AQUINNAH CIRCLE LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN
Index
for the Town of Aquinnah by Addie Halligan and Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
1 Context: Community & Location 2 Existing Conditions & Goals 3 Views & Destinations 4 Circulation 5 Character Zones 6 Vegetation & Habitat 7 Soils, Slopes & Drainage 8 Cliff Erosion & Climate Change
9 Summary Analysis 10 Final Short-term Design 11 Aquinnah Cultural Center Design 12 Manning Property Design 13 Amphitheater & Park Design 14 Road & Ramp Design 15 Shop Park Design 16 Overlook Design
17 Bathroom Design 18 Grading Plan 19 Plant Palette I 20 Plant Palette II 21 Sign Recommendations 22 Precedents 23 Long-term Design Alternatives 24 References
Context: Community & Location
Additionally, the history and current presence of the Wampanoag people is not fully communicated on the site, and tribe members want to enhance visitor experience, to educate and share their culture and tradition with tourists, and to help visitors understand that the Wampanoag are still here.
Today, the tribe owns 485 acres of land throughout Aquinnah. It owns tracts of their traditional homelands, including the cliffs, cranberry bogs, and land that is now home to a multipurpose facility southeast of the Circle.
Annual Powwow photo credit: Martha’s Vineyard Times, Lynn Christoffers
Tourism Before the 1850s, when there were no roads to Aquinnah, tourists would cross the Vineyard Sound on steamers to visit the colorful cliffs and Gay Head lighthouse. The Wampanoag tribal members would take them by oxcarts around the area and sold them their pottery, jewelry, and fresh lobster rolls. Tourism has allowed tribal members to make a livelihood in this remote location, and live in Aquinnah year round.
The tribe is governed by a popularly elected, elevenmember Tribal Council. The tribe has held on to traditions, like the annual Powwow, and passes its culture and knowledge to younger generations through oral tradition. Around the Circle, tribal members own the shops and operate the Cultural Center, sharing their arts and culture with visitors.
By the 1950s shops were established west of the Circle, and restaurants and inns followed. Today, there are seven shops, a kiosk that explores the Wampanoag history and presence today, and a restaurant. The shops have been passed down through generations, and serve as the gateway to the iconic overlook of the cliffs. While there has been an ongoing relationship between tourists and the tribe, members feel today that tourists do not understand that there is a strong present-day tribal presence.
Aquinnah Shops in summer photo credit: WBUR.org, Andrea Shea
Town & Tribe Partnerships The town and tribe, together, ambitiously raised $3.5 million to move the lighthouse at the Circle, 129’ to protect it from cliff erosion. They purchased and opened the Aquinnah Cultural Center, to create a place to support ongoing exploration of the Wampanoag culture, host diverse tribal activities, and share with visitors their cultural heritage.
Aquinnah Circle bordered by cliffs, aerial view looking east
Aquinnah Circle Cultural District photo credit: WBUR.org, Andrea Shea
In 2016, Aquinnah became the first cultural district in the nation that involved a partnership between a town and Native American tribe. Together, they hope to attract artists and cultural enterprises, encourage business and job growth, expand tourism, preserve and reuse historical buildings, and foster cultural development in Aquinnah.
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
The Circle itself is owned by the town, and is bordered by predominantly tribal and trust lands. Three roads converge into a circle that forms the “downtown” of Aquinnah which wraps around a 4-acre open lawn. This space has evolved and changed over years. The Circle once housed an inn, a restaurant at the lighthouse,
Off the coast of Cape Cod, on the western corner of Martha’s Vineyard, is Aquinnah, a stunningly beautiful, remote, coastal town with a layered past. Aquinnah is celebrated for its scenery and cultural richness. The town comprises two sovereign governments, the town and the Wampanoag Tribe, and together they make joint decisions on land use planning. Aquinnah is home to 312 year-round residents, and in the summer months the population increases to roughly 2,060 residents.
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
The livelihoods of the year-round residents rely heavily on the influx of tourism during the summer months. The Circle is visited by over 100,000 tourists each year.
and a variety of events. While the circular road has remained for nearly two centuries, the circle today is problematic, because it makes pedestrians secondary to vehicles in the landscape. The only building remaining within the Circle is the bathroom, which is situated at the bottom of 1950s, Not-a-Way Inn and a bowl shape, distant from Vanderhoop Restaurant all attractions. Visitors often have a hard time navigating the undulating topography and distance to the bathroom from the spread out destinations.
The Wampanoag Tribe is a federally recognized tribe that consists of 1,300 members, roughly 120 of whom reside in Aquinnah. The tribe has been present in Aquinnah for nearly 10,000 years, beginning as a fishing and agricultural community.
Context: Location & Community
Aquinnah Circle
Wampanoag Tribe
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Existing Conditions & Goals The Circle Today
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beautiful areas are fragmented by unpleasant ones, and the site does not fully communicate Aquinnah’s fascinating history, unique community composition, and tribal presence. Furthermore, ecological diversity is limited within the inner Circle, and to limit potential increases in cliff erosion rates people may need to limit disturbance and the addition of impervious surface that sheds runoff near the cliffs.
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Community Goals Through a series of meetings and an online survey, the Aquinnah community developed three primary goals for improving the Circle with the hope of supporting the town economically, making the Circle a place both visitors and residents can appreciate, communicating the community’s shared environmental values to visitors, and increasing the resiliency of the landscape into the future.
1. Improve human experience of the site • •
The bathroom is at the bottom of a steep, inaccessible slope far from the shops and eateries.
The overlook is excessively large and positioned on the edge of the eroding cliffs.
Cliff erosion, a natural process, is being exacerbated by climate change.
The Aquinnah Cultural Center is hidden from view from most places around the Circle, and struggles to attract visitors.
Improve circulation and wayfinding Create comfortable, multi-functional gathering spaces
2. Improve the site’s ecological integrity and adaptability • • •
Increase habitat diversity where appropriate Plan for future change Reduce negative human impact on cliffs, dunes, and habitat
3. Make the story of people and place more apparent • • • •
Use subtle cues to inform visitors of Wampanoag presence Provide educational information about Aquinnah’s history, and ecological and social context Decrease isolation of Aquinnah Cultural Center from other destinations around the Circle Demonstrate respect for the environment through the addition of sustainable infrastructure
Existing Conditions
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Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
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Aquinnah Circle is a distant location, set beside the spectacularly beautiful Aquinnah Cliffs. Most people visit Aquinnah Circle to see the lighthouse, beach, overlook, and shops, and may stumble upon the Aquinnah Cultural Center along the way. The circular shape of the road was created in the mid-seventeenth century to transport tourists in and out of the area. Today the destinations situated around the outer edge of the Circle feel isolated from one another, wayfinding can be difficult,
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
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Views & Destinations
Views
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Gravel Path
Lower Dirt Parking Lot
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Land Bank Trail Parking
CLIFFS
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Sign denoting arrival, and lighthouse as visual landmark
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Sweeping views to the southwest overlooking the Circle
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CULTURAL CENTER View of Vineyard Sound to the west, from top of lighthouse
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Destinations
the views, and attending the annual PowWow, artisan fair, and various other annual events. The overlook provides the best views of the cliffs. The cliffs form the backdrop to Moshup Beach, which is accessed via a trail from the a town owned parking lot at southern end of the circle.
View from overlook to the north of cliffs and lighthouse
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View to the south from ACC to the sand dunes
Views & Destinations
Historical buildings are dispersed throughout the site and include a former homestead transformed into a cultural center, a historic red brick lighthouse, and shops and eateries enclosing the four-acre open lawn. The inner circle is a space for eating, enjoying
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View to southeast from shops to the Cultural Center
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Restaurant
Restaurant Employee Parking
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The topography of the landscape creates low points that hide the views, while the high points reveal the expansive views that draw thousands of visitors to Aquinnah each year.
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The overlook is the main destination on site, visitors arrive at the overlook at the end of a brick road and the dramatic cliffs capture the viewer’s eye. A serene park tucked behind the Cultural Center provides views of the sand dunes to the south.
Gayhead Lighthouse
Shops
Aquinnah Cultural Center
Moshup Beach
This 1799 lighthouse is the oldest on Martha’s Vineyard, made of bricks from the clay cliffs and constructed to protect ships from Devils Bridge, a reef off the coast. It was Moved 129’ feet inland in 2015.
The seven shops and Aquinnah Shop Restaurant are owned by tribal members and passed down through generations. The shops sell homemade native jewelry, wampum, clothing, and pottery.
A non-profit organization in a former homestead, it supports tribal activities and preserves, interprets, and teaches history and culture.
A fifteen-minute walk from Aquinnah Circle is a half-mile stretch of beach with the cliffs forming the backdrop.
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
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Views are central to the visitors’ and residents’ experience of the Circle, stretching across miles of sand dunes to the south, and forested Aquinnah to the east. The lighthouse serves as the visual landmark, telling visitors they have arrived in Aquinnah Circle. The high elevation of the northern sector of the Circle makes possible the sweeping views to the south and southeast, with the Vineyard Sound as the backdrop. The lighthouse, at this high point, gives visitors 360 views of the Sound and the entirety of Martha’s Vineyard to the east.
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Isolated Destinations and Wayfinding
Circulation
The destinations on site, which include the lighthouse, the shops, the ACC, the bathroom, and the trails to the beach, are all distant from one another, with little to no physical connections (paths, trails, etc.). Under parking time constraints or lack of mobility, it is hard for visitors to experience this landscape fully.
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Because the Aquinnah Cultural Center is blocked by dense thickets, and accessed via an eroding driveway off the main road, it is unclear that this former homestead is a destination and open to the public. No paths lead to this site and it can only be accessed by walking on the road shared with vehicles, around a steep curve.
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There is a need to create connectivity and cohesion between the distant destinations and improve the visitors’ experience and the legibility of the landscape.
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Lower Dirt Parking Lot
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A temporary barrier protects pedestrians walking to the lighthouse from traffic. Pedestrian experience comes secondary in the landscape.
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Restaurant Employee Parking
Dirt Driveway
Land Bank Trail Parking
CULTURAL CENTER
Cars parked on the interior of the Circle separate the shops from the large lawn space.
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Vehicular traffic Pedestrian traffic
Crosswalk
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Vehicular & Pedestrian Conflict The road is a one-way loop that draws all vehicular traffic around the Circle. Parking is on the interior of the Circle, while bus drop-off is on the exterior. A crosswalk to the shops is also where the bus and van drop-off zone is, creating a choke point where many user groups converge. During peak times a police officer manages this hazardous zone, which is costly to the town. There are no sidewalks on site, therefore pedestrians must often share the road with vehicles. The crosswalk is situated at the choke point, sandwiched between buses, creating a blind spot for pedestrians aiming to cross the street safely. Vehicles overpower pedestrians, who often become secondary in the landscape.
Choke point
One-Hour Parking
Isolated Destinations
Residential Parking
Three-Hour Parking
Confused Wayfinding
Vehicular traffic includes tourists arriving by car, bus, or van, residents, and shop owners. Between the high volume of traffic and the arrangement of parking spots and bus drop-off, vehicles dominates the Circle, and come in conflict with pedestrians.
Looking northeast from the ACC to the lighthouse, the destinations are distant from one another, with no clear paths.
No ADA ramps make accessing the shops and other destinations challenging.
The bathroom is located at the lowest point of the circle, distant from all destinations, non ADA accessible, and experiencing septic issues.
There are about forty, free one-hour parking spots on the interior of the Circle; after parking here visitors must cross the street to access all destinations. Overflow and beach parking is in the southeastern corner of the circle. Between the steep slopes and lack of ADA accessible ramps on site, this site is challenging to traverse. Accessing the bathroom from the shops requires walking down a steep slope. The bathroom is remote from all destinations. There is a need to create safe and convenient spaces for all user groups, and decrease areas of conflict between vehicular traffic and pedestrians .
The ACC is hidden behind dense thickets.
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Bathroom
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The beach parking lot is distant from all destinations, without a clear path to return to the circle.
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
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Navigating this site is challenging as there are little to no cues or signs denoting sites as private or public, where to find the bathroom, where to find the overflow/beach parking, or how or which paths to take to navigate back to the various destinations.
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Character Zones 1
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Pedestrians skirt the edge of the road, which is busy with congested traffic during the summer, to travel between the lighthouse and the shops.
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4 Beautiful, pleasant, comfortable places
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
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Despite phenomenal 360-degree views at the top of the overlook, the steep and uneven slopes create tripping hazards, and residents report dissatisfaction with the haphazard surfacing materials.
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Human comfort could be improved
Inaccessible or in transition
Scale: 1” = 40’
Character Zones The Circle has incredible views from the lighthouse park, the Cultural Center and the top of the inner circle. Historic structures like the shops along the brick path add to the rural, rustic character of the Circle. However, these pleasant spaces and views are fragmented by spaces that cause confusion or conflict between pedestrians and vehicles, or are inhospitable to people. It is unclear which path to take from the lower parking lot, pedestrians walk along much of the road between destinations, and there is a general lack of the prospect and refuge that people typically find comfortable.
Prospect & Refuge: Generally, people enjoy seeing vast landscapes, but they also gravitate toward areas that provide refuge.
The seating area closest to the shops has views of the landscape and Cultural Center to the south, but is hot and exposed with no screening from the busy bus stop.
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Road
Inner Circle Lawn
Section A-A’ Looking northeast: There are very few places at the Circle to escape the sun or wind, which are typical throughout the summer. Visitors may decrease the length of their stay if they become uncomfortable due to this exposure.
Bathroom
The area behind the Cultural Center, with its beautiful views and comfortable shade, is already hospitable and comfortable for people.
Character Zones
Aquinnah Circle Basemap
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
Uncomfortable, inhospitable
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Vegetation
Most of Martha’s Vineyard’s non-forested plant communities are in succession toward oak forest and much of the island today is now wooded (Foster, 12). Sandplain grassland and heathland communities across the island, which were historically maintained by burning or grazing, are now in decline due to a shift away from agriculture and to increased fire suppression. These communities are now of great conservation interest since they harbor many rare species declining with the shift in habitat availability. Introducing grassland or heathland vegetation at the Circle would increase its relative diversity, while also keeping vegetation low enough to preserve views of the landscape.
CONSERVATION RESTRICTION MANNING PROPERTY
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Protected Areas
SHOPS & EATERIES
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CLIFFS
Four conservation restriction parcels, located on the north and south outside edges of the Circle, were established to provide protected habitat for a rare plant, the Broad Tinker’s-weed (Triosetum perfoliatum), after it was discovered that the lighthouse move in May 2015 (see sheet 8) would disrupt its existing habitat around the lighthouse park. There is also a wetland located in the eastern corner of the circle, which is very close to the vehicle traffic surrounding it on all sides. This wetland is protected by a 100-foot Wetland Buffer Zone per the Wetland Protection Act and a 200foot regulated wetland area per Town regulations. Work within these areas will require a permit from the Aquinnah Conservation Commission.
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
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Roadside vegetation along the eastern entrance to Aquinnah Circle, like much of the island, is a mix of trees and thickets. The rest of the outer edge of the Circle is largely thickets of bayberry, Virginia rose, and Virginia creeper. Other than a few patches of shrubs, pitch pines, and two lonely cedars, the inner Circle is a wide, four-acre expanse of lawn. Mowing, an energy-intensive process, happens once a week during the summer.
Thickets (medium height) Mowed areas (shorter height)
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Wooded & thickets (taller height)
Aquinnah Circle Basemap
Scale: 1” = 40’
Habitat
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According to the BioMap2 statewide assessment, Core Habitat (key habitat areas for rare and endangered species) covers 76% of the town of Aquinnah. The vast lawn within the circle and surrounding road do not have this designation because of the high human impact in these areas. Lawn does not provide ecological services, like abundant food sources or cover for predators and prey, that many wildlife species require. Grasslands or woodlands are more diverse ecological systems than lawns and they can support a wider range of species because they have a greater diversity of interactions. For example, a meadow may attract pollinators, which in turn are food for birds, who are able to nest in the tall grass. Most of the rest of Aquinnah is woodland habitat, so increasing meadow or grassland habitat at the circle would provide a habitat type that is currently limited in the immediate area and still preserve the views that draw people to the site.
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BioMap2 Core Habitat Forest
The inner circle is a wide expanse of lawn, which provides poor habitat and produces surface water runoff, but is desired by people for lounging, playing, and event space. Many people also believe that mowed lawn harbors fewer ticks than other types of vegetation.
Aquinnah Thickets
The wetland in the eastern corner of the Circle is protected by a 200-foot regulation area.
Conservation areas protecting the Broad Tinker’s weed are marked with signs. These areas will be mowed several times per year to provide the ideal habitat for this rare plant.
Vegetation & Habitat
Conservation Restriction & Wetland Protection
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
BioMap2 Core Habitat
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Soils, Slopes & Drainage
Soils The soils around the site are predominately Nantucket - Plymouth complex, a sandy loam that is hilly, stony, and acidic (Natural Resource Conservation Service soil survey). This soil is moderately to excessively draining. Sand particles are larger than other particles, and in combination with the stony surface, water can flow more freely through the soil, which leads to erosion issues on site in the lower southern portion.
Legend 0-3%
Drainage direction
3-5%
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The soil type on site may cause septic system issues. The Natural Resource Conservation Service soil survey suggests poor suitability for septic tanks on this site because of the high water table, a high clay and sand hard pan, and highly acidic soils. The sewage has the potential to contaminate the groundwater if the high water table is intercepting the sewage. A high clay and sand hard pan could limit infiltration of water, causing lateral dispersal of effluent from the system, potentially contaminating the surrounding area. The acidity of the soil makes it hard to uptake nitrogen and phosphorus, leading to further contamination. Therefore, the soil suitability is limiting septic systems and alternative options and locations should be explored.
15-20% 20-25% <25%
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Topography within the circle varies between 5-15%. Yellow outline indicates roads and paths that are 5-10%, creating challenging slopes to traverse and increasing velocity of water of the road, leading to erosion.
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Not to scale.
Undulating topography of the center circle, with the bathroom located at the lowest point
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Bathroom
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by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
10-15%
NantucketPlymouth complex
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Dramatic cliffs. Outline of the topography on site. Steep north and northwestern slopes with gradual slopes to the south.
Dramatic Slopes & Erosion The steep slopes on this site are dramatic and subject to erosion. The cliffs have a north and northeast aspect, and slope at rates over 25%. Slopes to the south vary between 3 and 10%. The Circle itself has a bowl-like shape with undulating topography, from 3 to 15% slopes, making it challenging to traverse or to host events. Sections of the road and the path to the bathroom are 5 to 10%. Slopes over 5% are unpleasant for those who struggle with mobility. The steep sections on the impervious road increase velocity and concentration
of stormwater surface drainage, which creates erosion, especially in the Aquinnah Cultural Center driveway and paths to the beach, towards the south. The slope of the path to the bathroom is steep, ranging between 5-15% and eroding, and the bowl-like shape of the circle causes pooling at the low point of the bathrooms.
Moshup Loam
Ridgebury Variant
18-22 inches sandy loam hard pan
Erosion on path to beach.
Not to scale.
Udipsamments, rolling
Nantucket-Plymouth Soil Profile Top two inches organic material Glacial till with boulder deposits
18-30 inches Perched water table
Decomposing bedrock
Sandy loam, clay mix
While the slopes of the site create high vantage points and reveal distant views, they pose a challenge to visitors’ ability to traverse the site, especially between the shops, the bathroom, and Cultural Center.
The site’s high water table and high hard pan could be causing the current septic issues.
Soils, Slopes & Drainage
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Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
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Cliff Erosion & Climate Change OVERLOOK SHOPS
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Martha’s Vineyard’s current landform was formed by the last glacial advance roughly 20,000 years ago. Material accumulated by the glacier piled high to form the terminal moraine that is the backbone and topographic highground of the island (Hale, 14). This moraine is made up of coarse rocky sediments and can have pockets of clay that hold water. Aquinnah Circle is located on the far western tip of the terminal moraine on Martha’s Vineyard. The pressure from the glacial advance also created Aquinnah Cliffs, which expose millions of years of geologic history in their colorful sediment layers.
Erosion & Climate Change some parts of the Circle is estimated to be 1.8 feet per year (Gayhead Lighthouse Advisory Committee, 2013). The Town moved the Aquinnah Lighthouse in May 2015 since it sat dangerously close to the edge of the cliffs.
Top of Cliff Edge
Upper material less stable, slides down
The shops, eateries, and overlook are the areas next closest to the cliff edge. These will eventually need to be relocated or they will be lost. Planning their relocation could also help improve circulation around the Circle.
Water seeping through cliff face
Lower beach material pulled away from cliffs
Sea level rise
Previous beach profile
The Town of Aquinnah acquired the lighthouse and moved it 130 feet to preserve it from falling off the edge of the cliffs.
The cliffs near the lighthouse have receded of 175 feet since 1870, averaging 1.8 feet of erosion per year (Gayhead Lighthouse Advisory Committee, 2013).
Conceptual diagram of cliff erosion (NTS)
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
Future Planning Cliff Erosion & Climate Change
Coastal erosion is a natural process by which landbased hydrology and wave action against the beach pull land material away from the cliffs and deposit it on the ocean floor. The rate of erosion is increasing as a result of climate change, which is causing sea level rise and increased storm severity. In severe storm events, large sections of land can be lost at once and longtime residents in Aquinnah report that they’ve seen drastic change even in their lifetime. Projecting estimated rates of erosion to determine when cliff edges may be lost is becoming difficult due to the unpredictability of storms and the severity of impact that climate change will have in coming years. The rate of erosion around
The shops, eateries and overlook are close to the eroding cliff edge and planning for their retreat will be necessary to sustain them.
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Geologic History
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Summary Analysis
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Powwow Event Space 200’ Wetland Protection Area
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Large sections of the road are shared between pedestrians and vehicles where people walk along the edge of the street to travel between destinations.
Steep, eroding
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Aquinnah Circle Basemap
The shops and overlook are close to the edge of the cliffs. Relocation of the shops should be considered to reduce impact on cliff erosion as a result of impervious surface or disturbance, and to preserve these historically and economically important structures.
WETLAND
BATHROOM
Art Fair Event Space
Topography around the Circle varies greatly between 3 and 25 percent. Steep sections within the Circle make paths like the main gravel path from the bathroom up to the shops inaccessible to handicapped individuals.
TO BEACH
Scale: 1” = 40’
Project Phasing & Design Alternatives
Lack of Cues
The Town’s finances are currently limited so in the short-term funds will be allocated toward improvements that are achievable within the next three to four years. There are issues, however, that are extremely challenging to resolve without making improvements to the larger traffic patterns, redistributing activity centers, and relocating structures away from the cliff edge. The community meetings held in 2017 served as an opportunity to discuss larger changes and longer-term visions for the Circle. The Town hopes to continue this conversation to achieve a general consensus about longterm designs. Sheet 23 include three long-term design alternatives, which look at the possibilities for change within twenty-five to thirty years. The community’s detailed feedback on two short-term design alternatives also led to the production of one final short-term design (see sheet 10).
There are few signs for wayfinding and other physical elements representing presence and history of the Wampanoag tribe at the Circle. Tribe members have expressed frustration with the general public’s lack of understanding that the Wampanoag are a modern tribe still living in Aquinnah.
Aquinnah Cultural Center is the most isolated destination on the site and struggles to attract visitors. Opening up the vegetation that currently screens it from view from most of the Circle and creating a welcoming, public-looking entrance could help draw people in.
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
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Though it currently lacks shade, the northern part of the inner circle offers nice views and a sense of prospect and refuge, which makes it a strong candidate for siting gathering spaces and hosting events. The lighthouse park and area south of the Cultural Center are additional places, with beautiful views and hospitable landscapes. The four conservation restriction parcels protecting the Broad Tinker’s weed pose a design constraint and any work done within them or the 100- and 200-foot wetland protection areas will require a permit from the Aquinnah Conservation Commission. The large inner circle lawn requires intensive mowing, is less biodiverse than other plant communities, and produces surface runoff, which can contribute to erosion problems. Major annual events like the Wampanoag Powwow and the Artisan Craft Fair require relatively level spaces large enough for tents (50’ x 70’ and 30’ x 50’ respectively). These flat spaces can be found in the northeast and southwest corners of the inner circle.
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
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The two largest community complaints concern the bathrooms, which are isolated, lack accessibility, and have an outdated septic system, and the traffic congestion at the top of the Circle, where conflict between buses, cars, and pedestrians creates a traffic choke point.
Summary Analysis
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Final Short-term Design
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Shaded outdoor seating areas are placed to take advantage of view to the south and accommodate potential future eating establishments (See sheet 12)
Bathroom & Shower
Bathrooms
Path regraded slightly, widened 1’
Pedestrians Three crosswalks are added at crossings to main destinations and all five are raised to increase pedestrian safety. A universally accessible path is added, connecting the three destinations and accessible parking on the north part of the Circle. This path creates a stronger connection between Land Bank trails to the south and proposed trails to the north. A universally accessible ramp to the shops from the east end of the bus stop up is an alternative to the existing stairs, which remain the other main entrance to the shops. A sidewalk along the northern outer edge of the circle, buffered from the road by vegetation, gives pedestrians a safer, more pleasant passage between the lighthouse and shops. The trail between the lower parking lot and the Aquinnah Cultural Center is regraded in one area and widened slightly to encourage passage along the trail instead of on the road.
Manning Property
LOWER PARKING LOT
8% Path
AD A
The park next to the shops and restaurant has a pergola that shades visitors and is enclosed by a retaining wall. (See sheet 15)
Pergola
Approximately one-third of the inner circle lawn is replaced with meadow to reduce frequency of mowing and increase biodiversity. Meadows are placed to define edges and enclose spaces. This is established by mowing only a few times a year and seeding or planting small drifts of colorful species.
TO BEACH Shrubs Thinned Parking
Ethnobotanical Garden Patio & Artwork
Bathroom
N 0
50
100 feet
CULTURAL CENTER
Two-stall composting toilets are installed near the Cultural Center and the Manning Property. A bathroom facility including a shower for beach-goers is sited at the trailhead to the beach near the lower parking lot. The main toilets are located to the north of the upper parking lot. (For an alternative main facility bathroom design see sheet 17)
Wetland Buffer Cultural Center Entrance
Park & Amphitheater
The entrance to the Cultural Center is visually opened up by removing tall shrubs and adding an ethnobotanical garden to make it appear more welcoming. (Sheet X). A patio makes the entrance feel more public. (See sheet 11)
Some lawn space is retained for events like the Powwow and Artisan Fair. A park in the northwestern inner circle has a cluster of trees to shelter people and takes advantage of the high point and open views. A simple stone amphitheater is used for events and summer concerts. (See sheet 13)
A two-foot-wide buffer edge is planted around the wetland to filter stormwater runoff from the increased parking on the adjacent road that slopes south towards the wetland, and from the lower unpaved parking lot that is within the 200’ wetland protection area. Establishing meadow on the eastern half of the Circle also serves to buffer the wetland from stormwater that is currently easily shed by lawn.
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
am
Raised Platforms
The size of the overlook is reduced and a platform creates elevated views. The eastern half of the overlook is renaturalized. (See sheet 16)
Meadow
Benches
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
On
AD AR
Overlook
Bathroom
Tour Van & Handicap Parking
Final Short-term Design
Vehicles The one-way traffic vehicle flow is preserved and one-hour vehicle parking is moved to the northern section of road. A southern portion of the road is widened for a moving traffic lane. The bus stop is shifted to the northeast. Some resident parking at the bottom of the Circle is reassigned for a tour bus waiting area. Parking is also increased slightly at the Manning Property and Cultural Center. (See sheets 11, 12, 14)
MANNING PROPERTY
Sidewalk
10/25
Aquinnah Cultural Center Design
Proposed Design 10
9’
Expanded Broad Tinker’sweed habitat
To Shops & Overlook Raised Crosswalk
11
0’
Existing Conditions Tall vegetation in front of the northern entrance to the Aquinnah Cultural Center (ACC) blocks views of the building from most of the Circle. The 10%-sloped unpaved driveway on the west side of the entrance is eroding. A lack of pedestrian connection to the Cultural Center and its lack of visibility contribute to the underuse of the shady lawn and sunny patio with spectacular views behind the Cultural Center. Community members value this property for its historic significance and would like to avoid the use of too many signs that distract from its visual character.
*Screening Vegetation
Trail to lower dirt parking lot widened and regraded (sheet X) *Black Cherry
A
*Ethnobotanical Garden
*Meadow
*Meadow Views of the ocean Patio
’
No direct path to Center
Reduce the height of or thin the vegetation at the entrance to the Cultural Center to create a direct line of sight to the building entrance
•
Regrade the existing driveway to reduce erosion
N * See sheet 19-20: Plant Palette for details
bench with a view next to the artwork provides people with a place to rest as they transition from the beach to the rest of the Circle. Next to the ethnobotanical garden the lawn is replaced with gentle drifts of short meadow or no-mow ground cover to reduce the need for frequent mowing, increase the diversity of the species composition, and preserve the view from the bottom of the inner circle lawn to the ocean.
Road
Path
Path
The path from the unpaved parking lot is regraded and widened by one to two feet to increase ease of travel to the ACC (see sheet 18: Grading Plan). This path links the ACC to the lower parking lot and gives people the option to visit the ACC, venture to the beach via the existing Land Bank trail, or head north over a raised crosswalk to the rest of the Circle. The crosswalk connects to an ADA path leading up to the shops and overlook. The number of parking
spaces near the ACC is increased from two to five by regrading the existing western driveway and parking area. These additional spaces are accommodated by expanding the existing lot by 20 feet and adding a small turnaround. This parking area is visually screened from the rest of the Circle by shrubs that do not significantly block views to the ACC or the beach.
A’
Ethnobotanical Path Garden 0
Existing Grade
A new permeable patio forms an outdoor reception area, signaling the entrance to the building. This patio widens toward the west side of the building to lead people to stunning views of the ocean and the Land Bank trail to the beach. A sculpture or other temporary artwork by a Wampanoag artist is positioned on the edge of the garden where two paths meet at the entrance, affirming the tribe’s presence and attracting the public to the space without using large signs. A
Benches
Land Bank Trail to Beach
A Welcoming Entrance In the proposed design, the tall shrubs northeast of the Aquinnah Cultural Center are thinned to increase the visibility of the front of the building and eastern yard, while still providing some screening and shelter from the wind. The tall shrubs directly north of the ACC are replaced with an ethnobotanical garden with signs explaining traditional medicinal and other cultural Wampanoag uses of the plants there.
Patio
Patio Cultural Center 25
50 feet
0
25
50 feet
Section A-A’ Looking northeast: In addition to removing the tall shrubs, regrading the entrance to the ACC, such that the ethnobotanical garden is at the same elevation as the building allows the building to be visible from the rest of the Circle. Fill from this area could be used to raise and regrade the parking lot (see sheet X: Grading Plans).
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
Create clear pedestrian pathways to the Cultural Center from the rest of the Circle
Lawn
Aquinnah Cultural Center Design
•
Cultural Center
Two-stall, Composting Toilets
Design Directives
Avoid the use of large signs
Patio *Edge Plantings
Front of the Cultural Center looking south. The entrance to the Cultural Center is hidden by tall shrubs.
•
90 89
Bench Lawn
Parking
•
’
Artwork
Entrance to Center
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
*Sassafras
Tall shrubs block views
11/24
Manning Property Design
Proposed Design
Existing Conditions & Future Plans
Outdoor Gathering Spaces
Sustainable Alternatives
The southeast corner of the Manning Property is the first part of the Circle seen upon arrival. The property lies in a flat area, downslope of the lighthouse, which towers over it to the north. The area in front of the Manning Property buildings is primarily taken up by two flat, gravel driveways and lawn. The three buildings, recently acquired by the Town, are currently vacant, and the Town is working with the South Mountain Company to generate a design for the property. The designs suggested in this master plan set are based on the architectural changes proposed by the South Mountain Company, but explore an alternative landscape approach that might be considered as the architectural designs evolve.
A deck west of the west building with a view of the Circle and ocean to the south provides space for outdoor seating potentially associated with a cafe. A lawn area behind the deck offers gathering space for community classes or events. Picnic tables are added south of the east building, and this area is buffered from the parking lot and driveway to the condos by a vegetated edge including a row of beach plums that flower through spring. Paths and edge plantings are added throughout the property to help people understand where to walk and to define gathering spaces.
Solar panels installed on the south-facing roofs of all three buildings reduce the site’s carbon footprint. A planted swale between the parking area and outdoor seating area collects, slows, and infiltrates stormwater runoff. Vehicle access to the lighthouse for a maintenance truck is preserved, while a portion of the west entrance is edged with a low-mow meadow mix to reduce impervious surface and frequency of mowing.
12 2 12 ’ 1’
Bathrooms
Seating ing Wall
East Building Deck West Building
Two-stall Composting Toilets
East Building
Ramp
Solar P
anels
Deck Seating
**West Building
To Lighthouse
Pergola Shade Structure
Solar Panels
Driveway to Condos
Benches Views of Lighthouse
•
• Drive to Condos
West Building
Maintain open space on the west side of the west building to provide views of the landscape to the south Create areas of shade in the sunny, hot spots for comfortable outdoor gathering and possibly dining
Sidewalk
*Beach Plum Edge
*Low meadow Parking
Parking
ROAD (One-Way Traffic)
Raised Crosswalk
A
Swale collecting water from parking
Maintenance Truck Parking
**Elements designed by South Mountain Co.
0
* See sheet 19-20: Plant Palette for details
N 25
Maintain maintenance vehicle access to the lighthouse
Road Existing Manning Property photo, taken looking south from the top of the lighthouse.
Beach Plum Edge
Picnic Area
Pergola
East Building
Section A-A’ Looking northeast: Plantings around the edges of the outdoor seating area buffer the space from the road and parking areas. A pergola provides shade in the front of the building.
50 feet
Manning Property Design
Exposed to drivers entering Circle
Views of the Circle & Ocean
•
Create an attractive southeast corner that doesn’t distract from the lighthouse (primary landmark)
9’
•
10
ing
11 0’
Build
Driv e Con way to dos
West Build ing
East
Outdoor Seating
Design Directives
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
Lawn Sunny &Hot
East Building
12
*Edge Plantings
1’
A’
Ramp
Lawn
Driv Con eway t o dos
Solar Panels
The current design proposal from South Mountain includes relocating and reducing the size of the west building, creating a deck between all three buildings, and This design proposal from the South Mountain Company building a retaining wall and sunken lawn includes relocating and reducing the size of the west building. space in the northwest corner. With these changes, the best views from the property would likely be from the west side of the west building, the south side of the east building, and the sunken lawn space looking up at the lighthouse. The southeast and northwest sections of the property are likely to be very hot and sunny. If any of the buildings become a restaurant or cafe, those establishments may desire to provide outdoor seating in these areas.
Maintenance Vehicle Access Required
A two-stalled composting toilet is located along the path between the Manning Property and the lighthouse to offer restrooms closer to these two destinations. This bathroom is partially built into the hillside to keep it from imposing on the gathering spaces at the Manning Property.
**Retain
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Lighthouse
Current suggestions for the use of the Manning Property, proposed by the Town and members of the community, include leasing gallery space, reinstating Manning Fish and Chips (a restaurant that once occupied the east building), or adding a cafe, a museum, or community venue space.
12/24
Amphitheater & Park Design
To lighthouse & Manning Property
Proposed Design
Stone Amphitheater
1
Existing Conditions Though the vastness of the lawn within the circle provides the freedom to roam (a rare type of open space in Aquinnah), there are few human-scaled elements to increase the comfort of gathering spaces. The inner lawn is sunny, windy, and exposed to the elements and there is little ecological diversity. The topography in the circle makes it challenging to traverse in some places, but also defines gathering spaces within the flatter sections and visitors sometimes recline against the steeper slopes that are facing the view. The flattest, highest points in the inner circle have the best views of the landscape to the south. Children often climb on the boulders around the Circle, many of which are close to the road.
118’
A AD
A stone amphitheater takes advantage of a steep section of topography within the Circle to offer seating for day-users, summer concerts, and other events. The amphitheater faces southwest, offering a prime view of the sunset over the ocean. A modular temporary stage could be constructed for events.
th Pa es
ch
n Be
A Powwow Event Space
Steps for easier access through center
Lawn
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Stone Seats
*Meadow Stage
*Meadow
A’
The topography in the circle creates flat spaces which are best for events and picnicking enclosed by steeper slopes. * See sheet 19-20: Plant Palette for details
Design Directives •
Create human-scaled spaces, with shade and shelter throughout the lawn
•
Introduce biodiversity to the inner lawn
•
Create gathering spaces in flat areas with views at top of the circle
•
Maintain open space to allow people to freedom to roam or sit on steeper slopes
•
Offer a safe place for children to climb and play
N 0
Lawn
93’
92’
25
50 feet
Stone Seats
Stage
Road
117
Pa th
’
ad
Ro
ath
ADA P
Bike Racks
Picnic Tables
50 feet
To lighthouse & Manning Property
Picnic Tables
Play Structure
Lawn Picnic Tables Meadow Bus Stop
Road
ADA Path
ADA Path
Picnic Area
ADA Path
ath
ADA P
Lawn 0
25
50 feet
4’
10
Section B-B’ Looking northeast
2
Edge Plantings
1
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
2
A park-like picnic area with sweeping views of the ocean to the south is located within one of the flat areas across from the shops and eateries. This area offers shade, shelter, and seating as well as a sense of prospect and refuge beneath the trees. Boulders and edge plantings define human-scaled gathering spaces. A cluster of trees offers shade and shelter from the intense sun and wind; the trees are planted far enough apart so that drivers along the road to the north can still see between the trunks to the landscape beyond. A wooden play structure along the edge of the picnic area offers space for children to play away from the road.
B
Raised Crosswalk
25
AD A
Sunny & Shaded Picnic Areas
0
Amphitheater & Park Design
Section A-A’ Looking northeast: Two-foot-wide stones are set into the ground on contour, three feet apart to create an amphitheater on the steepest slope.
B’ Lawn
N
8% Slope Path
’
3 10
To Cultural Center * See sheet 19-20: Plant Palette for details
0
25
50 feet
13/24
Road & Ramp Design Proposed Design
Existing Conditions
Buffer Vegetated grasses) w (*Meado
B
The parking, bus stop and crosswalk create a choke point, a place where many user groups are converging, creating safety concerns and congestion. All parking is on the interior of the circle. Visitors then must walk in the road, behind cars to access the one crosswalk to cross the street to the shops. There is no universally accessible ramp to access the shops, only a series of stairs. The only bathroom is downslope on the southern edge the circle, and people must cross the busy choke point, walk down an eroding and steep (non-ADA) path to use the bathroom, distant from all locations.
Parking
Bathroom
123’ 122’
One-way traffic
L M ow e a Sh do ru w bs
&
Parking
A
Temporary buffer between pedestrians and vehicles 107’ 108’
Views to the south from high point
AD AR
Design Directives
Vans and tour buses drop passengers off at the shops and then wait in the lower parking lot, formerly used as residential parking, now combined residential parking and bus waiting zone. The VTA bus has a designated parking spot, as they do not idle on site. In the bus loading zone, there is a bus stop consisting of a few benches. A 10’-wide sidewalk narrows the road, and connects visitors to the steps to the shops, a universally accessible ramp to the shops, or to the crosswalk.
g kin par
rop
us
sd
Section A to A’ looking northeast. The ramp and boardwalk are two alternatives to the stairs to travel from the shops to the parking lot & lighthouse. A steep slope is supported by a retaining wall that encloses the bus stop.
The crosswalk has moved away from the former choke point, to avoid the blind spots created by the parked buses. A curb bump-out narrows the road and creates a shorter distance for visitors to cross the street. This raised crosswalk slows traffic as it enters a busy section of the circle. Thirty-three diagonal 1-hour parking spots line the outer edge of the road. There are two handicap parking spots and one tour van-sized parking spot.
d Raise walk s s o r C
Section B to B’ looking east. Pedestrians are buffered from parked cars by a vegetated edge. The steep slope to the south is planted with shrubs to prevent erosion.
A’
A
Boardwalk
Ramp
Meadow Vegetation
Bus Stop
Road Not to scale.
The main bathroom has been relocated to the top of the curve in the road. Here it is universally accessible, does not require crossing the street to use, and is located in a place where people are arriving and leaving from.
B
Road & Ramp Design
The road remains a one-way loop and the spaces for parking and vehicular traffic have been exchanged. By relocating all parking to the outer edge of the road, people arriving by car can reach a sidewalk without crossing the busy road. The sidewalk directs them to the shops, lighthouse, or bathroom.
* See sheet 19 to 20 for plant palette
VT Ab
Swap Parking to Outer Edge
100’
0’
off
Create safer and more enjoyable conditions for pedestrians Create a universally accessible path to the shops Locate the bathroom in a universally accessible location
Bu
• • •
N
am
p
A’
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
Ex
Sid
d Raise walk s s o r C
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
nd Ha
ew
Bo ist
in
g
Choke Point
Cars parked on opposite side of sidewalk
alk
ar dw
ica
al
k
p
Pa rk in
g
B’
B’ Sidewalk Vegetated Buffer
Parking
Road
Meadow Vegetation
Path Not to scale.
14/24
Shop Park Design
Proposed Design 128’
B 127’
119’
Existing Conditions
118’
The area behind the shops currently has a few picnic tables. The south-facing slope of the Circle and the lack of tree canopy make finding a shaded place to eat or rest on a hot summer day in Aquinnah challenging. The area behind the shops, slopes to the south and southeast, with slopes ranging from 5 to 10%, which limit the amount of flat surfaces to place picnic tables. The eastern portion of the area that borders the road has steep slopes over 25%, creating both a safety concern for children playing here, near the drop off into the road.
A’
Sassafras
View to south of sand dunes Garden Border
Sassafras
Undulating topography
Picnic Tables
N
25’
0’
Design Directives Create a space sheltered from the elements to eat and gather Create more flat surfaces to enlarge the amount of seating space Preserve the view to the south of the sand dunes
* See sheet 19 to 20 for plant palette
Two-tiered Retaining Wall
Section A to A’ facing north. The pergola offers a shaded space for people to rest and eat. The space is enclosed by meadow-like vegetation on either side, with retaining wall to support the steep slope.
B’
Three trees are added to the area, to provide additional shade around picnicking areas and help frame the view to the south of the Cultural Center and sand dunes beyond.
A Road
Vegetated Border
Pergola
A’
Vegetation & Retaining Wall
25’
0’
The lawn space beyond the pergola is now leveled for picnic benches, and a long bench reflects the curve in the retaining wall on the southern edge of the park, to enjoy the view to the south, and provide additional places to rest .
OCEAN Lighthouse
L IG
HT
HO
US
E
RD
Manning Property
Shops
Outlook
Bathrooms
ST AT E
g
rkin
Pa
WETLAND
RD
Parking g
in Park
Parking
B
Shop
Pergola
Lawn 0’
Bench 25’
Vegetation & Retaining Wall
B’
MOSHUP TRL
The entrance to the park is clear and enhanced by gardens on either side, creating a welcoming transition from the shops to the park area. The park is enclosed by a planted border that protects visitors from the steep drop off stabilized by a retaining wall to the east, and defines this space. A two-tiered retaining wall helps stabilize
Section B to B’ facing east. The pergola space contains long picnic tables, while additional picnic tables are placed throughout the park. A bench on the southern edge is an optimal place for experiencing the views to the south.
g
This space tucked behind the shops is revamped as a picnic area with a pergola. The pergola provides a shaded eating and resting area for roughly 35 to 40 people.
the formerly steep slopes, and meadow-like vegetation grows between the walls, offering a softer edge and sense of refuge within the park.
rkin
Shaded Gathering Space
Pa
• • •
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Steep dropoff
Pergola
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
VTA bus stop blocks views
Sassafras
Shop Park Design
No shade / shelter
A *Meadow Plantings
Full sun all day
Shop
Shop
CLIFFS Cultural Center
BEACH
TO BEACH
15/24
Overlook Design
Proposed Design Railing
Existing Conditions The overlook has 360-degree views of the cliffs, the Vineyard Sound, and the sand dunes to the south. The overlook is at the end of a brick path, where one is greeted by a rock with an engraved sign denoting the cliffs as a national landmark, which sits on top of a underground bunker. Two feet of the bunker is elevated, which separates the space into two excessively large, and underutilized spaces, each roughly 2,500 square feet. Most visitors go to the edges to capture the best views and photos, but the cliffs, through natural processes and climate change, have begun to retreat. With the current rate of erosion, this area is susceptible to dramatic loss in the next fifty years, and pulling visitors away from the edge is prudent.
Ramp
Bench
A
Educational Sign
Deck
Deck
A’ Bunker & Rock
Full sun all day
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Rock & Sign Bunker Views *Re-naturalized Zone
Gravel / Sand
Design Directives
•
N
Tiered Platforms
This design re-naturalizes about one-third of the current footprint of the overlook. Re-naturalization here is the process of allowing and assisting in the re-vegetation of this previously paved area. Natural processes of freezing, thawing, high sun exposure and possibly the constant pressure of people on the asphalt may be causing the edge to degrade. Renaturalization is done by decompacting the gravel, seeding and planting plugs, and simultaneously allowing the vegetation around to naturally grow and fill in this open area. Re-naturalization would decrease the proximity of the overlook to the currently eroding cliffs. The re-vegetated area is bordered by a ramp that runs along the west portion of the area and wraps up to the east. This ramp is 10’ wide and existing signs have been relocated to bump-outs along the ramp for viewers to read about the Legend of Moshup and the Gay Head Cliffs.
The ramp has an 8% slope with railings on each side, creating a universally accessible path which levels out on the first platform. The series of three platforms responds to the natural 3’ elevation gain on the eastern portion, creating an even surface and wider views as the platforms increase in height. The top two platforms are connected by a set of stairs that span the width of the platform, allowing dual function as natural benches built into the stairs, for people to rest and enjoy the view.
* See sheet 19 to 20 for plant palette
A
Re-naturalized
Ramp
Bunker
Platforms
Bunker Feature This design creates a feature out of the bunker, with the rock as a focal point. The bunker is accessible to all from the ramp, or by a series of four steps. The wooden platform extends atop the bunker to create an even surface, but a sign that explains the history and use of the bunker, with historical images allows visitors to feel engaged with what rests beneath their fee, bringing this historical element to life.
A’
Bench
25’
0’ OCEAN Lighthouse
Section A to A’ facing north. A universally accessible ramp wraps around the bunker and arrives flush with the first platform north of the bunker. Along the edge of the ramp are educational signs about the Legend of Moshup and the geological formation on the cliffs. The three-tiered platform has benches that line the edges on the east and south.
L IG
HT
HO
US
E
RD
Manning Property
Shops
g
Re-naturalized Overlook
25’
0’
Outlook
Bathrooms
ST AT E
g
rkin
Pa
WETLAND
RD
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
•
Condense the footprint of the overlook in response to predicted future cliff erosion Create cohesion between the two separated spaces Create a feature out of the bunker
Parking ing
Park
Parking
MOSHUP TRL
•
Benches
rkin
Asphalt
Pa
Rock & Bunker
Overlook Design
Educational Signs
CLIFFS Cultural Center
BEACH
TO BEACH
16/24
Bathroom Design Waste, Air, Bulking Material
Existing Conditions
Design Directives
•
Site bathroom locations close to destinations around Circle for visitor convenience
•
Use restroom infrastructure that is unlikely to contaminate soils
Vent
Design 2
Composting Toilet System Replacing the bathrooms that rely on septic systems on site with composting toilets would benefit the site, the people and the environment. The Cilvus composting toilet, (used at other nearby locations including the Wampanoag of Aquinnah Headquarters, and West Tisbury Public Library) uses aerobic decomposition to break down urine and feces into usable compounds. This design separates the urine from the feces. The urine portion can be used as a fertilizer. The feces portion houses organisms that break down feces into compost material, creating a product similar to topsoil, while reducing the volume by 90%.
*Meadow
Bike Racks
room Bath n Law Crosswalk
*Low shrubs
wa lk
ADA
Path
Composting does not use water, hook up to septic systems, or require inputs other than human use, while creating two byproducts that can be use on site as energy inputs. Using composting toilets can also serve as an educational opportunity and demonstrate the town of Aquinnah’s sense of stewardship of the land.
Sid e
*Screening Vegetation Lawn
N
N
Pros • Creates an overlook area within the circle on top of the bathrooms • Bathrooms are concealed • Brings visitors closer to ACC (may encourage visitation)
Cons • Still isolated from destinations • From the shops, to take a handicap accessible route, requires traveling 400 feet farther than non-handicapped accessibility • More expensive than design 1
OCEAN Lighthouse
L IG
HT
HO
US
E
RD
Manning Property
Shops
Outlook
Bathrooms
ST AT E
g
rkin
Pa
WETLAND
RD
Parking king
Parking
Par
MOSHUP TRL
Crosswalk
g
Cons • People spending time in the inner circle must cross road to access the bathroom
1
2
* See sheet 19-20: Plant Palette for details
Pros • More convenient for handicap accessibility because it is sited along ADA ramp to shops • En-route to destinations and upper parking • Shop-goers don’t need to cross the road (they can walk on the path north of the road) • Less grading and fill required
Liquid Storage
rkin
k al ar dw Bo
Crosswalk
Picnic Area
R
To Shops & Overlook
Cilvus Multrum Incorporated composting toilet system.
ad
(One-way traffic)
Fan Compost
Ro
d oa
ADA Ramp
Finished Compost
Parking (One-way traffic)
Waterless Toilet
2
Pa
Bathroom
Screening Vegetation
Shop & Overlook
Maintenance Hatch
Composting Waste
Two approaches to siting the main bathroom facility are compared below. Design 1 is the approach illustrated in the Final Short-term Design (sheet 10) and design 2 presents an alternative bathroom location. In design 1, the bathroom is located along the sidewalk between the shops and the lighthouse, close to the bottom of the universally accessible ramp that leads to the shops. In design 2, the bathroom is built into the hillside within the inner circle. In both alternatives, the bathrooms are concealed by tall shrubs and include composting toilet systems. In addition to the main bathroom alternatives below, additional “satellite” bathrooms have been sited in the Final Short-term Design, providing convenient options closer to destinations around the Circle. To lighthouse
Solar Panel
CLIFFS
by Addie Haliigan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Visually conceal the bathrooms
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
•
Bathroom Design
The location of the bathroom is one of the most frequent complaints from visitors and community members. It is in the viewshed, at the base of a steep slope in the lowest point in the circle and is isolated from the rest of the Circle destinations. Visitors often do not have time or are unwilling to go to such effort to visit the facilities and so are uncomfortable during their visit. The facility has an outdated septic system, requiring frequent, expensive maintenance. Furthermore, a hard-pan layer in the soil could cause widespread soil contamination.
Design 1
CO2
Cultural Center
BEACH
Main Bathroom Alternatives
TO BEACH
Satellite Bathrooms
Composting toilets can blend into a natural setting
17/24
Grading Plan The following conceptual grading plan illustrates grading changes required for the Final Short-term Design (sheet 10). Goals of grading: • Create greater accessibility of traversing landscape • Address areas of erosion on steeper slopes
MANNING PROPERTY
Existing Contours BATHROOM
Proposed Grading Contours 8.3% slope with Handrail 5% slope Universally Accessible
OVERLOOK
Two-foot-wide stones are set in along grade to create an amphitheater
5% ADA Ramp SHOPS & EATERIES CLIFFS WETLAND
Area is filled to level picnic area and reinforced with twotiered retaining wall
Steps are added to the steepest portion of the path. The northern section is regraded to an 8% path.
by Addie Haliigan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Area is filled to accommodate road expansion
TO BEACH CONSERVATION RESTRICTION
Filled to reduce slope of parking area and mitigate existing erosion CULTURAL CENTER
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
Cut to lower elevation of ethnobotanical garden and increase visibility of Cultural Center
Steps are added to the existing 25% grade to improve ease of access and connectivity to the Cultural Center
Grading Plan
PARKING LOT
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Plant Palette I Meadow/Grassland Schizachyrium scoparium Full sun
Sun
Moisture
Height
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
Full shade to part shade
Poverty Grass
Danthonia spicata
Full sun to part shade
Dry to moist 6”
Longhair Sedge
Carex comosa
Full sun to part shade
Moist
Sorghastrum nutans
Full sun, part shade, full shade Dry to moist 3-4’
Indian Grass
American Beach Grass Ammophila breviligulata
Plant Categories
Dry to moist 2-4’ Moist
Full sun
Dry
The following tables include plant names and specifications of species to include in areas indicated by labels on the previous design sheets 11-17. Plants included here are primarily species native to eastern Massachusetts and Martha Vineyard to best match the conditions on the site and give the plants their best chance at thriving. Many of these species are common in sandplain grassland and heathland communities, which are of important conservation concern on Martha’s Vineyard due to a widespread reduction in abundance. Many of the following species are also great for supporting pollinators and other wildlife.
8-10”
4-5’ Little Bluestem
Edge Plantings
1-3’
Blue Oat Grass
Helictotrichon sempervirens
Full sun
Dry to moist 2-5’
Eastern Silvery Aster
Symphyotrichum concolor Full sun
Dry to moist 2-3’
Common Name
Scientific Name
Sun
Moisture
Height
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Full sun
Dry to moist
2-4’
Poverty Grass
Danthonia spicata
Full sun to part shade
Dry to moist
6”
Sea thrift
Armeria maritima
Full sun
Dry
6”-1’
Wood Sage
Salvia sylvestris
Full sun
Dry to moist
1.5-2’
Red Bearberry
Full sun, part shade to full Arctostphylos uva-ursi shade
Dry to moist
1-3’
Sandplain Blue-eyed Grass
Sisyrinchium fuscatum
Full sun
Dry
20-45 cm
Sandplain Flax
Linum intercursum
Full sun
Dry
10-20”
Goldenrod
Solidago spp.
Full sun
Dry to moist 2-3’
Yellow Wild Indigo
Baptisia tinctoria
Full sun to part shade
Dry to moist 2-3’
Bird’s Foot Violet
Viola pedata
Full sun
Dry to moist .25-.5’
New England Blazing Star Liatris novaeangliae
Full sun, part shade to full shade
Dry to moist
2-4’
Stiff Aster
Ionactis linariifolia
Full sun
Dry to moist 1-2’
Yarrow
Full sun
Dry to moist
2-3’
Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Full sun
Dry to moist 2-3’
Lupine
Lupinus perennis
Full sun to part shade
Dry
Golden Aster
Chrysopsis falcata
Full sun
Dry to moist 1-2’
Pink Evening Primrose Oenothera speciosa
Full sun
Dry to moist 1-3’
New England Blazing Star
Full sun
Dry to moist 2-4’
1-2’
New England Blazing Star
Low Shrubs
Bearberry
Dewberry
Sun
Moisture
Height
Black Huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata
Full sun to part shade
Dry to moist
1-3’
Bearberry
Full sun, part shade, full shade
Dry to moise 1-3’
Broom Crowberry Corema conradii
Full sun, part shade, full shade
Dry
1-2’
Lowbush Blueberry
Vaccinium angustifolia and pallidum
Full sun, part shade, full shade
Dry to moist
1-3’
Dewberry
Rubus flagellaris
Full sun, part shade to full shade
Dry to moist
4’
Golden Heather
Hudsonia ericoides
Full sun, part shade, full shade
Dry to moist
4-6”
Cinquefoil
Potentilla fruticosa
Full sun to part shade
Moist
2-4’
Yarrow
Maple-leaf Vibernum
Sea Thrift
Common Name Scientific Name
Arctostphylos uva-ursi
Achillea millefolium
Plant Palette I
Liatris novaeangliae
Golden Aster
by Addie Haliigan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Scientific Name
Little Bluestem
Beaked Hazelnut
Butterflyweed
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
Common Name
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Plant Palette II Ethnobotanical Garden Common Name Scientific Name Hazelnuts Sassafras
Sun
Full sun to part Corylus americana shade
Moisture
Height
Wetland Edge
Moist
15-18’
Common Name
Scientific Name
Sun
Moisture
Height
Cinquefoil
Potentilla fruticosa
Full sun to part shade
Moist
2-4’
12-36’
Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Full sun
Dry to moist
2-3’
Maple-leaved Viburnum Viburnum acerifolium
Full sun, part shade, to full shade
Moist
6-12’
Goldenrod
Solidago spp.
Full sun
Dry to moist
2-3’
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis Full sun to part shade
Moist
15’25’
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
Moist
8-10”
Full sun, part shade Sassafras albidum to shade Moist
Virginia Rose
Rosa virginiatum
Part shade to shade
Seaside Goldenrod
Solidago drummondii
Full sun
Moist
4-6’
Moist
1-3’ Cinquefoil
Part shade to full shade
Switch Grass
Common Name
Scientific Name
Sun
Moisture
Height
Virginia Rose
Rosa virginiatum
Part shade to full shade
Moist
4-6’
American Beach Grass
Ammophila breviligulata
Full sun
Moist to well drained 1-3’
Cliff Goldenrod
Solidago drummondii Full sun
Switch Grass Northern Bayberry
Moist
1-3’
Panicum virgatum
Full sun to part shade Moist
3-6’
Myrica pensylvanica
Full sun to part shade Dry to moist
5-7’
by Addie Haliigan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Re-naturalization
Pennsylvania Sedge
Common Name Scientific Name Goldenrod
Sun
Moisture
Height
Part shade
Moist
6-12’
Beaked HazelnutCorylus cornuta
Full sun to part shade
Moist
4-8’
Virginia Rose
Rosa virginiatum
Part shade to full shade
Moist
4-6’
Chokeberry
Aronia arbutifolia
Full sun
Moist
6-12’
Bayberry Virginia Rose
Northern Bayberry
Beach Plum Common Name
Scientific Name
Sun
Moisture
Height
Beach Plum
Prunus maritima
Full sun
Dry to moist
4-7’
Black Huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata Full sun to part shade
Dry
1-3’
Poverty Grass
Full sun to part shade
Dry to moist
6”
Yellow Wild Indigo Baptisia tinctoria
Full sun to part shade
Dry to moist
2-3’
Dewberry
Rubus flagellaris
Full sun, part shade to full shade
Moist to dry
4’
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Full sun
Dry to moist
1-2.5’
Full sun to part shade
Moist
6”
Danthonia spicata
Waldstenia Barren Strawberry fragarioides
Morella pensylvanica
Beach Plum
Poverty Grass
Barren Strawberry
Plant Palette II
Screen Vegetation
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
Milkweed
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Sign Recommendations Potential Educational Sign Locations
New visitors often have trouble finding pedestrian paths to the destinations distributed around the Circle, and many misinterpret tribal presence as something of the past. Visitor experience of the Circle could be improved by offering more enriching educational information (in addition to the existing overlook signs and Wampanoag Kiosk) and helping visitors navigate the site more easily. In this design, pathways vegetation and regrading will primarily guide pedestrians, but signs can serve as supporting visual cues or provide additional information.
LIGHTHOUSE PARK LIGHTHOUSE
For a subtle effect, wayfinding cues are integrated with architecture or ground surfaces to offer cues that are not visually obtrusive
LAWN WETLAND
PARKING LOT
Subtle Signs & Other Options During a public meeting, some community members expressed a desire for subtle visual cues and would like to avoid the use of large directional signs at the Circle to preserve a rustic, rural aesthetic. Signs may work well if care is taken to balance the number, location, and style of signs with the natural beauty of Aquinnah’s landscape. Other ways of conveying information may include: • Tour bus drivers offering basic information about Aquinnah before dropping visitors off at the Circle • Pamphlets and written walking tours • Technological application for phones
Potential Informational Content • • • • • • • • • •
Noman’s Island history History of bunker at the overlook Whaling history City of Columbus shipwreck and U.S. coast guard history Shops passed through the generations Tribal arts Tribal use of land over time Lighthouse move, cliff erosion & climate change Broad Tinker’s-weed conservation efforts Native plant communities
Sleek signs with metal etchings blend into the landscape more effectively than bulky, four legged, or brightly colored signs
TO BEACH Signs can be simple and artistic
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
SHOPS & EATERIES
N
CULTURAL CENTER
Recommended Wayfinding Sign Locations
Changin g Climate , Changin g Cliff
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Recommended Educational Sign Locations
Elements of Effective Educational Signs
Directional signs can blend into the landscape are simple constructed
A catchy title hooks visitors and suggests the topic of the sign.
Simple maps, like this example from Sturbridge Village, positioned at paths leading from the lower dirt parking lot could help orient visitors to the main destinations around the Circle and help them determine their sight-seeing route.
Sturdy Materials
Photographic information helps visitors connect information to the landscape.
Sign construction and materials should withstand harsh environmental conditions including salt spray, wind, frequent storms, and intense sun. Consider using metal with enamel or cedar wood.
Text explains the significance of the topic. An educational sign can be interactive
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
One way to improve visitor orientation is to provide kiosks at arrival points from the lower parking lot. Kiosks with site maps and accessibility information will help visitors plan their experience, and relay the possible destinations. Directional signs will also help visitors under time constraints from tour schedules quickly plan a route. Signs will direct visitors to restroom locations, trails, ADA paths, the beach, Cultural Center, Manning Property, shops, overlook, and lighthouse.
MANNING PROPERTY
OVERLOOK
Marking the Way
Sign Recommendations
Legible Landscape
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(1) Meadows provide constantly changing colors and texture to a landscape and paths and gathering spaces are defined by meadow edge. (4) Canvas sails can be used for seasonal shade structures as an alternative to pergolas.
(5) The boulders help add structure to edge plantings.
(6) Seating areas can be built into stone retaining walls.
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School â&#x20AC;˘ Spring 2017
(3) Pergola over picnic area, provides dappled shade.
(10) Seashell path
(9) Artwork creates additional interest the landscape.
(8) Solar panels help to offset the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carbon-footprint.
(11) Mulch path
(12) Wooden play structures offer a natural aesthetic that blends with the landscape.
(13) Bike racks accommodate cyclists.
(14, 15) Paths are lit along the ground to avoid bright glares and assist navigation after sunset.
(16) A sculpture or other form of artwork could help communicate tribal presence.
(17) Paving could have an artistic flare
(18) Gravel path
Precedents
(7) A stone amphitheater for summer concerts and other events.
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
(2) Climbing vegetation can add texture and more shade to a pergola.
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Looking Toward the Future: Long-Term Design Alternatives
Amphitheater
Bus Stop OVERLOOK
Bathrooms
Meadow
Meadow
CULTURAL CENTER
WETLAND
Park PARKING LOT
Shrubs
Parking Meadow PARKING LOT
CULTURAL CENTER Bathrooms
Parking
OVERLOOK
Bus Stop
Amphitheater
WETLAND
Park
CULTURAL CENTER
Meadow PARKING LOT
Parking
CULTURAL CENTER
Park
WETLAND
SHOPS & MANNING Bathroom
Park
Meadow
Bathrooms LIGHTHOUSE
Park
Lawn Meadow
WETLAND Parking
ow
ad
Me Bathroom
Bathrooms
Bus Stop
Park
N
SHOPS & MANNING
OVERLOOK
Parking OVERLOOK
PARKING LOT
Amphitheater
CULTURAL CENTER
Amphitheater
PARKING LOT
PARKING
Garden
Park
CULTURAL CENTER
Cons • Shops are in viewshed from top of Circle • ACC still somewhat isolated • Decreases on-site parking • Longer walk to overlook decreases accessibility for some visitors • Potential regrading in 200’ wetland protection area • Extensive changes required
Destination Cultural Center Vehicular traffic is concentrated to the south in a two way bus and van lane that drops visitors off at the cultural center, kiosk and bathrooms, to begin their experience on an education / historic note. The shops are relocated to preserve the cliffs, and maintain the funnel like flow drawing people towards the lighthouse. Some lawn is preserved for events. A park is created at the highest point, for the best views – slow , stop people. Pros • Cultural Center is main and first destination • Separates vehicular and pedestrian traffic • Preserves top of cliff, expands wetland buffer, creates diverse habitats • Creates gathering spaces • Brings the destinations closer
PARKING LOT
Garden
Bathroom
Park
LIGHTHOUSE
Park
Shrubs Amphitheater
N
MANNING PROPERTY
SHOPS
Meadow Bus Stop Parking Parking
Park
Bus Stop
Pros • Decreases isolation of destinations • Shops retreat, remain central • Reduces human impact on cliffs • Pedestrian-friendly due to restricted vehicle access and ADA accessible paths • Roads can be used for off-season access and parking • Increases habitat • Maintains lawn as event space
WETLAND
MANNING PROPERTY
Bathroom
SHOPS
LIGHTHOUSE
Park
Amphitheater
Meadow
N
Off-season access
Parking
ow
ad
Me
SHOPS & MANNING
OVERLOOK
The road, shops, and eateries are moved eastward in this design. The north and south branches of the road remain as temporary access while the west side of the road is restored to shrubs and thickets.
Bus Stop WETLAND
Cons • Decreases on-site parking • Extensive changes required - moving shops, widening and changing path of road. • Increased need to walk
Prioritizing Ecological Integrity Primarily focuses on the ecological value of this site. Converting the five way intersection into a round-about concentrates vehicular traffic to the east. The site is transformed into a variety of vegetation; wetland buffer, grasslands and gardens. The site is traversed only by foot and the shops are relocated to the Manning property. Pros • Increased buffer around wetland • Decreased traffic congestion • Increases variety of habitats • Reduces human impact on ecology
Cons • Eliminates all one hour parking, decreasing total on-site parking • Increases need to walk • Isolates the Cultural Center
by Addie Haliigan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
SHOPS & MANNING
Condensing Eastward
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
Bathrooms
Long-term Design Alternatives
While the Final Short-term Design (sheet 10) offers some ideas for improving the functioning of the Circle in the short-term, it doesn’t fully resolve some of the bigger issue at hand like managing large amounts of vehicle traffic while improving ecological integrity and human comfort. The follow schematic designs are alternatives explore alternatives for long-term improvements, made possible by drastically altering the flow of vehicles. The following designs assume that changes from the Short-term Design Alternative have been made.
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References Foster, David R. A Meeting of Land and Sea: nature and the future of Martha’s Vineyard. New Haven: Yale U Press, 2017. Print. Forest succession and the decline of grassland communities. Hale, Anne, and Tim Simmons. Moraine to marsh: a field guide to Martha’s Vineyard. Ed. Carol Hulsizer. Comp. Carol Lundeen and Marcia Rossi. Vineyard Haven, MA: Watership Gardens, 1988. Print. Geology of Martha’s Vineyard. Gayhead Lighthouse Advisory Committee, 2013. ”A Dire Situation.” Gay Head Lighthouse Martha’s Vineyard. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 June 2017. <http://gayheadlight.org/theproject/a-dire-situation/>. Cliff erosion rates. Nrcs. Web Soil Survey. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2017. Soils types on site and septic system suitability.
(1) https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/110197522106430302/ (2) https://www.google.com/search?q=pergola&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjzjd6ioMjUAhULDsAKHSDABIsQ_ AUICigB&biw=1208&bih=755#tbm=isch&q=public+pergola&imgrc=WbFYViy6rneCKM: (3) http://www.abeyarnold.com/images/Parks-Danville-Hap-Magee-Shade-02-lg.jpg (4) https://www.mightycovers.com/Images/GPU/Coolhaven-Sahara-Square-Lifestyle-Large.jpg (5) http://www.calown.com/images/pastinstalls/122.jpg (6) http://hometipsforwomen.com/stone-wall-stone-bench-or-stone-seat (7) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/343047696605788225/
by Addie Halligan & Emma Vautour The Conway School • Spring 2017
Photos
(8) https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7706156-sunpower-south-mountain-marthas-vineyard/image/martha%E2%80%99s-vineyard-solar-home-photo-5-HR.jpg
(10) https://www.gardenista.com/posts/hardscaping-101-crushed-shell-seashell-paths-and-driveways/ (11) https://www.pinterest.dk/pin/478366791640377994/
(13 )http://www.whirlconstruction.net/pub/images/BikeRack.jpg (14) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/343047696605485307/ (15) http://web.tradekorea.com/upload_file2/product/223/P00246223/cbe9caa5_a848dd19_3904_495a_93f0_b6b4ef2c4233.jpg (16) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/343047696605788429/ (17) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/343047696605569178/ (18) https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/straigth-gravel-path-through-grass-137466071
References
(12) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/343047696605837825/
Aquinnah Circle Landscape Master Plan for the Town of Aquinnah
(9) https://www.pinterest.com/pin/343047696605788397/
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