Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity
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Publication Fairmount Greenway - A Community Initative(2010-12-01) Bamberger, Leah H; Carvajal, Liliana; Dehais, Mary F; Gong, Yuanfang; Hulsey, John E; Kells, Eric C; Klosterman, Kimberley; Landi, Pamela Jo; Monroy, Adam G; Morrow, Seth A; O'Bara, Bryan; Su, Jie; Thompson, Arianna; White, Owen MThis studio was based on the Fairmount Greenway that was developed through a series of public meetings with the neighborhood community and with consultants from the firm Crosby, Schlessinger and Smallridge (CSS). The Fairmount Greenway, while drawing its identity from the traditional greenway model is in fact a reinterpretation of an urban greenway. The greenway path follows along both primary and secondary city streets because of the lack of space along the rail right-of-way. The Fairmount Greenway begins at what will be a new station stop at New Market South Bay near Upham’s Corner in northern Dorchester. The greenway follows adjacent to the Indigo transit line, the commuter rail that connects South Boston communities with South Station situated in proximity to Boston’s central business and tourist districts. The greenway corridor, like the transit line, stretches along a strong central north-south axis but does not follow a straight line. Instead the greenway veers east and west through Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park crossing the Indigo line at Ceylon Park, Geneva Avenue, Washington Street, under the historic Woodrow Avenue Bridge, Morton Street and River Street near the Neponset River Greenway. The greenway terminates at the Readville Station in Hyde Park. Secondary auxiliary loops extend from the central corridor connecting various recreational, cultural and economic sites with the greenway. These extensions also connect with the greater regional green space network, which will be described more in detail in the assessment to come. The defining third component of the Fairmount Greenway is the periodic greenspaces that fall along the greenway corridor. Some of these public spaces currently exist as parklands and community gardens; others are primarily publicly owned vacant lots that are planned for future development.Publication From fail-safe to safe-to-fail: sustainability and resilience in the new urban world(2011-04-01) Ahern, Jack FAbstract: The extent to which the 21st Century world will be "sustainable" depends in large part on the sustainability of cities. Early ideas on implementing sustainability focused on concepts of achieving stability, practicing effective management and the control of change and growth-- a "fail-safe" mentality. More recent thinking about change, disturbance, uncertainty, and adaptability is fundamental to the emerging science of resilience, the capacity of systems to reorganize and recover from change and disturbance without changing to other states-- in other words, systems that are "safe to fail." While the concept of resilience is intellectually intriguing, it remains largely unpracticed in contemporary urban planning and design. This essay discusses the theory of resilience as it applies to urban conditions, and offers a suite of strategies intended to build urban resilience capacity: multifunctionality, redundancy and modularization, (bio and social) diversity, multi-scale networks and connectivity, and adaptive planning and design. The strategies are discussed in the context of resilience theory and sustainability science, and are …Publication GREEN, EQUITABLE AND LIVABLE TRANSFORMING THE CORE OF MASON SQUARE IN SPRINGFIELD, MA(2023-04-01) Amato, Michael; Berlin, Jacqueline; Chancellor, Michael; Delorenzo, Zachary; Doke, Chaitrali; Jairaj, Pavana; Palika, Chandana; Riccio, Michael; Slater, Julie; Taylor, JeffreyGREEN, EQUITABLE AND LIVABLE - TRANSFORMING THE CORE OF MASON SQUARE takes a focused look at the Mason Square Planning District in Springfield, Ma and provides strategies for urban design and landscape architecture to support a community’s vision for the future. The students engaged through various community meetings for the larger Mason Square district in the spring of 2023 and enthusiastically supported the ideas and thoughts that were expressed. brownfield at Wilbraham Avenue. The larger goal is to shape a district for everybody to create safe and beautiful streets, provide better connectivity to public urban green, enhance arts, culture and dining, and catalyze equitable housing and business opportunities. Core Recommendations: Ben Swan Way is a space that should be used more for temporary community events. More usable for people as a small-scale neighborhood hub for curbside dining, cultural events, markets, performances. Measures range from complete closing down for regular traffic to modest alteration of parking layout and introduction of pedestrian-friendly surfaces to slow down traffic. Reduction of traffic speed along State Street and Wilbraham Road through reduction of lane widths and/or number of lanes, elevated pedestrian crossings, planting of big street trees, establishment of bike lanes and on-street parking. Implementation through phasing and testing. Safe ways to walk back and forth from residential areas to the Rebecca Johnson and the DeBerry Swan School. Primary street corridors need more pedestrian-scale lighting, benches, and covered bus stops. Former MCDI area should be developed with a diverse strategy that encompasses opportunities for small businesses and manufacturing including work/live/art, adult education, mix of affordable and market rate housing, hospitality industry and community services as a hub for the Mason Square community. Food is an topic in the district that needs to be addressed at multiple scales and levels. Offering spaces for community gardens on vacant or underutilized lots can be a great opportunity to educate about food and create community. Local markets should cater to diverse income levels to provide food security. Food should be part of the local economy and display the ethnic diversity. The neighborhood needs more and various restaurants and places to eat. Inclusion of art and activities that acknowledge black culture and the diversity of today. Embrace the racial history of the project area through expansion of community-building art events such as Fresh Paint, and commemoration of Nelson Stevens and AfriCOBRA (the African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists). Stronger pedestrian and bicycle connections from east to west. Underutilized land along the former railroad corridor should be used as a green spine for the community. The proposed trail “McKnight Rail Trail” should be implemented in phases to regain traction and credibility of the more than 30-year old planning proposals The area of Springfield Water and Sewer Commission should be repurposed for recreation and housing to glue the neighborhoods together. Illumination, color scheme, friendly appearance of storefronts is necessary that people feel safe 24/7. Plantings with big trees can minimize heat island effects in the core area of Mason Square. Green roofs for new buildings, green facades and stormwater swales are recommended. Editor: Chandana Palika Copy Editor: Frank SleegersPublication ARTS - CULTURE - LOCAL DINING - BACK TO THE RIVER: TRANSFORMING THE HEART OFINDIAN ORCHARD IN SPRINGFIELD, MA SENIOR URBAN DESIGN STUDIO FALL 2022(2023-04-01) Averill, Lio; Burns, Skyler; Chen, Zixin; Dargan, Anamika; Duffy, Ted; Farnham, MaryKate; Foley, Andrew; Hancock, Molly; Kushida, Haruka; LeDoux, Matthew; Liu, Shangyi; Metivier, Luc-Danel; McLean, Luviana; Mills, Taylor; Novo, Camilla; Peña, Lucia; Reilly, Andrew; Sleegers, FrankInstructor Frank Sleegers Abstract ARTS - CULTURE - LOCAL DINING - BACK TO THE RIVER takes a focused look at the neighborhood of Indian Orchard in their historic mill district and provides strategies for urban design and landscape architecture to support residents’ visions for the future. With the Studio’s partnership between the Indian Orchard Citizen’s Council, Grow IO (Wellspring Harvest), and the Springfield Office of Planning and Economic Development, the overarching goal for each design team was to create a transformative dining and arts district in the historic core of Indian Orchard. The Senior Urban Design Studio 2022 created six unique team proposals that explore and showcase different alternatives. Core recommendations are: • Engaging the Chicopee River in the neighborhood through pathways, boardwalks and overlooks for walking, fishing, kayaking and fitness and strongly search for funding opportunities such as the federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP) and the MassTrails Grant. • Providing guidance for the Fresh Paint community-building mural events in 2023-2024 through discovering and proposing sites. • Activate Front Street as an entrance to the mills, a greenway and a place for new artist-related education, commerce such as boat rental or dining and entertainment. • Activate vacant or underused lots through community gardening and outdoor dining. • Improved connections between the Indian Orchard Mills and Main Street that includes new programming and stacking of activities for the parking lot. • Activate the back of the Indian Orchard Mills through tying it into the proposed greenway, foster hospitality activities in/outside. the Mills and explore work-live opportunities in the Mills to bring new residents into the district. • Sidewalk improvements for better walkability and safety at night, street improvements that enhance the safety of bicycling. • Inclusion of art and activities that acknowledge the indigenous history of the place and the diversity of today. • Reduce the impact of impervious surfaces through tree planting and green stormwater infrastructure. The Senior Urban Design Studio 2022 is hopeful that the residents and leaders in the community will find the visions that are displayed in this report are inspirational and supportive to guide the heart of Indian Orchard into a great future. Editors: Andrew Reilly Luc-Danel Metivier Copy Editor: Frank Sleegers Keywords: Urban Design – Greenway – Indian Orchard – Chicopee River – Tactical Urbanism – Community Service LearningPublication Historic Millyard Revitalization Project: Ware, MA(2021-10-01) Carrano, Andrew; Chen, Limin; Collins, Wyatt; Eissa, Omar; Folger, Andrew; Herlihy, Kevin; Holmes, Kerran; Huntress, Samuel; Lundi, Tharanah; Menard, Emily; Murray, Aidan; O'Brien, Meaghan; Riendeau, Harrington; Rossetti, Corrina; Scofield, Amelia; Wan, Yichen; Yan, JinningThis project’s mission is to provide an all- encompassing destination for the needs of current and future employees, residents, and visitors of the Ware Millyard Historic District and the community of Ware, MA. The project aims to facilitate the revitalization and redevelopment of the Millyard and develop a communal campus which provides employment, housing, goods, services, as well as recreational and social opportunities for the region. The vision of this project is to facilitate the revitalization and redevelopment of the Ware Millyard Historic District by establishing an emerging industry within the site. Incorporating the cannabis industry and all of its major types of establishments throughout the site will provide the cornerstone component while offering new opportunities as a catalyst for other industries.