Marcha Design Portfolio by Ashlea Bills

Portfolio.

2025 MLA University of Tennessee

Ashlea Marcha

I believe our capacity to be good designers heavily relies on our ability to be good community members, to each other and to our ecosystem. I believe the most important inﬂuence we make through our industry is through the di erence we make around our home.

I look forward to a career that enables me to explore ecosystem, to educate, and to empower others on the path to a better future, while celebrating what we have today.

EDUCATION

2025 Masters of Landscape Architecture Candidate

UTK - Knoxville, Tennessee

Anticipated Graduation: May 2025

2018 Bachelors of Science

Residential Construction Management & Land

Development

Art minor

MTSU - Murfreesboro, Tennessee

AFFILIATIONS

ASLA

Professional Development Lead

Coordinating student professional events within the cohort

MTSU Construction Management Advisory Board

Attend meetings biannualy to network with homebuilders and inﬂuence educational changes towards sustainable goals. Assisting with marketing material for program success.

TEACHING

MTSU CONSTRUCTION GUEST

SPEAKER

Presenting current land analysis strategies for local developers

Presenting cultural and ecologic analysis methods and tools

Critiquing student competition packages

Judging student capstone presentations

EXPERIENCE

2024 RVI Planning & Landscape Architecture

Summer Internship

Austin, Texas

2024 Knot Studio

Winter Intern Portland, Oregon

2023 RVI Planning & Landscape Architecture

Winter & Summer Internship Orlando, Florida

2022 Tennessee RiverLine

Assistant Designer Knoxville, Tennessee

2020 - CSDG (Civil Site Design Group)

Designer (Contract) Nashville, Tennessee

TECHNOLOGICAL

Auto CAD Civil 3D I Land FX

Rhino I Grasshopper

ArcGIS | QGIS

Revit Architecture

Microstation - Open Roads

Photoshop I InDesign I

Illustrator I After E ects I

Bluebeam Revu

FABRICATION

Wood craft

Laser cutting

3D Printing

CNC Routing

MIG Welding

INTERESTS

Photography | Propagating

Skateboarding I Hiking

Wood working I Road trips

Sketching

ACADEMIC WORK

1. CHRONICLES & COMMUNITY

REGIONAL STUDIO 5 - 8

2. CLEARFORK CONSERVATION CORPS

ACADEMIC WORK 9 - 12

COMMUNITY DESIGN STUDIO

ACADEMIC WORK 14 - 17 ARTESANIA

BMA CROSSDICIPLINARY STUDIO

ACADEMIC WORK 18 - 19 TENNESSEE TERRACES

GRADING AND DRAINAGE

5. EDWARDS PLATEAU OFFICES

ACADEMIC WORK 20 - 21

DESIGN THEORY 2

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

6. WILLAMETTE COVE PARK

22 - 23 KNOT STUDIO

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

7. TENNESSEE RIVERLINE

UNIVERSITY OF KNOXVILLE

24 - 25

CHRONICLES & COMMUNITY

Studio: Regional Studio Faye Nixon & Chad Manley

Location: Appalachia

Our studio set out on a 9 day road trip from Knoxville, Tennessee to the Catskill Mountains of New York to grasp a deeper understanding of what defines the Appalachian region geographically and culturally. Touring re purposed industrial relics, visiting native nurseries, visiting crafters, and hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail.

We were given free exploration into what caught our attention most. For me, it was that Appalachia held more private cemeteries than any region in the world. With traditional burial practices becoming less common, I imagined what cemeteries may look like for communities going forward. Retaining and respecting history, but reintroducing celebration as a community unifier, wherever our futures take us.

Programs: ArcGIS, Rhino, Grasshopper, Adobe Suite

Crafting: Wood working, sketching, and podcasting

2. CLEARFORK CONSERVATION CORPS

STUDIO: TENDING CHAOS - SCOTTIE MCDANIELS

Location: Eagan, Tennessee

The Clearfork Valley is a post-coal community in rural east Tennessee vibrant with community characters that are passionate about revitalizing their aging small community, and to show youth its a place worth living. Characterized by it’s mountainous topography, weaving railroad right of ways, and abandoned coal seams cutting through the hills, the lack of financial investment is posing threats to the neighboring properties and waterways with erosion and acid mine drainage.

Clearfork Conservation Corps is a study of the Biden.Harris administrations implementation of the American Conservation Corps in post coal communities. My project focused on three lenses of investment, education, and ecologic revitalization as community builders. Poetry,photography, and writing were strong tools used for idea generation, Programs: ArcGIS, Rhino, Grasshopper, Midjourney AI, Adobe Suite

TIMBERED TERRACE

NARROW AND UNEAVEN SOIL

HORIZONS CREATE UNCERTAIN GROWTH PATTERNS. BY USING ON SITE AND SURROUNDING TIMBER

HARVEST REJECTS, MAKESHIFT

RETENTION WALLS CAN BE BUILT, LINED, AND FILLED WITH COMPOST FROM THE NEIGHBORING FACILITY.

FILLING BEDS WITH FRESH COMPOST FOR ENRICHED AND DEEPEND SOIL HORIZONS

MIDDLESBORO INCLINE

BARNS CAN ALSO BE USED AS AGRICULTURAL LEARNING LABS FOR TEACHING NEW GARDENING AND HARVESTING TECHNIQUES.

BARNS USED FOR HANGING HEMP AND HOLDING PRODUCE FOR PICKUP WILL BE DRIVEN DOWN THE HILL TO THE RAIL TRACKS FOR TRANSPORTATION AND DISTRIBUTION. PRODUCE CAN BE PURCHASED ON SITE WHOLESALE.

TRAILS AND TURBINES

NO TILL TERRACING

CLIMATE CORPS

BEGINS SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ECONOMY BY FUNDING GRID-LINKED,

CONNECTED BY TRADITIONAL OVERHEAD CATENARY, PASSED THROUGH ON SITE TRANSFORMERS, AND INTO THE NATIONAL GRID TRANSMISSION NETWORK.

CLEARINGS FOR TURBINE INSTALLATION PROVIDE SEAMLESS CORRIDOR NETWORK.

PERFECT FOR

LOW-COST GRAVEL OR PINE MULCHED TRAILS.

ESTABLISHES WORKING LAND LAB DEDICATED TO NO-TILL, FORMER TIMBER HARVEST OPERATION.

NOT ONLY CREATING JOBS IN FARMING, PROCESSING, AND DISTRIBUTION, BUT THE NO-TILL FARMING APPROACH HELPS PRESERVE SOIL HEALTH AND BIODIVERSITY, WHILE MITIGATING EROSION AND RUNOFF.

REMAINING CANOPY STRIPS ACT AS WIND BREAKS AND LANDSCAPE DIVIDERS, CREATING ROOMS FOR GROWTH PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFICATION.

TIMBERED TERRAIN

TRANSITION TRACTS TIRE TO TRAIN

STRIPS PROVIDE ECOLOGIC CORRIDORS FOR PROTECT STEEP SLOPES FROM EROSION

TRANSITION TRACTS CONSIST OF LOW-GRADE TO LEVEL GROUND, BENEFICIAL IN EFFICIENT DITCH TRANSPORT OF WATER RUNOFF TO UNDERGROUND CISTERNS.

BENEFICIAL AS SUPPLEMENTARY MEADOW CONDITIONS FOR POLLINATION DIVERSITY.

EXISTING 22’ GRAVEL ROAD WILL BE UTILIZED FOR TRANSPORTING CROPS TO DISTRIBUTION AREAS, AND FOR COMMUNITY RECREATIONAL USERS.

PARKING AREAS WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED ALONG THE EXISTING ROAD WAY

ARTESANIA 3.

Studio: BMA Cross Disciplinary Studio - Javier Sanchez & Aisha Ballesteros

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

The Tennessee River has long been a backdrop to much of the state’s industrial history. Today, its aging and abandoned infrastructure along the river’s edge offers new opportunities to reconnect communities with water, our shared and vital resource.

In East Knoxville, the General Shale brick factory, built in the 1940s and now abandoned, provides a unique chance to transform into a cultural craft center and regional hub. Beyond teaching craft, this space emphasizes transparency by incorporating site-sourced materials into finished products, weaving a tangible link between craft and the local ecosystem. Each resource reflects the river’s floodplain, underscoring its ecological significance.

At Artesania, the craft process becomes a narrative of our connection to material and environment, creating a landscape that is not only sustainable but educational.

CENTRAL PLAZA

FILTRATION PONDS

Arundinaria

Gigantia

BOARDWALK

DYE GARDEN

PLANT DYE EXTRACTION

RIVERBOUND WATER CRAFT

RIVERCANE HARVESTING

RUNOFF

RIVER CANE

COMPOST RECAPTURE

MOUNDS ARE ORGANIZED WITH BOTH PROPAGATED AND DISTURBANCE SPECIES FOR FABRIC DYE EXTRACTION. SOME DYE MAY ALSO BE USED FOR POTTERY GLAZE AND WATER CRAFT STAIN.

EXCESS MATERIAL WILL THEN BE INTEGRATED INTO THE ON-SITE COMPOST FACILITY.

REGRADED HILLSIDE RESEWN WITH WATER CRAFT RELATED SPECIES; RED CEDAR, RED MAPLE, BLACK LOCUST, AND BIRCH. SOME SPECIES BARK AND FRUIT MAY ALSO BE HARVESTED FOR PLANT DYE.

FURNITURE BUILDING

TIMBER AND RIVER CANE HARVESTED ON SITE WILL BE USED TO CREATE POD FURNITURE IN ADDITION TO CLASSES REFURBISHING EXISTING FURNITURE. REMAINING RIVER CANE STALKS WILL BE BURNED AND RELATING CHAR WILL BE REINTEGRATED INTO THE POND SYSTEM

WILDED POTTERY

POTTERY CLASSES ON SITE WILL INCLUDE HUNTING, HARVESTING, AND PROCESSING WILD CLAY ALONG THE FLOODPLAIN OF THE TENNESSEE RIVER.

SOIL FROM REGRADED HILLSIDE WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO COMPOSTING SYSTEM FOR PLANT MOUNDS.

SOCIAL MOVEMENT

THE SITE OFFERS MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CRAFT AND SYSTEMS LEARNING, GROUNDING PEOPLE IN THE APPALACHIAN REGION THROUGH EXPERIENCE. BUT ALSO ALLOWS FOR A HUB FOR MAKERS, STUDENTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ENJOY REGIONAL CULTURE.

4. TENNESSEE TERRACES

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

Grading & Drainage Study

With a background in civil design work, I took time to deep dive into using drainage as a tool for capture and program. I made ecology the central performance of this floating amphitheater, and designed a rotating platform powered by the rivers current. I also imagined how water might be stored and captured under each level for watering during periods of drought.

Programs: CAD Civil3d, Rhino, illustrator

825.8’

830.1’

TENNESSEERIVER

5. EDWARD PLATEAU STUDIOS

Semi-Intensive / Extensive Green Roofs

Location: Austin, TX

While many cities have pollination pockets, we struggle to create biodiverse ecosystems necessary for our more than human communities. My goal for this exercise was to better understand the Edward Plateau ecoregion located in central Texas along with spontaneous prairie conditions of which species would benefit in proximity.

Anticipated project goals included researching construction of green roofs, sourcing soil and plant specifications, drafting relevant plans and details, and modeling/rendering illustrative views and sections for more detailed understanding.

Programs: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, CAD, LandFX, Rhino

6. WILLAMETTE COVE

ECOSYSTEM STUDY

Location: Portland, Oregon

One project I assisted with during my winter internship in Portland was with the Willamette Cove River Park. I was able to pull topographic LiDar and digitally render the project site as well as source two local bridge files for the 3D model. We focused on Salmon and Pacific Lampry as these were indigenous specific species used in cultural practice.

I also aided in conceptual sketch and renders for a local municipalities pedestrian rail design that celebrated the passing creek. We discussed narrative and educational opportunities that highlighted the surrounding ecosystem as it was a tributary to the Willamette River.

Project lead: Michael Yun, PLA

Jonathan Beaver, PLA, CLARB

Steelhead

White Sturgeon

Spotted Sandpiper

Streak

Horned

Lark

FOREST OAK WOODLAND

Paciﬁc Tree Frog

Shader

Billed Nuthatch

Western Wood Peewee

Downey Woodpecker Coopers

7. TENNESSEE RIVERLINE

Regional Activity Maps

Location: Paducah, Kentucky

Americas next great regional trail system, the Tennessee RiverLine links communities along the river from Knoxville, Tennessee to Paducah, Kentucky. All 652 miles are water pedestrian navigable with 8 locks managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

In its Community Planning Initiative phase, we wrapped up the reporting and priority place making project selection for each community, rounding out the year with the conceptual design inventory & charrette, and moving into phase 2 of planning for each community.

I assisted in collecting data from each community, pulling shape files and information, rastering DEM files to create shaded relief maps for our current and next phase of design. I have also been able to help with internal planning document organization, community reports, and website design research for gathering community public input.

This is a huge undertaking from the small team that makes up the Tennessee RiverLine Organization, but it is largely rewarding to the school and the communities that will benefit from this plan for years to come. I’m appreciative to have been a part of a team that is shaping relationships between pedestrian and commercial transportation, local economies and culture, and place making.