Devin Toni Butler Landscape Architecture Portfolio
Education Bachelors in Landscape Architecture University of Georgia Current GPA: 3.8
May 2020
College Prep High School Diploma Union Grove High School GPA at Graduation: 4.4
May 2016
Experience
Devin Toni Butler
Carl Vinson Institute of Government Georgia Downtown Renaissance Fellow Worked directly with Courtney Whitman, Main Street
Devin Butler is a third year student at the University of Georgia’s College of Environment & Design studying Landscape Architecture with a minor in Horticulture, and a Certificate in Sustainability. Ms. Butler has served as a technical assistant to the College of Environment and Design, received Dean’s List recognition, became LEED Certified in sustainability, and worked as a Carl Vinson Institute of Government Georgia Downtown Renaissance Fellow to provide design solutions for her hometown of McDonough, Georgia.
Director, and Rodney Heard, Community Development Department Director, to address specific programs in McDonough, Georgia.
College of Environment & Design Technical Assistant Worked quickly and effectively to assist students and fac-
ulty members in the College of Environment and Design with the successful execution of projects from inception to completion.
Professional Skills AutoCAD
Photoshop
Audition
Illlustrator
Word
InDesign
PowerPoint
Excel
Bridge
After Effects
SketchUp
Great Design is not a finite resource; it is a choice we can all make by listening more, empathizing more, and demanding more for humanity. -Melinda Gates
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Learning
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White Lotus Plan........................................................................................4
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exploring
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Ba Sing Se.....................................................................................................8 Let Gogh....................................................................................................12 Mary Ross Waterfront..............................................................................14
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Developing
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Richmond Hill..........................................................................................18
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Implementing
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Warehouse Street Alleyway......................................................................22 McDonough Art Walk.............................................................................26 Hood Street Art Center............................................................................30
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1 Learning My first year of college was spent discovering the elements I love most in nature. I had the opportunity to spend hours learning how plants, sidewalks, and benches impact the human experience. Ultimately, I was able to take what I learned to create a functional design that struck the balance of improving the walking conditions of a site while creating small pockets that encouraged relaxation.
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White Lotus Plan
While working in small groups, each member was responsible for redesigning a portion of the University of Georgia’s South Campus. My group focused on how the elements of water, fire, earth, and air work together to create balance in the universe. I focused on water and earth. The White Lotus represents purity and balance in the universe and all its elements. To symbolize the harmony of our plans, each based on elements working together, the project became the White Lotus Plan.
Before:
After:
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2 Exploring My second year in the program, I began exploring the type of design I wanted to pursue. I had the opportunity to work on projects ranging from residential landscapes to seaside community parks. This was the year I discovered more about myself as a designer while honing in on my design and rendering style.
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Ba Sing Se
Lacking any significant landscape, the Normaltown community of Athens, Georgia presents a perfect opportunity to enhance its visual appeal through several design options. The site was deeply studied to create designs that would transform it into an inviting and communal residential landscape.
Vehicular Circulation Noise
Sun
3-way stop
Pedestrian Circulation
Views Buildings existing trees Wind
Water 4-way stop Open
Homes
Homes
Homes
Homes
Homes
Homes
Parking
Parking
Parking
Open
Open
Homes Homes
Homes
Club house
Club house
Homes
Parking
Parking
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Homes
Open
Homes
Homes
Club house
Open
Homes
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Ba Sing Se Open
Homes
Homes
Parking
Club house
Open
Homes
To provide a sense of community, several shared spaces, including firepits and walking trails, were interspersed among the single-family homes and townhomes on the site. The existing nature of the site was respected by working with the existing topography and preserving a large amount of the mature trees. 11
Let Gogh Land Use Diagram 1 Pro:
Land Use Diagram 2
Open
Pro:
Parking
Had a greater variety of spaces connected both sides well
Land Use Diagram 3
Open
Pro:
Parking
Large open lawn areas Parking
created a sense of balance throughout garden is part of design
Open
Open
Open
Con:
Open
begins to separate the spaces
trees
Open
Open
good amount of lawn space
Plaza
bridge
trees
Open
Cover area is too big
Plaza Open
way too much pavement fot the site
Open
bridge
bridge
Open Open Parking
Open Open
Parking Parking Play
Open
Play Open
Open
trees
Play Play trees Open
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trees
Con:
No real feel of connection thoughtout seems too simple
Limits open spaces for lawn
Parking
Offers a cover area for sitting
Con: Plaza
Open
Open
Open trees
trees
The city of Athens is known for its creativity. Let Gogh, located along the North Oconee River, combines open spaces with sculptures scattered throughout the site, a new artist studio that faces the water, and an art wall created on the side of the foundation of a previous apartment complex.
1. Remove apartment coplex but keep foundation walls for interest
Vehicular Circulation
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2. Keep weaver Dee's and surrounding area
Parking
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3. Move seating area to open back side to water Existing Buildings
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4. keep some buildings to be used as a studio space
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5. remove small section of trees for views
Dirt Road Access
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existing Trees
Low Point/ More Grass Area
Pedestrian Circulation
9 6. Remove storage units to create plaza
existing River
7. remove all other buildings from site
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8. remove the understory to accentuate views and water access 9. leave low point to be covered by bridge 5. replace parking lot with lawn area
Site Inventory
Site analysis
Bridge Section Elevation
Plaza Section Elevation
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Mary Ross Waterfront The Mary Ross Waterfront Plaza is located in Brunswick, Georgia, adjacent to the East River. The site already has beautiful pavilions and is a prime location for events and festivals, but lacks a significant amount of shade and cohesion. The new plan offers a central plaza with a children’s splash pad, several retail stores, restaurants, kiosk space, and comfort stations. It also now possesses several trees to accommodate for the extremely hot weather of Costal Georgia.
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3 Developing My third year of school provided me with the opportunity to work with a team to develop a downtown community for the city of Richmond Hill, Georgia. Richmond Hill looked to create a city center that would serve as an inviting place to attract visitors and locals. The team generated four designs within small groups to fulfill the request of Richmond Hill by leveraging the placement of restaurants, retail stores, and green space, while also adding a mixture of living options for young adults, families, and the elderly. 17
Richmond Hill
In the final design, my team recommends a large bypass for easy traffic flow as well as maximizing the space surrounding the wetland and power easement. The plan also includes a large retail area lining existing highways, a scenic multi-restaurant space overlooking a naturalized area, and a residential portion with 42 single family lots and 14 townhome buildings.
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Legend: 1 2 3
Retail Restaurant Town Home
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Single Family Homes Stormwater Pond Wetlands
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Boardwalk Path Cell Tower Power Easement
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4 implementing During the Summer of 2018, I had the opportunity to work at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government as a Georgia Downtown Renaissance Fellow. I was assigned to redesign portions of my hometown, McDonough, Georgia. Downtown McDonough is known for its red geraniums in the spring and its historical facades. My goal was to provide the city with faรงade restoration options, streetscape and landscape plantings, new open spaces, and a new community cornerstone rooted in town history.
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Warehouse Alleyway The alleyway south of Keys Ferry Street and behind PJ’s Cafe is narrow and must continue to accommodate delivery trucks. I envisioned converting it to an outdoor cafe during lunch and evening hours, while maintaining the truck entrance during morning hours. To encourage a flourishing nightlife for downtown McDonough, Warehouse Alleyway could be closed off by planters for events or during selected evening hours to accommodate pedestrian seating behind PJ’s Café.
Before Keys street
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After
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Before
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After
Warehouse Alleyway
The alleyway north of Keys Ferry Street and behind Gritz is currently used for employee parking and vehicular connectivity. However, the area has ample space for both pedestrian and vehicular circulation. I created a design that incorporates an outdoor cafe for the Gritz restaurant, an optional farmer’s market, and shade trees to cool the area. The addition of a mural of the Camp Creek train wreck not only pays homage to the area’s history, but encourages pedestrians to linger and explore the rest of the alleyway.
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Art Walk The path that connects the parking deck to the town square can appear daunting. With the introduction of the Art Walk, the path from the parking deck to downtown will have more visual interest and areas for people to admire local art as they approach the C. O. Polk Interactive Museum and the city’s historic downtown square.
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After
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Art Walk The large patches of grass that connect the parking deck to C. O. Polk Interactive Museum do not currently enhance the pedestrian experience. Implementing new plaza spaces will create a more direct path from the parking deck and could incorporate local art and sculptures to brighten the walking experience.
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Hood Street Art Center The Hood Street Art Center is made up of two separate developments: a historic cotton mill repurposed into an art gallery and a newer development housing a ballet studio and The Henry Players. The newer development is pushed right against the art gallery and covers a great deal of the historic façade that complements the gallery. I wanted to maintain the history and prestige of the gallery, so I suggested that the new Hood Street Art Center development be pushed slightly to the side to create a small space between the gallery and the new development, showcasing the older building’s historic frontage. In addition, I designed the front portion of the development to be kept to one story to avoid overshadowing the historic façade of the art gallery. My design also utilizes the original materials of brick and steel to allow both structures to be a cohesive cornerstone for McDonough. 30
After
Before
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Thank you for your time and attention. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.
Devin Toni Butler University of Georgia College of Environment & Design
devin.butler25@uga.edu
404.437.9373