Last week in studio we covered the WATER theme and focused on local water resource resiliency. First, a guest lecture from Lain Leoniak and Jessica Ahlstrom with the City of Bozeman Water Conservation Division. Students learned about connections between design and water quantity challenges. Next, we learned from examples in the field that related to regenerating healthy water quality. The tour was led by Troy Scherer, Principal of Design5, who also shared great insights on how communication and collaboration ensure installation, management, and ultimately project success. Thank you Lain, Jessica, and Troy for spending time with us! (We also had some time to test out playground equipment.)
Starting September with Sages & Sagebrush
Off and running! On the second day of the semester we already hit the field to visit Westscape Wholesale Nursery, where we learned about the challenges and opportunities of designing native plant communities in the urban context. Later this week the sage of sage, Dr. Matthew Lavin, will guest lecture on MT ecosystems from valleys to mountains and principles for managing healthy native plant communities. This is part of a series of studio activities to discover and critically analyze the life cycle and ecology of designing landscapes. This week's theme is vegetation and soil. Following themes will cover water, materials and energy, and human health & well-being.
This fall, the Advanced Landscape Design studio will be part of an national initiative to integrate landscape performance principles into landscape architectural education, thanks to a Landscape Architecture Foundation education grant.
We are working with City of Bozeman Water Conservation Division on designing and demonstrating landscape alternatives that contribute to water resource resiliency, among many other benefits. Currently, about one third of Bozeman’s treated water goes toward irrigation. To compare conventional and sustainable landscape scenarios, students will be calculating landscape performance functions related to irrigation, stormwater, carbon sequestration, floristic quality, biodiversity, maintenance and construction costs, and human well-being. This will be the first service-learning project that directly incorporates landscape performance principles and metrics to show partners and stakeholders the potential value of sustainable features.
Farms and Flights
First, thank you to all who completed the survey in April and May! Congrats to the drawing winners – Elaine, Maura, Kate, Laura, Sadie, Macall, Rose, Jeremy, Tiffany, and JoHannah. Second, I’m currently in route home to the mountains after 5 amazing visits to student farms. A few more farms remain on my list, but this trip included: Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Rutgers University, University of Georgia, and University of Kentucky. While one of my research goals is to examine shared patterns of farm design and placemaking, each farm had so many unique stories and strategies that were each as inspiring as the next. One of my favorite events was attending a pop-up lunch program in Athens, GA using food produced at UGArden – all the food and service was done by middle school students, even down to one boy singing a song to give thanks before digging in. That day’s menu is shown in the picture. Who doesn’t love homemade honey ice cream?! I feel so much gratitude for the time and hospitality that each farm extended on my visit – a special thank you to: James, Harper, Arianna, David, and Mark.
How do you design the best student farm space?
Calling all student farm managers, program directors, students, and volunteers!
We are now seeking your input to build a better understanding of the physical site elements important for new student farms to be successful as they develop master plans and construct their spaces.
Survey participants can enter a drawing to win one of ten $50 Johnny's Selected Seeds or Amazon gift certificates. The survey is open until May 13, 2016.
(The survey is part of the Student Farm Design Project.)
Students share landscape design solutions at Gallatin County Fairgrounds Board meeting
Kyle Anderson's illustration of an infiltration basin designed to treat neighborhood stormwater before enterring Bozeman Creek and create a community amenity.
Back in November 2015, my students working with the City of Bozeman Stormwater Program and Gallatin County Fairgrounds, presented their site designs for sustainable stormwater management in an urban watershed. Toting along their gavel, recording equipment, and American flag, the Fairgrounds hosted their monthly board meeting at MSU, in which the students' presentations where the primary agenda item - a first in the fairgrounds history. the meeting drew folks from diverse disciplines who challenged the students with some complex questions! I'm so proud of the students who made this project possible - they performed with exceptional professionalism and developed exciting, plausible ideas for the site. Their dedication and creativity has already led to new dialog among additional partners for future implementation of the project. A student illustration by Kyle Anderson has even been chosen as the cover image for a City of Bozeman annual publication! A special thank you to Kyle Mehrens, Frank Greenhill, Lori Cox, and Dennis Voehler for collaborating - I feel super lucky to be part of this work that has potential to regenerate Bozeman's urban ecosystem through green infrastructure design.
Integrating stormwater project kicks off
My senior landscape design students are undertaking an exciting sustainable site design project this semester. Students met with local project partners - City of Bozeman - Stormwater Program and the Gallatin County Fairgrounds - this week to kick off our service-learning project. They are working on conceptual site designs to integrate a regional stormwater facility at the Fairgrounds that will regenerate urban ecological assets and create a community amenity. Some highlights were observing stormwater hard infrastructure up-close (including blocking off traffic to open a manhole!) and seeing drainage at work while it rained on our second site visit!
Landscape graphics research work
Lab students hit the stacks in the Montana State University library to explore landscape graphic communication in the Landscape Architecture Magazine catalog. We are in the initial stages of an image study that investigates landscape representation techniques and understanding.
Sharing Solutions
Landscape design students presented their master plan ideas for a new trail project near Missouri Headwaters State Park in Trident, MT. What a great turnout at the Sacajawea Audubon Society monthly meeting, and lots of great design conversations after the formal presentations!
On the (Student) Farm
Currently, I am visiting student farms in the Midwest to explore the role of design elements in the cultural sustainability and placemaking of farms in the campus context. Although I have enjoyed my many interviews with farm managers and faculty advisors, the best perk has been receiving farm fresh produce on the road!
Service-Learning Project Site Visit
Students get to know the project site for designing alternative park futures for a new community park in Bozeman - Oak Springs Park. We are in the process of understanding and analyzing the existing and historical conditions of the site, in preparation for our first community partner design workshop in a couple weeks.
Park(ing) Day
Landscape design students created two pop-up parks along College Street as part of an international event, Park(ing) Day (parkinday.org). For one day only, the parklets successfully challenged people’s every-day perceptions of public space. We could not have asked for a more beautiful fall day! The objectives for this class project, which was part of the Advanced Landscape Design studio (HORT 432), were for students to collaborate in developing a shared design idea, work within budget and time constraints, physically construct the parklet, and assess the user experience and implementation of their design intent.