Natural Lands Pavilions

Two pavilions are set in the Natural Lands, providing adaptable spaces for rest, interpretation, and education. Composting toilets are integrated into these pavilions in addition to a stand-alone location.

Frank Harmon

Lake Flato

Longwood Meadow Garden

Composting Toilet

Nelson Byrd Woltz

2

LEGEND 1. Visitor + Group Entrance 2. Natural Lands Trails

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3. Mt. Cuba Welcome Center 4. Entrance Gardens

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5. Core Gardens 6. Education Courtyard and Gardens 7. Greenhouse Complex

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8. Staff and Intern Housing

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2

9. Student and Staff Entrance 10. Compost Facility

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10

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1” = 500’ 0’

250’

500’

1000’