A two acre neighborhood park transforms the underutilized spaces between NYCHA residential buildings to integrate nature into urban living, foster connections among residents and neighboring communities while mitigating the impact of severe flooding.
Brooklyn, New York
MODA COLTIVARE
Spurred by recent public-private partnerships formed to address funding Rome’s public landmarks, this project proposes implementing circular agriculture in the park to connect visitors to Italian horticultural heritage, bridge the world of agriculture and fashion, and establish a long-term land stewardship strategy.
Villa Pamphilj, Rome, Italy
HEALING NATURE
Embracing the historic connection to nature and community to improve health and promote reflection. Sensory strategies, including ambient noise minimization and the incorporation of prospect-refuge elements, are transformed into a range of spaces suitable for different levels of engagement.
Austin State Hospital
BIOPHILIA
The courtyard, segmented by a central elevated walkway, encompasses diverse spaces like an outdoor amphitheater, café and seating, and wildscape, facilitating accessible pathways between dormitories; its planting design, inspired by native species, not only aims to reduce stress but also fosters well-being among visitors and residents.
The University of Texas at Austin
FOLLY BY THE LAKE
An installation inspired by memories on a fishing dock, integrates Anni Alber’s abstract textiles and Central Texas’s natural textures into a structure on a steep bank, where a revealing staircase and strategic pillars offer a journey from obscured to full lake views, encouraging environmental preservation through immersive experiences.
FURTHER
Photographs, sketches, planting design and images.
The Natural Neighbors project at the Nostrand Houses campus of the New York City Housing Authority is a two acre neighborhood park that integrates nature into urban living, foster connections among residents and neighboring communities while mitigating the impacts of flooding. Inspired by the local ecoregions and ecological communities of Kings County, the project aims to create a harmonious blend of nature and community, providing urban heat island reduction, stormwater cleaning, outdoor play, and habitat creation.
This project features a series of outdoor rooms, ranging from intimate serene areas to larger communal spaces, designed to facilitate community gatherings, outdoor activities, and moments of individual tranquility. Areas include the incorporation of sand pits and turf berms, mimicking the interdunal grassland ecological communities, and woodland areas based on the coastal beech-oak ecological community where basketball courts are protected by shade and individuals have outdoor reading rooms underneath native canopies.
Additionally, the project includes dynamic stormwater management systems that convey, collect, and retain water during cloudburst events, promoting resilience and sustainability. By leveraging the local ecological communities, the Natural Neighbors project not only enhances spaces for human habitation but also fosters community building and provides ecological services that contribute to the mental and physical improvement and well-being of the public housing residents.
Flooding 4in - 1ft
Flooding 1ft +
Indirect Impacts of Flooding
In addition to the immediate risks of flooding, sewer lines are backup often damaging structures and personal belongings.
Aging play equipment, exhausted were common feedback in Limited Recreation
10minwalk
Recreation & Open Space
exhausted lawn and extensive fencing in the open space master plan.
Opportunities for Gathering
The adjacency to additional residential buildings offers an opportunity to create a neighborhood park enjoyed by all.
10minwalk
10minwalk
LONG ISLAND SOUND COASTAL LOWLAND
COASTAL MARSHES
PINE BARRENS
Added Tree Canopy
A single deciduous tree can intercept from 500 to 760 gallons of rainfall per year.
Amphitheater & Splash Pad
The amphitheater and splash pad are the focal point of the site and highlight a cultural celebration of water, play and community through various programming.
Permeable Hardscape Pathways
Pavers and wood decking allow water to penetrate on-site while also using the area between to store water.
Habitat ‘Rooms’
Woodland , grassland and marsh ecotones aid in dividing the space while mitigating stormwater.
High Water Table
The water table is perched at approximately 10 feet easily saturating the ground during a cloudburst event.
AVENUEV
BRAGGST
Stormwater Management
Collection , detention and conveyance features absorb/store stormwater to support dynamic habitat and irrigation.
344,946 gallons
total of water in 1” rain event
116% capacity
storage in 1” rain event
Vegetated swales
137,984 gal
Sunken play areas
57,108 gal
Plaza and basketball court
205,493 gal
Woodland Section: oak-pine hills
Grassland Section: interdunal swales
Marsh & Wetland Section: lowland marsh and coastal wetland
Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)
Morella caroliniensis (bayberry)
Vaccinium pallidum (hillside blueberry)
Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower)
Euthamia graminifolia (common goldenrod)
Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife)
Juncus canadensis (Canada rush)
Iva frutescens (salt marsh-elder)
Hypericum stragulum (Low St. John’s Wort)
Allotment Garden
Play Area Sunken Classroom
02 MODA COLTIVARE
VILLA PAMPHILJ, ROME, ITALY
Academic year :
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2023 Fall Semester
Urban agriculture, agroforestry, design development
Phoebe Lickwar
QGIS, AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, 3DS Max
Italian fashion has a global reputation for its superior quality, often attributed to the laid-back lifestyle and breathtaking vistas that characterize the country. However, this ethos extends beyond mere aesthetics to encompass the very landscape itself, as exemplified by iconic sites like Villa Medici and Villa d’Este. Through carefully orchestrated perspectives, moments of unexpected beauty, and the sensory allure of water, the essence of leisure and enchantment takes center stage.
Entitled MODA COLTIVARE, which roughly translates to ‘cultivated fashion’, the initiative explores the integration of circular agriculture with traditional landscape design techniques. Its aim is to evoke delight and forge connections between park users and Italy’s horticultural legacy, while also generating funds for public parks and establishing a sustainable approach to land stewardship. The impetus for this proposal arises from the recent emergence of several public-private partnerships aimed at addressing financial shortfalls in the maintenance of Rome’s public landmarks. Notable examples include Gucci’s involvement in the restoration of the Trevi Fountain and TODS’ contribution to the preservation of the Colosseum. Villa Pamphilj has been chosen as the pilot site due to its diverse terrain, soil composition, and canopy conditions, which provide a blueprint for future endeavors.
Topography
The western portion of Villa Pamphilj can be described as a series of rooms bound by dense canopy and steep topography that share a confluence at the center of the park. MODA COLTIVARE considers how the changes in grade can sustain various agricultural systems and enhance the circulatory experience.
0-3% | Intercropped field
3-8% | Contour field
8-20% | Contour orchard
20+% | Stabilization forest
Respect for Agriculture
Existing Canopy
Archaeological Area
The perimeter of Villa Pamphilj is protected by law as an area of archeological interest in accordance to the Lazio Regional Territorial Landscape Plan (PTPR), Chapter III, Article 42.
Lazio sponsors programs for the protection and enhancement of the agricultural landscape and rural architecture under the Regional Territorial Landscape Plan (PTPR), Chapter VI, Article 58.
The park contains a wide variety of mature trees including Italian stone pines, oaks, palms and various fruit trees such as avocado and orange.
Dead furrows reduce downhill erosion and provides vegetative corridor
Cotton is intercropped between trees to improve soil quality and suppress weeds.
Fruit tree allee species are alternated to prevent widespread pest damage.
and weld are planted as sources for natural dyes and increase organic matter.
Alfalfa or other legumes are intercropped to fix nitrogen to the soil.
is used as an alternate to the damaging effects of pulling the plant for harvest each season.
Perennial flax
Coreopsis, cosmos
9’ 2’
FIELDS OF BLUE FLAX
Flax is a strong, durable plant fiber that has been cultivated for cloth since at least 8,000 BCE. It is one of the few plants with a true blue bloom.
INTERCROPPING NATURAL DYES
Cosmos, weld, coreopsis and marigold flowers add seasonal interest and act as a green mulch to flax fields. The flowers can also be harvested as natural, typically yellow-based, dyes.
493 TREES PLANTED Sustainable Harvest
ORANGE FIBER
A silky, lightweight yarn can be produced from the byproducts of citrus juice. Salvatore Ferragamo featured the textile in a 2017 capsule collection.
COTTON AS RELAY CROP
The Armani Group launched a test plot in 2023 to focus on the development of agroforestry-based cotton production with alternative tree species.
33 TONS CARBON SEQUESTERED 5,183 SHIRTS MADE over span of project installation
per year compared to the same acreage of mown grass
based on the estimated average harvest of cotton and flax
03 HEALING NATURE
AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL
Academic year :
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2022 Spring Semester
Therapeutic and healing gardens, design development
Austin State Hospital was founded in 1861 and is the oldest psychiatric facility in the state of Texas. Throughout history, the hospital has been coined “our little town” illustrating a connection between the patients, staff, who often lived on the grounds, and neighbors in Hyde Park. This proposal embraces the historical connection to the neighboring areas by maximizing pedesitrian access and connectivity and increasing the landscape program on the 80acre campus. Sensory strategies, including ambient noise minimization and the incorporation of prospect-refuge elements, are transformed into a range of spaces suitable for different levels of engagement.
Imrpove Pedestrian Access + Connectivity
Increased Landscape Program
Access and Connectivity Increased Landscape Program
Maximize Pedestrian Access and Connectivity Increased Landscape Program
Conditions Add Moments of Prospect Expanded Canopy Cover by 12 Acres
CY FIll Adds Prospect to Site
Canopy Cover by 12 Acres
Canopy Cover by 12 Acres
04 BIOPHILIA
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
Academic year :
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2021 Fall Semester
Wildscape, concept development
Hope Hasbrouck, Claire Eddleman-Heath
AutoCAD, Illustrator, InDesign, Rhino, Enscape
‘Biophilia’ reimagines the site as an accessible courtyard that immerses the user in native plantings while offering a series of spaces for ceremony and informal gathering. A ceremony and reception space for the Plan II Honors cohort is the primary program for the courtyard. The design also seeks to blend the architecture of the existing dormitories encompassing the courtyard, improve high traffic areas to accessibility standards and preserve the existing heritage and memorial trees.
Courtyard Viewshed from Dormitories
Accessible Pathway
CEREMONY AREA
WALKWAY WHITIS - UNIVERSITY
ELEVATION TRANSITION
UPPER TERRACE
View of Courtyard from Walkway
Seasonal Interest Diagram
SEASONAL INTEREST DIAGRAM PRIMARY
DRYINTERESTOFSEEDHEADSUNTILMOWN
LARGEDARKSEEDHEADAFTER BLOOM
Planting Selection Diagram
PRIMARY
Rio Grande Abutilon
Abutilon hypoleucum
Prairie Onion
Allium stellatum
Texas Sage Leucophyllum frutescens
PLANTING SELECTION ANALYSIS
Blackfoot Daisy
Melampodium leucanthum
MATRIX
Rock Penstemon
Penstemon baccharifolius
Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Sand Sagebrush
Artemisia filifolia
Gregg's Dalea
Dalea greggii
Rio Grande Globe
Amarinth
Gomphrena haageana
Blue Mealy Sage
Salvia farinacea
Twinleaf Senna
Senna bauhinioides
Indiangrass
Sorghastrum nutans
Wooly Globemallow
Sphaeralcea lindheimeri
Blue Grama
Bouteloua gracilis
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
Deer Muhly
Muhlenbergia rigens
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepsis
TREES/ TALL SHRUBS
Goldenball Leadtree Leucaena retusa
Valley Cottonwood Populus deltoides ssp. wislizeni
Drooping Juniper Juniperus flaccida
Honey Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa
Mexican Buckeye Ungnadia speciosa
Texas Persimmon Diospyros texana
Fragrant Sumac Rhus aromatica
SCATTER
Butterflyweed Asclepias tuberosa
Wooly Ironweed
Vernonia lindheimeri
Texas Bluebonnet Lupinus texensis
Indian Paintbrush Castilleja indivisa
Spineless prickly pear Opuntia ellisiana
Texas Sotol Dasylirion texanum
Firewheel Gallardia pulchella
Red Yucca Hesperaloe paviflora
Plains Fleabane Erigeron modestus
Desert Poppy
Kallstroemia grandiflora
Zexmenia
Wedelia acapulcensis var. hispida
Century Plant Agave americana
Prairie Goldenrod Solidago nemoralis
05 FOLLY BY THE LAKE
Academic year :
Type of project :
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2021 Summer Semester
Abstract concept development Maggie Hansen
AutoCAD, Illustrator, InDesign, Rhino, Enscape
Folly by the Lake is rooted in cherished memories of spending time on a filoating fshing dock that had a sheltered interior that allowed for fishingat night and in rainy weather. The installation is situated on a plot measuring 20 feet by 40 feet, incorporating a significant 40% incline. The design’s aesthetic and structure are influenced by the abstract imagery found in Anni Alber’s textiles, and the choice of materials and shapes reflects the natural limestone formations found along the lakes of Central Texas.
Upon entering, visitors encounter vertical pillars that initially limit views of the lake, adding an element of discovery. The staircase, designed to adapt to fluctuating water levels, gradually reveals the lake scene, culminating in a full, unhindered panorama at the base. Here, visitors can relax on a limestone seating area adjacent to the folly or enjoy the waterfront from the dock, dipping their toes in the water in both a protected lagoon and the open lake.
This interactive journey not only enriches the visitor’s experience but also emphasizes the importance of preserving natural environments through the creation of meaningful memories.
From Concept to Rendering
06 FURTHER WORK SAMPLES
+ PRACTICE
This section includes samples from additional coursework and studies including physical modeling, sketching, rendering as well as horticultural experience.
Creating Site Artifacts through Cyanotype
dirty laundry
The purpose of this project is to inventory the discarded items found onsite over the spring of 2023 through wet cyanotype on fabric. The first observation was the amount of plastic bottles found during each visit - approximately five gallons by volume.
The purpose of this project is to inventory the discarded items found onsite over the spring of 2023 through wet cyanotype on fabric. The first observation was the amount of plastic bottles found during each visit - approximately five gallons by volume.
This process brought to light a lot of questions such as the origins of the trash and the implications for its consumer as well as the time spent designing these items only to be used once and discarded.
This process brought to light a lot of questions such as the origins of the trash and the implications for its consumer as well as the time spent designing these items only to be used once and discarded.
Student: Alyssa (Berry) Harmon Course: LAR 381S Drawing Entanglememts Location: Circle Acres (Austin, TX)
Student: Alyssa (Berry) Harmon Course: LAR 381S Drawing Entanglememts
Location: Circle Acres (Austin, TX)
Living Wall Plant Installation
IRRIGATION SCHEMATIC DESIGN - ELEVATION
1/2" = 1'-0"
Hidden wings pivot up to open and fold out from behind clip.
