Landscape Architecture/Urban Design Portfolio

RBAN DESIGN FOR ALL AN EVERYONE

devin fields a portfolio

RBAN DESIGN FOR ALL AN EVERYONE

To design is to provide. I see landscape architecture and urban design as a tool to provide the resource of land to those who are undervalued, underserved, and misrepresented. My focus is landscape architecture in urban centers, and how we can change the narrative of public space to be truly public.

education

experience

Rutgers University, NJ Fall 2014 - May 2019 Bachelor's of Science in Landscape Architecture GPA: 3.4 Dean's List: 3 years George H. Cook Scholar

Program Assistant, New York Botanical Garden May 2019 - Present interact with artists, run events, assist visitors, be a leader

expertise AutoCAD 2019

DEVIN FIELDS

Adobe Suite CC Microsoft Office 2018 ArcGIS Passionate landscape & urban designer with a BSLA from Rutgers University. Possess experience in master planning, regional-scale and community-scale designing, and planting design. Focused on the cultural aspects of designing.

Interests include cultural studies, landscape topology, art, and music.

get to know me: dfields727@gmail.com +1 732-778-9757 in linkedin.com/in/devinfields/

HTML/CSS Hand Drafting Rhino

Freelance Designer, Designing The We May 2019 - Present HTML/CSS code website, create graphics, time manage Research Assistant to Dr. Anette Freytag Dec 2017 - April 2019 Created global presentations, organized academic materials, provided direct professional assistance Student, Germany Study Abroad Studio May 2017 - June 2017 Learned best management practices, studied park designs and transportation enhancements, developed a park design Gardener May 2018 - Sept 2018 Grew fruits and vegetables, weeded, worked diligantly Intern, Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability Jun 2016 - Sept 2016 & Aug 2017 - Sept 2017

Sketchup

Gained data to create an award winning master plan, learned office diligence, worked well in a team

awards

skills

NJASLA Merit Award Bergen County Parks Master Plan

Website Design

The Gowanus Link EDRA50 Brooklyn Presentation

Customer Service

Next City Vanguard Big Idea Challenge Winner

Group Leadership

Graphic Design Music Production Social Media Marketing Public Speaking Research

UPPER COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR

the gowanus link 20 20 20

Scale: 1/16” = 1’-0”

urban identity

Photograph courtesy

of Google Maps,

retrieved April 30th,

2018

ecology + play 20

20 20

21

21 21

Photograph courtesy of Google Maps, retrieved April 30th, 2018

181 BROADWAY

181 BROADWAY 181 BROADWAY

Right now, 181 Broadway is a completely impervious lot, used for a flea market on weekends, and as a parking lot for the adjacent AME Zion Church. Our design will reduce the amount of impervious surface, still serve as a place for events and keep a parking area but condense and reduce the amount of spots. There is potential to utilize some areas of the lot for more community gardents, as well as a small farmers market to regularly sell fresh produce. The weekend could have split programming between the flea market on Sunday, and farmers market on Fridays and/or Saturdays.

This callout displays an interaction between a proposed ecological corridor and an 81 BLOOMFIELD AVE. Roadside bumpouts will be implmented to bring the edgexisting residential street. es of the8181 BLOOMFIELD plant material closer together. This decreases the amount of impervious AVE. BLOOMFIELD AVE. surface and makes it easier for wildlife to cross the street and continue with the stream. Being that this residential street is a low traffic street, one car will yield to the other to get by.

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As shown in the photograph above, the lot at 81 Bloomfield Ave. is an inaccessible lot right now, overgrown with vegetation. It is tightly fit between two buildings casting shade, and has a medium slope down to the sdewalk. We felt the site is suitable for a stormwater mitigation parklet, where green infrastructure could make the lot more productive as well as display the green infrustructure to the public to educate people on it’s importance. People could sit or walk through the space, interacting and learning about what’s going on along the way.

Devin Fields

research & design

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13

the people's mansion

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0

17

25’ 50’

100’

200’

Jason Cincotta, Devin Fields, Alex Glasser

III. ROAD BU

THE GOWANUS LINK

Gowanus Housing Studio Brooklyn, NY

affordable housing crisis gentrification pressure lack of open space

1

Focusing on the tenants of Wyckoff Gardens, an affordable housing community in the Gowanus, this project shows how designers can listen to a community and propose ideas to keep the community in their homes, in the neighborhood, and provide them with healthy, accessible, and abundant open space.

plangowanus.com Plangowanus.com is a resource provided by the NYC Planning department where gowanus residents can post positive and negative comments on areas throughout the Gowanus. promoting denser affordable housing promoting green infrastructure remediate existing contamination mobility & safety for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers infrastructure & community resources planning increase public open space

community values Combined with data taken from the Wyckoff Gardens Tenant Survey done by NYCHA, these are the general categories of wants and needs by the residents of the Gowanus.

social, economic, and environmental resiliency historical/cultural landscapes creating new/preserving existing mixed-use space 2

the people have spoken!

new market-rate development truck traffic fenced public spaces torn-down landmarks

cultural centers public pools affordable housing local art bikable roadways

3

Residents desire more open space, and want the existing open space to be maintained

“Footbridge over the canal at certain streets - for pedestrians only”

Wycoff Gardens

Thomas Green Park, along with other open spaces, are key to the Gowanus residents

Safety is a big issue in this area; more pedestrian paths and street clean ups needed This area is very residential, so safety is something these residents focus on

Lowlands

“The Carroll Street Bridge is one of my favorite things to paint and it also affords a nice view of the Union Street Bridge” Residents feel that historic/cultural buildings and spaces are disappearing Residents want existing historic/cultural sites to be protected, and old sites to be revived

“There should be trees / other plantings in these medians on 4th Avenue” Residents feel that the street trees, medians, and other forms of green infrastructure are lacking

Public Place

Residents understand that green infrastructure is not only attractive, but helps the environment as well

“No parking signs in this block are routinely ignored by city workers who leave vehicles parked illegally for days , making this street extremely narrow for all of the busy daily traffic it sees”

Site Boundaries Mixed-Use Space

Infrastructure problems like lack of trashcans, road/sidewalk quality, and street tree maintenance are apparent Infrastructure maintenance is a small step that goes a long way for the Gowanus residents

Cultural/Historic Landscape Social, Economic, Environmental Resiliency Pedestrian Safety Infrastructure

“This is not a dilapidated block that needs redevelopment, it is literally what makes Gowanus the neighborhood that it is”

Green Infrastructure

Residents feel that artist spaces and mixed use zoning is depleating, so people are moving away

Remidiation/ Contamination

To Gowanus residents, the diversity of zoning is equal to the vast diversity of the people

Public Open Space

Afforable Housing

community values map turning quanitative data into qualitative using specific quotes geolocated to create problem areas and areas of expansion.

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design typologies Six typologies developed by my team and I. Created for tackling the wants and needs of the residents at a master-plan scale.

park front

canal front

Ensuring access to open space adjacent to lot

Parkfront

Corner Plaza

Innerspaces

Ensuring accessibility to canal from adjacent lot

inner space Parkfront

Corner Plaza

Inner Plaza

Park Front Innerspace Canal Front Active First Floor Corner Plaza

Activating the innerspace of a block

Inner Plaza

corner plaza

Innerspaces

park guide

Structurally opening up first floor of building to increase streetside public space Parkfront

Providing access to canal and public ammentities through social and ecological interventions

active first floor Corner Plaza

Park Guide Overall Site Design Interventions

5

Inner Plaza 0

325

650

1,300

2,600 Feet

Designating public uses to first floors of buildings

Innerspa

park guide elements social - safety - environmental

design processtransitioning from large to small-scale design SITE

Existing Wyckoff

Proposed Wyckoff

Con Ed Lot

239 Nevins St

CSO Tank Park

270 Nevins St

495 Sackett St

VALUES GOWANUS FRAMEWORK

active ground floor uses women/minority owned businesses access to canal increased public space

woman/minority owned businesses cultural spaces access to canal increased public space active ground floor uses

improve pedestrian experience access to canal increased open space

relocated public pool access to water woman/minority owned businesses pedestrian safety

mutliple landings for access to water land adjacent to canal to be public urban ecosystem on edge of canal

job training access to canal community learning center affordable housing active ground floor uses

land adjacent to canal to be public all new construction under six stories connections west

WYCKOFF GARDENS

from Gowanus Framework, Open Houses & Wyckoff Community Principles

new buildings shorter than existing towers small business incubator outdoor amentities affordable commercial ammentities

outdoor amentities, BBQ area small business incubator affordable commercial ammentities new buildings shorter than existing towers

dog walk area event space improved landscaping playground access creative stormwater management

small business incubator outdoor amenities improved landscape affordable/ resident needed commercial ammentities

picnic and BBQ areas playground access dog walk area improved seating areas

early education facility community legal services cultural center improved quality of life for children

affordable commercial amentities

FOUNDATION in section

design elements ideas to keep in mind while designing early education

affordable & market rate residential units

existing affordable residential units

active first floor

active first floor

affordable & market rate residential units

commercial/ business

open space

active first floor

active third floor open space

active second floor active first floor

affordable & market rate residential units active second floor active first floor

CONNECTIONS in plan

dog accessible

TYPOLOGIES in plan

active first floor

active first floor

grilling areas waterfront access

job training idea incubator

innerspace

innerspace

park guide

corner plaza

corner plaza canal front

park guide

active first floor

innerspace

active first floor

canal front

park guide

PRODUCT

woman & minority owned businesses

swimming WYCKOFF PROPOSED

WYCKOFF EXSITING

LANDFORM PARK

NEVINS STREET POOL

HEADHOUSE PARK

LIBRARY AT DEGRAW

CANAL FRONT SHOPS

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masterplan "The Gowanus Link" is a string of open spaces created to bring the Wyckoff Gardens tenants to the canal with various amenities for them along the way.

wyckoff gardens con-ed lot nevin's st pool headhouse park library at degraw 7

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE HAMMOCK GROVE

LIBRARY AMPITHEATRE

A CANOE DOCKS

COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR CANAL

site plan

Original Scale: 1” = 30’ 8

COMMERCIAL/ AFFORDABLE HOUSING Section A

9

LOCALLYOWNED SHOPS

ECO-BUFFER

CANAL

PLAZA

ROOFTOP VEGETABLE GARDEN

HAMMOCK GROVE

LIBRARY

LECTURE HALL

HOUSING UNITS

Original Scale: 1/16” = 1’-0”

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library This proposed library is half affordable housing and half library; serving the public and private residents with multiple amenities, sightlines, and access points.

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floor plan

ROOF

FLOOR 8

FLOOR 7

FLOOR 6

FLOOR 5

FLOOR 4 ELEVATOR WALLS FLOOR 3

models

RENTABLE ART SPACES PRIVATE BALCONIES

FLOOR 2

PUBLIC SPACES LIBRARY

FLOOR 1

RESIDENTIAL

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URBAN IDENTITY

Newark Praxis Studio Newark, NJ

misrecognition from city gentrification pressure lack of open space

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For the Lower Broadway neighborhood, the residents felt as if they are neglected by the city of Newark and want to have their own sense of identity, much like the Ironbound neighborhood to the southeast. This design tackles the Commercial Corridor on Broadway and Bloomfield Ave, and redefining vacant lots into three categories of open space: Productive (producing food or addressing stormwater), Active (recreation), and Community (passive spaces for community events).

Photograph courtesy

of Google Maps,

retrieved April 30th,

2018

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20 20

21

vacant lot interventions

1

21 21

Photograph courtesy of Google Maps, retrieved April 30th, 2018

20 20 20

181 BROADWAY

181 BROADWAY 181 BROADWAY

Right now, 181 Broadway is a completely impervious lot, used for a flea market on weekends, and as a parking lot for the adjacent AME Zion Church. Our design will reduce the amount of impervious surface, still serve as a place for events and keep a parking area but condense and reduce the amount of spots. There is potential to utilize some areas of the lot for more community gardents, as well as a small farmers market to regularly sell fresh produce. The weekend could have split programming between the flea market on Sunday, and farmers market on Fridays and/or Saturdays.

As shown in the photograph above, the lot at 81 Bloomfield Ave. is an inaccessible lot right now, overgrown with vegetation. It is tightly fit between two buildings casting shade, and has a medium slope down to the sdewalk. We felt the site is suitable for a stormwater mitigation parklet, where green infrastructure could make the lot more productive as well as display the green infrustructure to the public to educate people on it’s importance. People could sit or walk through the space, interacting and learning about what’s going on along the way.

LOWER COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR

0

19

WAY

UPPER COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR

81 BLOOMFIELD AVE.

81 BLOOMFIELD AVE. 81 BLOOMFIELD AVE.

25’ 50’

100’

200’

Jason Cincotta, Devin Fields, Alex Glasser

2

D

EL

FI

M OO BL

117 BROADWAY EXISTING CONDITION

BROAD

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21 21

18

81 BROADWAY EXISTING CONDITION

4

BROADWAY

LOWER COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR

E AV

3

45 BROADWAY EXISTING CONDITION

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45 BROADWAY

Right now, 45 Broadway is an empty gravel lot, gated off to prevent public use. Owned by La Casa, and adjacent to a small private playground, this spot is perfectly suitable to serve the community as a productive space. With a beautiful mural along the side of one of the adjacent buildings, the site could include community garden beds, stormwater collection, and an area to sell the produce, which would all expand La Casa’s focus to include agriculture and stormwater management. Additionally, opening this productive space up to the playground might create a new community space for people of all ages to play, learn, stay healthy and sustain themselves. La Casa owns this lot, and could provide insight into additional possibilities and connections for the site.

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81 BROADWAY

81 Broadway is a large, sunny corner lot located at the node of the commercial district. Due to the lack of adequate access to public green spaces downtown, we thought it would be perfect to turn into something the community could use. We took into consideration the property owner’s current plans to turn the entire lot into a impervious lot for parking, and included a section with diagnal spots for public use. The rest of the lot would have garden beds, places to relax and eat, game tables, and space designated to programming.

The property owners are the Safe Trading Group, LLC.

STREET COMPONENTS ACCESSIBILITY GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE STREET SCAPE

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117 BROADWAY

117 Broadway is currently an unused grass lot on a relatively flat piece of land with lots of sun exposure. Behind the lot, there is an existing private playground. Since there is little access nearby to public recreation space, playgrounds specifically, we decided this plot is suitable for a few different play sets. The playground would have features for children of all ages, as well as a leisure area for parents to watch or other community members to relax at, enabling inter-generational use of the space. The site can also be utilized to manage stormwater and increase vegetation. In addition to our standard network possibilities, the property owner, Newark Preschool Council, will need to be contacted as well.

14 7TH AVE

tables, lots of seating, and programming space. The c want to convert the lot into parking, so private parking side.

raingarden, a community garden, a farmer’s market, and other forms of green infrastructure. This lot can be an example of what Lower Broadway can do for fresh food and ecological services.

81 BROADWAY

45 BROADWAY

181 BROADWAY

117 BROADWAY

LD

FIE

M

OO BL .

PL

BR

BROA

DWAY

productive

181 At 181 Broadway, there is BROADWAY an existing parking lot used as a flea market.

Church fleathis market community garden We propose to keep Flea&Market, changing the existing asphalt parking lot to two-thirds grass and one-third asphalt for Church parking.

Next to the Flea Market is a community garden and a farmer’s market.

The community garden will be running all week long and selling fresh produce on weekends.

NODE - BROADWAY AND BLO

15

2

FIE LD

AVE

81 BLOOMFIELD AVE

At 181 Broadway, there is an existing parking lot used as a flea market.

We propose to keep this Flea Market, changing the existing asphalt parking lot to two-thirds grass and one-third asphalt for Church parking.

Next to the Flea Market is a community garden and a farmer’s market.

The community garden will be running all week long and selling fresh produce on weekends.

117 BROADWAY At 117 Broadway, we propose a new playground area sets of playground equipment for two different age ran is densely planted around the perimeter for security a entrance to invite users.

active

BROA

OM

1

At the corner of Broadway and Bloomfield Place, a large lot sits with the potential of a Community space. This space would consist of game tables, lots of seating, and programming space. The current owners want to convert the lot into parking, so private parking is installed on the side.

DWAY

BLO

Directly next to La Casa De Don Pedro is a large gravel lot that has the potential for a Productive space. This space would consist of a raingarden, a community garden, a farmer’s market, and other forms of green infrastructure. This lot can be an example of what Lower Broadway can do for fresh food and ecological services.

AY W D OA

At 117 Broadway, we propose a new playground area, consisting of two sets of playground for two ranges.

This resting area A new equipment playground for different all agesageand a great is densely planted around the perimeter for security and has a well-lit families during shopping entrance tospot invitefor users.

FIE

LD

AVE

NODE - BROADWAY AND BLOOMFIELD OM

ng. et. h

At 117 Broadway, we propose a new playground area, consisting of two sets of playground equipment for two different age ranges. This area is densely planted around the perimeter for security and has a well-lit entrance to invite users.

BLO

ket.

AY ADW

BRO

OPEN SPACE STRATEGIES

3

community

81 BROADWAY

BROADWAY The Node, or a place of45 meeting and changing direction, is located at the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue and This location is A “node”, or center point, of theBroadway. commercial the center of the Commercial District, and can be a landmark for all corridor local of art, andartists displayed. visitors to meet, sit,that andfeatures enjoy works artseating, from local Various plantings and lightingstechniques invite guests and keep the identity of the green infrastructure Commercial District alive.

LD

FIE

M

OO BL .

4

PL

Directly next to La Casa De Don Pedro is a large gravel lot that has the potential for a Productive space. This space would consist of a raingarden, a community garden, a farmer’s market, and other forms of green infrastructure. This lot can be an example of what Lower Broadway can do for fresh food and ecological services.

community

BR

AY W D OA

At the corner of Broadway and Bloomfield Place, a large lot sits with the potentialConverted of a Community space.lot This would consist of game parking asspace hub for playing tables, lots of seating, and programming space. The current owners games and socializing want to convert the lot into parking, so private parking is installed on the 16 side.

ECOLOGY + PLAY

Rutgers Golf Course Redesign Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ

underutilized recreation poor ecological connections inaccessible

17

The Rutgers Golf Course needed a redesign centered around the ecological benefits of the land it consumes. After much research of eco-golf courses around the world and studies of the Rutgers Golf Course, my team’s focus was on the connections of humans and wildlife to the site.

RUTGERS GOLF COURSE CONNECTIONS

I. Ecological Corridor Under River Road

GROUP GROUP 2: ECOLOGICAL CORRIDORS 2: CONCEPT DESIGN

Rutgers Rutgers University: University: Busch Busch Campus Campus

II. Driving Range Nursery

Rutgers Rutgers University: University: Livingston Campus Campus Livingston

Livingston Preserve

GolfGolf Course Course

V. Bike Connection Under Route 18

III. Road Bumpouts IV. Bike Connection Inside Highway Off-Ramp Johnson Johnson ParkPark

Existing Existing Bike Bike Path Path Existing Path Path Within Within Loop Existing Loop Proposed Proposed Bike Bike Loop Loop Pedestrian Pedestrian Path Path Preserve Preserve Trails Trails

Livingston Preserve

VI. Ecological Corridor Under River Road VII. Wildlife Bridge Over River Road

Interventions Interventions Important Important Forest Forest Ecological/Riparian Ecological/Riparian Corridors Corridors Tree Nursery Tree Nursery

Connecting Green Spaces Connecting Green Spaces

Rutgers Rutgers University: University: College Ave Buccleuch Park College Ave Campus Campus Buccleuch Park

This map shows the ecological will be installed into thewithin masterthe plan for theGolf Rutgers GolftoCourse.

The interventions .The purpose of this design is tocorridors connect that the ecological communities Rutgers Course the neighboring parks anddelineate open areas . that willThis be focused either section, plan,connects or diagram.

These corridors serve main purpose: to allowasaccess the wildlife spaces. is done on by in introducing a newperspective, bike loop that the Livingston Preserve to one the Rutgers Golf Course, well asofintroducing and plant corridors life from that the golf to the green spaces, and versa. Johnson These corridors the existing streams in the area. ecologial allowcourse the plant andsurrounding wildlife from the Rutgers Golfvice Course, Park, andfollow Livingston Preserve to coincide.

intervention masterplan

Âą Âą 0 0

0.125 0.125 0.25 0.25

0.5 0.5

Map composition by: Fields on 5/2/18 Map Composition: Devin Fields 2/22/18 Map by: Devin Devin onon 5/2/18 Mapcomposition Composition: DevinFields Fields on 2/22/18

0.75 0.75

Miles Miles 1 1

I.O. Scale: 1:15000 Scale: 1:15,000 I.O. Scale: 1:15000 Scale: 1:15,000

Our interventions include: bumpouts, corridors, and bridges.

These connections bring animals and plant life to and from the adjacent park. I worked on interventions I & III.

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I. ECOLOGICAL CORRIDOR UNDER RIVER ROAD

This section cu runs under Rive design propose allowing for lar the road. This c Johnson Park a

RIVER ROAD

I

ECOLOGICAL CORRIDOR

JOHNSON PARK 0 5 10

river road ecological corridor Widening the opening of a culvert to allow wildlife to pass through

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30

50

100 Scale: 1/16” = 1’-0”

III. RO

or and an g the edgpervious th the yield to

0 5 10

30

50

100 Scale: 1/16” = 1’-0”

III. ROAD BUMPOUTS

III road bumpout A narrow point on the street where wildlife can cross safely

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RESEARCH & DESIGN graphic design logo design urban research map making board curating

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This section shows my work outside of the classroom. It includes graphic design work for the Rutgers Landscape Architecture Common Lecture Series, logo designs for the Garden State Agrihood Project ran by Designing the WE, research and graphics done for my honors thesis, and informational maps, diagrams, and timelines developed for a freelance project on homicide rates in the Northern Triangle.

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rutgers landscape architecture lecture series posters The design template is used to this day for all future lectures

garden state agrihood project and HAKI - logo designs My logo designs have been chosen to represent both non-profit groups 23

personal projects - logo designs Each of these logo/marketing designs are made for personal projects, whether to market my DJ endevours, academic research, or music collaboration

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www.bsmnt.us website design A self-designed website for my idea of connecting music artists through geographic location and chart positioning

designingthewe.com/projects website design This page is the landing page for the projects done by the NYC-based community design firm Designing the WE 25

CARE OF THE PARK: REFORM PARK (1900-1930)

PLEASURE GROUND (1850-1900)

COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP FOR AN OLMSTED PARK Rutgers University George H. Honors Thesis beaches as public services that were demanded byCook a growing middle-class populaWritten & Illustrated by tion. The era was marked by growing budgetary support for acquiring land to build Devin Fields more parks.

The National Guard on Springfield Avenue in Newark on July 14, 1967 Source: Don Charles Hogan, the NYTimes

RECREATIONAL FACILITY (1930-1965)

OPEN SPACE SYSTEM (1965-2000)

Newark residents used the park less for socialization and getting away from urban life, and more as an extension of urban life. The open fields were converted to playfields, the tennis center, now known as the Althea Gibson Tennis Center, was built in 1929 and slowly became an essential part of recreational life in the park (Rhodeside & Harwell, Incorporated 250). In 1937, the visitor’s Center was built for the Essex County 5 Department of Parks as a gateway to the park. The Center had a meeting room, pool hall, restrooms, and a senior center (267). These changes, adaptations and new construction fit within the Recreation Facility stage of American park evolution. The practical and straight forward approach to just build more on existing open space helped create an extension to residents and urban life. There were senior centers, pool halls, and meeting rooms all over the city, but integrating them into the design of the park was a characteristic of park evolution during this era (Wagner 30).

george h. cook honor thesis

My honors thesis is titled Care of the Park: Community Stewardship for an Olmsted Park. Within, I propose a community stewardship model The enthusiasm for building more recreational parks diminished during mid-60’s for Branch Brook Park in the Newark, NJ. This model includes help from the partially for economic reasons, as park construction and land acquisition tied to urban renewal lost public and government support.

The civil unrest in the 1960s, seen County of Essex, Rutgers Newark, and Newark residents. To complete this across the county, and specifically in Newark also fueled the disinvestment in urban centers. thesis, I studied history on Newark and on US park stewardship, as well as In 1965, riots broke out in Newark. The citizens were responding to housing forecloproposed an incremental sures, job loses, and economic deterioration throughout the city, along withgame instancesplan for converting the Branch Brook Park of racism and police brutality. The riots lasted a few days and totaled 26 deaths and model toparks a community-based 1,100 injured. Working class Newark wanted to be places of refuge from model. urban life, however, instead of the Pleasure Ground’s idea of refuge from the industrial working lifestyle, this idea was more about refuge from the threats their urban life was pushing upon them (33). The decay and divestment in city were reflected in the park as well. Middle-class residents fled to the suburbs, Branch Brook Park seemed unsafe and its infrastructure, quality, safety, and usage deteriorated.

View the full thesis here or search "Care of the Park" on Issuu.com.

Burning businesses doused by firefighters Source: Associated Press, the NYTimes

9

In addition, new thinking on city planning and development saw parks as part of a larger system of open spaces that included street, empty lots and other unbuilt spaces. This new approach, the Open Space System, meant to see open spaces as a true experience of urban life rather that an escape from the city, essentially making the park and the city one. This era also ushered in direct community participation in the planning, design and inclusion of active recreation and community events, like festi-

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Gang Influence on Bus Transit in Chamelecon, Honduras

Research by: Franklin Moreno Design by: Devin Fields for Design for Public History

The influence: To San Pedro Sula

In Honduras, as well as many Central American countries, the bus is an important form of mass transit used by many working class people. As seen in the map to the left, the main highway that runs from San Pedro Sula to either Dos Caminos or Santa Elena is a major bus route. However, to move into the interior of Chamelecon, bus drivers must pay a fee to enter the borders of the territories for either the MS-13 or Pandilla 18. Also, the gangs may enter the bus and take whatever they want from the driver or the passengers.

Because of this, bus drivers avoid driving in a loop and crossing gang lines. This ignores paying multiple fees, and more importantly, tries to prevent any patrons of the bus to be robbed or attacked.

Pandilla 18

MS-13

To Santa Elena

Pandilla 18

The “Chicken Bus”, a popular form of bus transit used by the local people of Honduras.

Photo by: Lisa Palmese-Graubard

Gang Territory*

Northern Triangle gang violence graphics The graphics to the right are boards made to display research conducted by Franklin Moreno. His research is on gang violence in Hondurs and the Northern Triangle.

The maps, charts and timeline were created by me. The purpose of these boards are to be displayed for people to learn more about gang growth and involvement in both the United States and other Central American countries.

Territory Border Major Road Bus Line *Territory extents are approximated.

The hard line shown here is not physically reflected.

To Dos Caminos

MS-13

PANDILLA 18

Masa Salvatrucha, abbreviated as MS-13, is a highly organized and violent street gang. Started in the poor, immigrant neighborhoods of Los Angeles in 1980, MS-13 has risen to become a “transnational criminal organization”, according to the US Department of Treasury. After the Immigration Reform in 1996, most of these gang members were deported back to their native countries.

In Chamelecon, Honduras, a large MS-13 territory has centralized itself.

Known to most as Barrio 18 or the 18th Street Gang, Pandilla 18 is another organized and violent street gang.

Pandilla 18 started much like their rivals, in the poor neighborhoods of downtown Los Angeles. After major deportation, they have swept through most of Mexico and Central America, as well as parts of the US and Canada.

In Chamelecon, Honduras, Panilla 18 has found two territories surrounding the MS-13 central territory.

Both the MS-13 and the Pandilla 18 reside in Chamelecon, Honduras, creating areas where their borders meet. In these areas, paraphernalia from either gang can be displayed. These borders create a figurative hard line for citizens to cross, as some feel safer in their neighborhoods than those in rival gang territory.

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Inside a Chicken Bus

A bus stop in Chamelecon, Honduras

Geographical Context for Gang Violence in the Northern Triangle

City-Wide Est. Homicide Rates (Per 100,000) 250 Guatemala City, Guatemala

200

UNITED STATES

LOS ANGELES 150

In 2014, Honduras migrants fled to US to find refuge from violence

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

100

50

San Salvador, El Salvador

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

to n io ra t Mig rth ly No ge to lar ion d rtat nde Fu

2011

Depo

0 2010

National Est. Homicide Rates (Per 100,000)

U S in er 19 n 80

by Tr i a CA ng RS le i n1 I 996

120 100

Guatemala

80 60

Immigration Reform and the Immigration Responsibility Act were passed in 1996 in the United States.

Immigrants from the Northern Triangle countries who found refuge in Los Angeles were deported. Some of these deportees became members of MS 13 and Barrio 18 during their stay in LA. With them came cultural attributes that are seen today within these gangs in Honduras.

Honduras

40

0 2007

S

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2002

1980 People from Northern Triangle countries fled to the US due to political instability, civil wars, and economic distress.

2016

Hard-lined legislation known as Mano Dura were enacted in Honduras that criminalized broad range of activities deemed associated with gang, such as having tattoos, clothing style, and loose interpretations of affiliations.

2017

0 80 160 320 480 Original Scale 1:20,000,000

2007

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) created an MS-13 Task force to share intelligence information between the US and Central American law-enforcement officials

US INVESTMENTS:

The US announced its strategy to deal with gangs in Central America and Mexico. The Transnational Anti-Gang (TAG) Units were established and now operate in Guatemala and Honduras.

This is where FBI agents work with police on indictments of gang members.

Invests $10 million in CARSI

Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act were passed in the US. Immigrants are deported, included those who have become members of Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13) and Barrio 18, with ties to the Mexican mafia.

1996

El Salvador passed Mano Dura, then later found it unconstitutional, but passed other anti-gang reforms. Honduras’s penal code was amended to declare gang membership as illegal.

2003

Miles 640

2018

2004

The Bureau of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) created a national anti-gang initiative called “Operation Community Shield”. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) found that prevention, law enforcement, rehabilitation, and reintegration initiatives were needed to help the gang problem in Central America.

2005

GUATEMALA

EL SALVADOR

San Pedro Sula Chamelecon Tegucigalpa

Sea

Air

Migration to US: Deportation to NT:

2014

2010

The US established the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). US Congress began appropriating funding from the CARSI for anti-gang initiatives, the initial amount was $10million.

Invests $38 million in INCLE

A coup de tat is led by the National Party. The military kidnapped the elected president, Zayala, from the Presidential Palace while in his pajamas.

He was exiled in Costa Rica.

2009

Land

HONDURAS

THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE

Drug Trafficking Routes:

N

El Salvador

20

MEXICO

Honduras had highest rates of homicide (per 100,000) in the world for a country not in war; the city of San Pedro Sula had a rate of 142 homicides per 100,000, ranking it the highest in the world. PMOP and TIGRES are established. An increase in migrants fleeing Honduras to the US causes a refocus to the gangs of Central America.

Appropriates $1.5 billion from CARSI

US State Department estimates that 87% of drug-laden flights originating in Colombia and Venezuela first land in Honduras . However, the U.S. Embassy and General John Kelly of U.S. Southern Command indicated that 80-90% of illegal drugs enter Honduras via maritime routes.

2013

2017

Presidential election occur in Honduras.

$941 million allocated for CARSI

The prison capacity in Honduras was at 189%, with most held in pre-trial detention.

2016

Research by: Franklin Moreno Design by: Devin Fields for Design for Public History

28

Drumthwacket Redesign Drumwacket Governor's Manions, Princeton, NJ

THE PEOPLE'S MANSION

29

private design lack of NJ representation unsustainable

Drumthwacket, the name given to the official Governor’s Mansion of New Jersey, is titled as the “People’s House”. Unfortunately, its current design does not reflect it’s title. This design plays with this idea of democracy through a formal garden. Keeping the existing Italianate formal garden, and prolonging/ categorizing the existing axes, Drumthwacket can be a place for co-creation, co-habitation, socialization, and sustainability.

existing photos

DRUMTHWACKET

CASTLE BENRATH

DUKE FARMS

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CASTLE BENRATH

"How could we restructure a formal garden to fit the needs of the 21st century american citizen?"

axis diagrams 31

Primary Axes Secondary Axes Sinuous Paths

Water Castle Benrath

Primary Axes Secondary Axes Sinuous Paths Water

DRUMTHWACKET

Drumthwacket Mansion

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A

6

1 2 7

5

site plan

4

33

3 9

8

10 11 ORIGINAL SCALE: 1” = 30’

CO-CREATION

a way of working together where people from different backgrounds are invited to jointly produce a product or service that will benefit all of them FARM 1 COMMUNITY A place of co-creation, ran by the Drumthwacket Foundation, where local residents can come and help grow vegetables, fruits, and other forms of vegetation.

LABS 2 LIVING Multiple plots along the axis dedicated to studying the landscape and the organisms that inhabitat it to learn, teach, and provide solutions to problems.

SOCIALIZATION

the means by which social and cultural continuity are attained POOL & FRONT MEADOW 6 REFLECTING Historically, fountains and pools are center pieces to public plac-

es, and promote socialization of all people. The people’s house should reflect this, both literally and figuratively.

LAWN 7 THE In the italianate garden, formal hedges frame the two lawns to create a destination place to sit and enjoy the formality of the historic garden. It can also be a place to host events under a tent.

| FROG PONG 8 INTERSECTION The historic frog pond is converted into a gathering space with more space for seating and historic/educational signage on the garden and the sustainable practices surrounding the space.

CO-HABITATION

SUSTAINABILITY

the state or fact of living or existing at the same time or in the same place

avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance

TRIAL GARDEN 3 NATIVENESS A place of study where non-native and native plants are planted

AMPITHEATER 9 RETENTION Built into the meadow hill, the ampitheater hosts performances

FOREST 4 NON-NATIVE Between the ADA accessible paths is a densely planted forest of

RETENTION POND 10 FORESTED Deep in the southeast corner is a retention pond with an overlook

| EDUCATIONAL TERRACE 5 INTERSECTION The intersection of co-creation and co-habitation discusses the

STREAM 11 THE The existing stream in the southeast corner of the property is redi-

in formal rows facing one another to show the comparison between the two, and how they are not so different.

non-native shrubs and small trees that is hidden by the tall meadow and is meant to be found and experienced.

research done along these two axes and how that affects how we co-exist in this world.

open to the public or educational lectures on sustainability, best management practicies, living lab studies, and so on.

for guests to visit, spend time within, and read about the purpose of the retention pond relating to the runoff from the parking lot.

rected to flow from the parking lot, to the forested retention pond, and overflow to the larger ampitheater pond. It uses the plants along with to clean the water as it flows.

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SECTION A

FITNESS STATION

MEADOW

REFLECTING POOL

native vs.

ALLEGHENY SERVICEBERRY 35

Amelanchier laevis According to Longwood Gardens, Allegheny Serviceberry is a perfect tree to grow in meadows because of its quick growth and beautiful white flowers.

COMMON BLUE VIOLET

Viola sororia As New Jersey’s state flower, common blue violet is a perfect plant to study in the nativeness trial garden. A perfect control to compare how non-native plants grow, attract pollinators, etc.

GOLDENROD “FIREWORKS”

Solidago rugosa A tall meadow plant that will fill the meadow with a bright yellow color and bring various pollinators to the meadow.

MEADOW

PLAYGROUND

BIKE LOOP

non-native

REED CANARY GRASS

HONEYSUCKLE VINE

Reed Canary Grass is a 2-6’ high perennial that has multiple subspecies, some native and some non-native. In the trial garden, the non-native species can be studied, while the native species can mix in with the meadow grasses.

A perferct vine for the terrace in the nativeness trial garden because of its rich history in the US. Marked as a non-native invasive species in the US, its beauty hides this fact. Visitors can stand under it and read more about non-native species.

Phalaris arundinacea

Lonicera spp.

CHINABERRY TREE

Melia azedarach Native to Southeast Asia and northern Australia, the Chinaberry Tree has become naturalized in the southeastern US. A small ornamental tree that could fit well in the dense 36 non-native forest.