CODY QUINN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE + PLANNING
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BUFFALO, NY 42.8620°N, 78.8743°W
SYRACUSE, NY 43.0455°N, 76.1353°W 43.0361°N, 76.1364°W 43.0502°N, 76.4150°W 42.5526°N, 75.5215°W
WESTCHESTER, NY 40.9261°N, 73.7531°W
ORTIGIA, SICILY 37.0334°N, 15.1735°E
PONCE, PUERTO RICO 18.0081°N, 66.6131°W
42.8620째 N, 78.8743째 W
BUFFALO, NY City Park; Buffalo Outer Harbor 42.8620째 N, 78.8743째 W
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BUFFALO OUTER HARBOR | 2012 The Buffalo Outer Harbor is a site with a wide number of factors that contributed to my final site design. Being a brown field, it is a former national hub for shipping steel and other industrial products. Sitting at the eastern tip of Lake Erie it receives fierce winds. These steady winds also cause a wave anomaly called a ‘seiche event’, that occur periodically throughout the year. The raised highways and river backing the site separate it from the city. Our client, the city of Buffalo, was looking to use the site in a productive fashion. In other words, they wanted to make money on it.
My partner and I decided to tackle the range of issues with one move. We would plant native grasses. This move would provide many functions. First, the carefully chosen grasses would remove the heavy metals and other toxins from he soil. Second, given the grasses flexibility, it would not be vulnerable to stem breaking as would certainly happen with woody plants. Third, the site would be heavily planted, so public use, although welcome, would not be how the success of the site is measured. Lastly, the phasing of the project and the harvesting and selling of certain grasses would eventually become a source of profit for the city of Buffalo.
Depicted in the image above are paths to be used throughout the site. Instead of fixed hardscape paths we proposed mowed paths. The mowed paths would create variation throughout the year and provoke interest in those who visit the site regularly.
Depicted in the image above are rock piles made from the reclaimed material on the site. In order to limit the transportation and dumping, the stone and concrete could act as viewing platforms that bring the patrons above the grasses.
Depicted in the image above is one of the proposed later phases. To bring in more variety and ecosystem health portions of the site will be allowed to enter succession. The lumber sales become another source of income for the city.
43.0455° N, 76.1353° W 43.0361° N, 76.1364° W
43.0502° N, 76.4150° W
42.5526° N, 75.5215° W
SYRACUSE, NY Grace Episcopal Church 43.0455° N, 76.1353° W SUNY-ESF Quad Design 43.0361° N, 76.1364° W Montezuma Heritage Park 43.0502° N, 76.4150° W Cazenovia Western Gateway 42.5526° N, 75.5215° W
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GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH | 2013 Sitting just 4 blocks north of Syracuse University’s main campus is Grace Church. The church is on the national register and is also seeing a decline in membership and funding. On the northern side of the church is a large garden/lawn area. This became our primary focus. After a few meetings at the church and getting to speak with parishioners I discovered they wanted a mix of private space for thought and prayer as well as an open space for services and events. Another note of importance is the unknown burial location of ashes from church members over the years. Sporadically placed throughout the space, these ashes were of high importance to the parishioners, so any serious grading was out of the question. Finally, I worked with the ‘Save the Rain’ project to design a better parking situation. This also meant the implementation of rain gardens to keep water filtered and on site.
To keep our hands honest our professors decided to make this a hand drawn only project. From start to finish I produced drawings to show the parishioners. After a few weeks of feedback I began illustrating the details of the project. My final design called for a memorial walk that would divide the 2 prominent spaces. Along the walk would be sunken containers with plaques on top with details of the deceased. This would function as a more organized means of remembrance for the church. The two spaces would be clearly distinct. The northern most open space would be for outdoor services. The two angeled walks would set the stage, which would be backed with ornamental trees and grasses. The private space would be broken up using planting beds. The beds would vary in size and use the existing pine trees to add a sense of an overhead plane. Lastly, I proposed rain gardens to catch the roof runoff.
SUNY-ESF QUAD DESIGN | 2013 This project was the result of a one credit seminar course focused one water and soil. The class was also comprised of students from many majors. Naturally, the professors grouped teams together in order to have the greatest mixture possible. Working with forest engineers, biologists, and natural resource management students, I was by default the lone designer. Using methods and equations learned early in the semester we calculated cut and fill, water storage needs, and soil types and qualities. Using a ‘data first approach’ we took what we were given rather than manipulate the soils in order to accomplish our design.
Our design proposed eliminating the rectangular form of the quad and introducing curved steps to level the pitched space. To keep the walkway around the quad as it was, for utility reasons, a series of small retaining walls would be constructed. We then chose to plant each of the occurring ‘planters’ with a different type of plant community. Our thought was that the space could double as a classroom, instead of just a place to play frisbee. Finally, we used the cut from leveling the quad to fill in front of Bird Library to form a patio space. Using Silva Cells we planted a row of specimen trees on the patio for color, texture, and summer shade.
MONTEZUMA HERITAGE PARK | 2013 The 170 acre site in Montezuma, NY is a destination for many migratory birds and is also the resting place of ruins of the old Erie Canal. Currently, the site is underutilized, yet still held in high regard by the folks that live there. The classes instructions were to thoroughly analyze the site in teams based on the category of data you were assigned. I was part of the ‘terrain and vegetation’ group. We began our large task by breaking the site into zones and recording our observation in each of those zones. We looked at everything from GPS spot elevation, depth to groundwater, soil texture, plant species, and much more. Using transects self determined transects across the site we recorded specific details along those in order to keep a sense of rigor. Later in the semester we used this information, as well as other groups’ information, and began conceptual designs. The section below was part of our convincing argument to show the relationship and variation between the refuge and the alternative option.
Cazenovia Western Gateway | 2014 The Cazenovia Western Gateway project was handled by myself and four graduate students that had other backgrounds besides landscape architecture. Our site was a small slip of land with an existing building that sat just outside the village center. The site was neglected, disconnected, partially a regulated wetland, and a registered brownfield. Our primary goals were to develop a solution for the property that connected the site with the village of Cazenovia, increased accessibility to the lakefront, developed programming for multi-use activities on and around the site, stimulated economic growth, and encouraged respectful use and stewardship of the land. In order to accomplish these goals we developed a plan that was to be implemented over several years. Phase one was to repurpose the existing building on site, reconfigure Route 20, and improve lake access. With the assistance and cooperation of L.L. Bean’s Discovery School director we devised a plan that would allow L.L. Bean to run programs from the site. Organized activities, classes, and rental programs would give this site and village a year-round tourism
spark that local businesses could benefit from. The reconfiguration of Route 20 called for a lowering in speed and repurposing unneeded lanes to hold rain gardens, bike lanes ,and sidewalks. The narrowing of the road and addition of plant materials would give the western gateway of the village the formal entrance feel it desperately needs. Extending the ‘village feel’ out to our site would also allow for easy road crossing from the Discovery School to the lake. Phase two replied on the success of phase one but offered the most return. We figured the next best thing to bringing tourists in for the day would be to keep them there for a full 24 hours. To do this we proposed our client make a deal to gain access to a large parcel of land to the west of the site. Currently controlled by the town and unused, we suggested this be the location for a some form of temporary camping structures. Patrons could rent one for a night or two and receive a unique type of camping experience. In the day they could leave their ‘tent’ and explore the trails, lake, and village. With other state parks and tourists attractions near by there is plenty to see in a days hike, or ride, from the site.
Phase three, once again, relied on the success of the phase before it. This was an attempt to attract a new type of clientele. We proposed that yet again a new parcel be purchased. On this parcel would sit a hotel and conference center. Different from others, this would be a secluded place that is designed to immerse the visitors in the woodland. We envisioned companies having their yearly retreats here. They could loose themselves in the trails and village charm by day and take care of their business at night. With other close by attractions, and plans for more, this phase could turn out to be the most profitable and aid the village the most. In the end we met our goals and impressed our client. He took our ideas and plans to meet with the village and town zoning boards to begin a discussion on how a comprehensive plan like ours may be able to gain traction. For myself, it was a pleasure to be part of such an amazing team and to have the opportunity to work on a project such as this.
Graphic presentation and representation of our ideas was of high importance. Traditionaly I would have presented to professors and students, but because our main audience was a developer and members of the village of Cazenovia we had to ensure our messages were being recieved. To accomplish this, programms such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Google Sketch-up were used. The image to the left is a perspective showing the back of the building. Here we envision the discovery school beginning classes,
hikers gathering here, and school trips using this a resting space. Native plantings supporting yearround interest and screening of the building aid in keeping the secluded feel we envision for the site. The graphic below is a represntation to help show how we plan on dealing with the considerable amount of runoff coming onto the site from the western property. Using subsurface drainage and filtering methods we hope to clean the water before it enters the wetland and lake.
40.9261째 N, 73.7531째 W
WESTCHESTER, NY Residential Design Work 40.9261째 N, 73.7531째 W
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litz residence
75'
Lazy Gardener | 2014 During the summer before my final year of school I landed an internship for the Lazy Gardener. The residential design-build firm is located in Westchester County, NY. My duties were to trace old survey maps into Auto-CAD and Adobe Illustrator, devise planting plans for clients, and contribute to master plan development. All of my work was done under the guidance and supervision of Catherine Wachs, the owner of the company. The position provided me with real world design problems and timeliness. Working within the strict desires of clients expanded my approach to residential design. I developed a rhythm and strategy as to how I began thinking about design solutions. This position also helped me in learning the importance of trace paper. Meeting expectations and timelines gave me the opportunity to continue my work remotely during the school year.
MESSERLE RESIDENCE 1/4" = 1'
ILEX CRENATA 'BENNETTS' COMPACTA
JAPANESE MAPLE CHAMAECYPRIS 'GOLDEN MOP'
lIATRIS KOBALD 'BLAZING STAR'
CAREX SIDEROSTICHA 'BANANA BOAT' DRIFT ROSE DIANTHUS BARBINI
PHLOX SUBLATA 'EMERALD BLUE'
NEPETA 'CATMINT' HOSTA 'HONEYBELLS'
COREOPSIS
HAKONECHLOA
BUTTERFLY BUSH
DWARF ALBERTA SPRUDE
penstemon 'Husker red'
Bracken Fern
18.0081째 N, 66.6131째 W
PONCE, PUERTO RICO
Route 123 Design and Planning 18.0081째 N, 66.6131째 W
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LA ROUTA 123 | 2013
streetscape proposal two
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Sidewalk
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Roadway
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streetscape proposal three
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Median 2’
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Sidewalk
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Roadway
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Median
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Bike Path
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Roadway
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Sidewalk
Roadway
Parrallel Parking
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Bike�Path
and
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Median
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Bike Path
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Roadway
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the implementation of bike lanes. We hoped that providing a convenient alternative would sway residents from relying so heavily on vehicular travel, especially when they weren’t leaving the city. In order to sell this idea we analyzed the city and broke it up using a ‘borough technique’. Choosing the highlight, or most significant feature, of an area gave us names and boundaries. We turned a postindustrial wasteland into ‘The Coastal District’, and the old dense downtown into ‘The Plaza District’. For our presentation in Puerto Rico we highlighted areas in need of help, a unique form of signage, street redesign options, and the atmosphere of this new destination.
Roadway
scape sal�one
Wine Region of central New York. Regardless of how we planned to connect them, we still had to convince people that each place was unique enough on its own in order to draw visitors. To accomplish this task we split and mixed our two classes to form three teams, each devoting their efforts to a single place. I joined the Ponce team. As a member of the Ponce team I was dealing with a very urban and dense area. Ponce, due to its size and location was the starting point for this proposed coffee trail. Being the ‘home base’ we decided to make Ponce a more navigable and pleasant city to be in. Two other group members and myself decided to tackle the redesign of some of Ponce’s biggest streets and
Sidewalk
Possibly the most eye opening experience of my college carrier was the semester-long project based in the southern region of Puerto Rico. My studio class worked with an architecture class from the Pontificial Catholic University of Puerto Rico. The project revolved around ecological planning, regional planning, parks planning, urban planning, and branding. Our class was given the challenge of helping stimulate the tourism in the southern region of Puerto Rico, specifically Ponce, Adjuntas, and Castanar. We were to brand and connect the above listed locations using a coffee trail. Our goal was to provide experiences one might find in the Finger Lakes
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37.0334째 N, 15.1735째 E
ORTIGIA, SICILY
Off Campus Thesis 37.0334째 N, 15.1735째 E
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Commercial
Restaurant
Residential
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OFF CAMPUS THESIS | 2013 The off-campus program at SUNY-ESF gave me the opportunity to travel. I had time to immerse myself in another culture for four months where I observed, sketched, recorded, and otherwise absorbed as much as I could. The program is designed to be a self-guided experience. By this I mean I chose the location, I chose my study topic, I chose the methods by which I would study the topic, and I prepared my work in the formats required for submission. Although it seems very independent, I traveled to the location with six other classmates. We compared work, methods, and assisted each other when needed. The experience taught me greatly about time management and the importance of travel as a designer.
Parking
My work focused on decreasing the urban population’s dependence on personal vehicular transportation. I was interested to see how a small and contained downtown island functioned in such a car dependent city. The results were interesting and hopefully something I can implement over the coarse of my professional career. One of the biggest discoveries I made was involving pedestrian safety. I recorded ‘near accidents’ on a road with a separate sidewalk with a planted buffer and street parking. I then did the same with a narrow road where the pedestrians were forced to be in the roadway. Both roads had similar vehicular and pedestrian traffic flows, but the road with the pedestrians mixed with cars had 15 fewer ‘near accidents’ than the road separate from the sidewalk.
I concluded that the car speeds were the main reason. When the vehicles are the only ones permitted in a space they feel more comfortable to speed, but when they know they don’t have dominance in a space they naturally go slower, resulting in fewer accidents. Another noteworthy finding was the relationship between pedestrian comfort and the number of windows along a streets facade. The more inviting streets are those with mixed-use zoning; this means the bottom floors are occupied by commercial businesses. Naturally, small businesses want as much exposure to the street as possible, which means they add a lot of windows. This aids in making your walk more interesting, because there are stimulating displays that catch your eye and keep you interested.
This is more detailed information on the study mentioned on the previous page. I chose a series of streets, all of which my classmates and I ranked based on pedestrian sense of comfort. I then photographed the entire length of every street and combined the images. I then proceeded to categorize the building uses and mark them with gray-scale bands. Lastly, I placed a white dot wherever a door or open window appeared. The last step was to analyze the findings. The streets we had previously ranked lined up almost perfectly with which drawing had more dots (relative to its length). The street shown on the bottom of this page was ranked most comfortable and not so coincidentally also boasted the highest number of dots. Although there are certainly many other factors to pedestrian comfort, some of which I also covered, this exercise shows the strong relationship with windows.
BALLOON INSTALLATION | 2013 As part of the study abroad program I was required to produce 2 field studies that were unrelated to my main study topic. The rest was open-ended. Because of my long time fascination with peoples interaction with street art and art installations I decided to give it a try. I chose a spot on the coast where locals and visitors alike come to cool off.’The Platforms’ or ‘The Rocks’ as my classmates and I called it is a rocky shoreline that is mainly volcanic rock from a couple thousand years ago. The rock contains openings and voids sparatically throughout. Obviously, people coming to lay down will avoid these opening. I decided that would b the place to install my...BALLOONS. I blew up 75 multi-colored balloons one morning at approximately 6:00am and gingerly placed them amongst the rocks. The reaction was just what I had hoped. I observed 30+ pictures taken, more people sit in the area than usual, kids remove some to play with in the water, and many be popped, as well as a difficult clean up process.
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