Connecting to Nature: a Landscape Design for Sunnyside Child Care Center Northampton, MA
Index Introduction............................................................................................. 1 Context.................................................................................................... 2 Existing Conditions.................................................................................. 3 Slopes and Soils....................................................................................... 4 Drainage................................................................................................... 5 Access and Circulation & Zones of Use................................................... 6 Views and Sun/Shade............................................................................... 7 Legal......................................................................................................... 8 Summary Analysis.................................................................................. 9 Design Alternatives I & II....................................................................... 10 Design Alternatives III & IV.................................................................... 11 Final Design............................................................................................ 12 Nature Trail............................................................................................. 13 Materials & Precedents I....................................................................... 14 Materials & Precedents II....................................................................... 15 Plant Palette I........................................................................................ 16 Plant Palette II........................................................................................ 17 Plant Palette III....................................................................................... 18 Plant Palette IV....................................................................................... 19 Creating a Habitat................................................................................. 20
Designer: Hillary Collins Conway School of Landscape Design Fall 2014
Client & Project Goals
Sunnyside Child Care is a not-for-profit parent co-operative, represented by the director, Susan Beemer. The facility sits on an 8-acre plot of land in Northampton, Massachussetts. Its hope for the site is to create a stronger relationship between the natural elements and the focus area.
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Introduction Project Goals
After being at their new location for a little over a year, Sunnyside wants to redesign the school building and surrounding landscape to reflect their curriculum and mission. Sunnyside’s primary goals for this project are:
·· Design a stimulating, interactive and educational natural landscape
B
»» Create a prominent entrance to property »» Perennial beds dispersed around site
A
·· Develop a design to infiltrate stormwater and reduce erosion on site
Sunnyside wants a landscape which promotes the growth of vegetation, which needs stable and draining soil.
Focus Area
·· Provide adequate parking for staff, faculty, and parents for drop-off/pick-up »» Minimum of 25 parking spaces
Sunnyside Child Care Center’s curriculum is focused on socialemotional development for children from ages 1.5 to six years old. This is achieved through “building social skills, supporting a positive self-concept, and enhancing self-esteem.” 1
0
40
10 20
Easthampton border
A
Whole property east of Easthampton Road
In May of 2013, Sunnyside relocated from a site on the Smith College Campus to their current 8-acre plot on Easthampton Road on the border of Easthampton. Drawn to the property by the thick, abundant forest on three sides of the facility, Sunnyside aims to better incorporate its landscape into its curriculum.
B
The classroom environment promotes strong sensory experiences and dramatic play with a variety of learning materials. Through the integration of the forest and greener play areas near the building, the staff and faculty hope that the children will have more opportunities to explore and discover their natural environment. www.sunnysidekids.org/about/mission.php
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Front entrance looking directly east across the front play area, over berm to the opposite side of Easthampton Road. Kids playing in the front yard can see the road and the drivers can see the children playing. Sunnyside would like to create a bigger screen between the road and play area.
From eastern facade of building looking south towards play area and Easthampton Road. Again, from the play area one can see right to the road. The play area is filled with metal and plastic, currently not incorporating any natural features into the playscape.
Western edge of southern play area looking southeast. Looking right towards the road in a play area filled with metal and plastic. Sunnyside’s idea of dramatic play and strong sensory experiences is not reflected inside the southern play area.
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
About Sunnyside Child Care
Currently on site, the parking is dispersed throughout the focus area. Sunnyside would like to consolidate these spaces while leaving enough space for staff and faculty.
Introduction
Street view of the front entrance to the facility
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
·· Site and design attractive garden beds
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
»» Including a nature trail through surrounding woods
North
1/20
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Context
An aerial photo of property with Easthampton to the south, storage units across Easthampton Road, and a perennial stream with surrounding floodplain.
A Brief History
Built in 1960, the facility operated as a motel until it was bought and revamped as a nursing home. The property was then operated as a doggy day care until Sunnyside purchased the site. Due to the variety of uses before Sunnyside moved to the property, the natural surroundings were not incorporated into the focus area. Sunnyside is pioneering into the woods to begin produce that connection.
Context The eight-acre plot sits just over two miles away from the Connecticut River and lies within the Connecticut River watershed, which means that the water that runs off of the site eventually flows into the Connecticut River. The drainage and erosion on site is important in relation to the watershed because the consequences of poor water management on site can have negative impacts, such as pollution, sediment collection and temperature variation, on downstream waterbodies. By infiltrating stormwater and reducing erosion, the quality of water flowing into the river can be improved. Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Sunnyside lies west of the Connecticut River, and southeast of of the Pine Grove Golf Course. Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary sits between Sunnyside. Arcadia, the destination for field trips from Sunnyside’s previous location, is now just under a mile from their current property.
Introduction to the Site Sunnyside’s building, playground, driveway and parking areas cover 1.5 of the 8 acres. Across the road to the east of the daycare center, A-Z Storage can be seen from the eastern play area. The northern edge of the driveway marks the property boundary. To the east of the site, the woods continue for a little more than a mile until reaching another developed site. Traveling just over a half mile west from the back door through posion ivy, you will come upon Pine Grove Golf Course, where the teachers and children have ventured and explored, passing through the woods. Through woods to the south, on the center’s property, a perennial stream flows through six acres of wetland where there is an abundance of poison ivy. The stream enters a culvert under the road, eventually feeding into Hulbert’s Pond and ultimately the Connecticut River. The stream’s one-hundred-year floodplain comes within ninety feet of the building. According to Northampton’s Zoning Bylaws,the floodplain has legal setbacks and laws pertaining to construction. Construction, such as a nature trail, would have to be permitted by the town of Northampton. (See Sheet 8)
What’s Nearby Just under a mile from Sunnyside Child Care is the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, which, before the center’s recent move, had been a frequent destination for field trips. It is located on an old Connecticut River oxbow that is now Hulbert’s Pond. The field trips to Arcadia consisted of outdoor education, which included learning about habitats of various animals, a variety of ecosystems, and the diverse plants and trees along the Connecticut River.
Sunnyside Child Care
The Connecticut River watershed runs from the northernmost tip of New Hampshire through Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Northampton is in the wide floodplain lower in the watershed. (udel.edu/~spb/frec480/proposal/report)
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
Perennial Stream
Context
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Floodplain
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
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ar
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Sunnyside Child Care’s new location is just under 3 miles from the center of Northampton and is encompassed on three sides by forest.
North
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332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Existing Conditions Entry Driveway and Parking
When approaching Sunnyside from the north, the driveway comes up abruptly. Five spaces are available immediately upon arrival, abutting the eastern play area. Continuing up the driveway, beyond a curve in the back northern corner, another four spots are located. Past the western side of the building, a larger gravel lot holds eleven to twelve cars.
Storm Drains Northern Slope
A
Play Areas
Utility Pole
Impervious surfaces cover about fifty percent of the site, leaving thirty percent for fenced play areas and twenty percent for the front area adjacent to the road. One of Sunnyside’s two play areas is located along the property boundary, separated by a fence and a planted berm. The berm is located at the easternmost edge of the play area on the opposite side of the fence, to serve as a visual and noise buffer; however, when entering the building at the top of the hill, one can see directly over the berm and very noticeably hear the cars passing by.
Parking
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Sewage System
0
10
20
40ft
Looking north, the site is surrounded on three sides by forest and by Easthampton Road to the east. When one stands adjacent to the building, looking east, the berm does not block views of the road. The driveway separates nature and playscape, and places cars between the building and the woods, creating a potential safety hazard. The front play area is noisy due to its proximity to the road.
A'
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
Play Area
Erosion Channel
Berm
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
Play Area
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
ide ys nn Culvert
Section A-A'
BERM
Su
Though connected to Northampton city water, Sunnyside is connected to Easthampton’s sewer, which is a pump system that connects to a gravity flow system. The sewage system is connected to Easthampton’s system due to the closer proximity to the Easthampton border and the fact that Northampton’s sewage system does not extend far enough down Easthampton Road to reach Sunnyside. Sunnyside’s sewage system consists of four tanks located on the southeastern edge of the focus area between the forest edge and the play area. One of those tanks, furthest west, pumps out the contents and separates them into three pits located closer to the road. Just over the northern boundary of the site, an electric utility pole also marks the location of an underground pipe that belongs to the neighbor to the north. When Sunnyside relocated to Easthampton Road, in order to expand the driveway over the property line, a deal was made with the neighbor that the northern property owner could connect to Sunnyside’s sewage system. Currently the pipe is inactive, but has been placed under the driveway in the event that the adjacent land is purchased and the landowner needs to connect to a sewage system. This could have an effect on future designs because it would involve construction in the front play area, resulting in rebuilding a new play area or its relocation elsewhere on the site.
Back Gravel Lot
Parking
Existing Conditions
re Ca
The water flow on site has caused erosion on the eastern side of the fence from the front play area and on the southern edge of the back gravel lot. Based on staff reports and on evidence of soil-loss and sedimentation, the northern slope is not stabilized and erodes in a heavy rain. Two storm drains on the northern side of the back lot convey water to an underground pipe, which emerges to daylight at the southern edge of the woods adjacent to the erosion channel.
Ch ild
Drainage and Erosion Channels
Utilities
Driveway
North
3/20
The focus area has a south/southeast-facing slope. The high point on the whole property is thirty feet above the focus area elevation. The low point in the area is thirty feet below the building The building sits on a flattened portion of the hill, but is surrounded by steeper slopes down to the south and east, and upward to the north and west. The northern corner of the property has a steep slope where erosion occurs. The elevated berm to the east bisects the southeast slope, and causes water to pool on the western side and erode the soil as it flows to the east.
Soils
<2%
2-5% 10-15%
0 10 20
15-25% >25% High Point
40ft
Most of the property consists of an upland silty loam. This soil erodes easily. The water table rises about eighteen to forty-two inches below the surface. The perennial stream to the south runs through a wetland with silty loam soil and a high water table, rising to zero to six inches below the surface. The high water table restricts a healthy root zone. Certain tree growth is not strongly suited for this soil because of this, however young red maples, black oak and ash trees have been able to do well. The water drains through the soil at about .06 to two inches per hour, creating a wet surface for a majority of the time. For Sunnyside, this means a boardwalk would be necessary to keep the children from plodding through mud and disturbing the wetland soil. The fine sandy loam and the stony fine sandy loam soils composing the furthest south portion of the property will not have a large impact on the project due to their distance away from the building. A nature trail is unlikely to be built over the stream due to a longer and more complicated permitting process for a boardwalk to cross the stream in a wetland buffer zone. However, soils play a large role in the drainage issues on the site. One of the factors causing pooling and erosion in the back gravel lot and on the northeastern end of the berm is the type of soil present.
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
Legend
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
Soil
Upland Silty Loam Wetland Silty Loam Fine Sandy Loam Stony Fine Sandy Loam
Low Point
0
40ft
10 20
A very wet and boggy zone along the stream bank in the silty loam wetland zone.
Erosion channel stemming from the eastern side of the berm. Due to the upland silty loam, water flow creates erosion easily on this soil.
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
A photo of hay placed on the northern slope in attempt to stabilize the soil and establish vegetation.
Another erosion channel developed on the northeastern end of the berm due to an unstable slope with soil that erodes easily.
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
Slopes
Slopes and Soils
Slopes
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Analysis: Slopes and Soils
North
4/20
Whole Property Drainage
Flow in gutters Rain barrels
Sheet flow
Underground Pipe
Downspout
Erosion channels
0 10 20
40ft
Start of erosion channel off back gravel parking lot
Culvert flowing south off back gravel lot adjacent to erosion channel created by runoff from gravel parking lot. Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Low Point
0 10
40
80ft
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
Pooling
Storm drain
High Point
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
Legend
The building has a gutter and downspout system. Water flows off the roof to the north and south. On the northern facade, water flows from a downspout and onto the impervious driveway surface, then flows to the east towards the road. On the eastern facade, the water flows from downspouts into the play areas. Due to the silty loam found in the play area and its susceptibility to erosion, the ground becomes wet and unstable. At the eastern edge of the play area, between the berm and the fence, pooling occurs, creating a muddy area, which is both an opportunity for the children to play but also an issue of slope stability. On the downslope side of the berm, water flows off the berm and erodes the soil in the area adjacent to the road. The southeastern edge of the front area has developed an erosion channel due to the combination of eroding soil, the steepness of the slope, and the water flow. From the southwestern roof, the downspouts are connected to an underground pipe that prevents some of the roof water from entering into the southern play area. The water reaches daylight just beyond the southern fence. The south/southeast-facing slope influences the direction of water flow on site. The high point of the whole property is thirty feet above the building and the low point is thirty feet below the building, near the perennial stream in the southern six acres. On the northern slope of the focus area, water flows quickly and causes erosion, due in part to the upland silty loam. At the bottom of the slope, to the west of the drivewayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edge, a storm drain connects to an underground pipe that brings runoff to a culvert on the southwestern edge of the focus area. Another storm drain connected to this pipe is located between the gravel lot and the turnaround area in the southwestern corner of the building. An erosion channel has developed on the southwestern edge adjacent to the culvert. The back gravel lot has numerous pooling issues. The water does not drain rapidly after a rain event, creating muddy areas and puddles. The water that flows from the back gravel lot and the back driveway south through the erosion channel transfers polluted runoff, sediment, and warm water to the stream. The water carried to the stream and wetland can contain chemicals, sediments, and other substances harmful to ecosystems and has the potential of changing the dynamics of the stream. The temperature of the runoff water can negatively affect the habitat of the animals in the stream and wetland.
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
Drainage
Drainage
Focus Area Drainage
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Analysis: Drainage
North Entrance to the back gravel lot. Large puddles of water that have not drained after rainfall.
5/20
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Analysis: Access, Circulation, and Zones of Use Zone 3: Woodland Edge
oo m
Play Area
Play Areas
Legend Vehicular Traffic Pedestrian Traffic Doors
Zones of Use
The property can be mapped by frequency of use. Zone 1: Most Frequently Used
The play areas on the eastern and southern sides of the building make up Zone 1. The play areas have high daily use; the children go out to play three to four times a day when the weather permits. Sunnyside wants to reflect its mission of dramatic play and strong sensory experiences to be supported not only by the larger landscape but by the play areas as well. Zone 2
Zone 2 surrounds the building on three sides; it consists of the impervious driveway and parking areas. Zone 2 also has a high daily use, with parents dropping off their children and picking them up every day, in addition to the staff and faculty coming and going every day. Zone 3
This area of the site covers both the front area adjacent to Easthampton Road and the woodland edge. The front area is used occasionally for fire drill evacuation and for the planted berm, which receives maintenance in order to keep the plants healthy. The woodland edge also has irregular use. Zone 4: Least Frequently Used
The woods are currently home to an abundance of poison ivy, mostly in the floodplain, discouraging activity in these woods. Teachers have led their classes out through the woods in the winter to Pine Grove Golf Course for sledding. Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Access and Circulation
There is one vehicle entrance to the property. Parking is dispersed in different areas, with five spots in the front, four in the middle, and about twelve to thirteen spaces in the back gravel parking lot. The front entrance into the building is located on the eastern facade inside the play area; the other doors are not meant for pick-up or drop-off. When a parent or visitor comes to the site and they park in the back lot, they must walk around the building to the front. Along the driveway, there are not many clearly designated walking paths to create a safe route from the back lot to the front. Other pedestrian traffic is focused in the play areas, where there is no vehicular traffic and the areas are meant for foot traffic. Children regularly go in and out of the doors to the play areas. The doors on the southern and eastern sides enter into play areas directly, without crossing vehicle routes. The current layout limits the childrensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; direct connection with Sunnysideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surrounding natural environment, and constricts them to the front, closer to the noisy road.
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
Zone 4: Woodland
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
Play Area
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
oo m
sr Cl as
Zone 3: Front Area
Main Entrance
Access & Zones of Use
Zone 1:
Cl as
sr
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lay
sr
sr
Ind Gy oor P m
Cl as
Impervious Surfaces
oo m
Zone 2:
Cl as
Zone 4: Woodland
North
6/20
3 PM
Summer Solstice
Views
Sunnyside has an abundance of attractive views into the woods on three sides. View 1
12 PM
9 AM
3 PM
View 1 looks north to a partially wooded slope. In the photo the slope is directly receiving some afternoon light but there is little vegetation on the sunny lower slope.
1
View 2
From point 2, standing in the back paved lot and looking at the southern play area, the road is visible. The play area does not have many natural elements for the children to explore, but does receive some sun in the winter when the deciduous trees lose their leaves.
Winter Solstice
4
2
3
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
12 PM
The focus area is surrounded on three sides by mixed coniferous and deciduous trees roughly forty to fifty feet tall, generating a variety of shade patterns throughout the year. The trees in the forest are predominantly deciduous but with a large percentage of coniferous as well. Two areas within the site receive more than four hours of sun daily all year round. One of the two is north of the building. The driveway receives most of the sunlight in this small warm microclimate. The second pocket, on the northeastern side of the building, is shared between the play area and the front parking area. These two microclimates could offer warm spaces in winter months, but they are both largely paved. The southernmost play area is shaded for most of the year, which creates wet and chilly play time in the winter and a comfortable zone in the warmer months. To meet Sunnysideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals of integrating natural elements into the landscape and creating educational opportunities from those elements, it is important that the landscape is safe and comfortable.
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
Sun and Shade
Spring and Fall Solstices
9 AM
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Analysis: Views and Sun/Shade
View 4 9 AM
12 PM
1
The northern side of the site where sun hits four or more hours per day all year round. Photo taken December 7. The hill is receiving good sunlight, and the parking lot is partly shaded.
3 PM
When entering the building at point 4 and looking east, there is no visual screen to block the storage rental spaces across the street or the cars traveling on Easthampton Road.
2
Photo looking east to the southern play area. Taken December 7. The play area has some sunlight but is still partly shaded. Surrounded by deciduous trees, the area is shady in the warmer months.
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
3
From the eastern facade, looking east through one of the play gyms in the eastern play area. Cars on the road are still visible over planted berm.
0
40ft 10 20
4
View from the front entrance looking east, directly over the planted berm. The Sunnyside sign is inside the childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s play area. There is no visual obstruction of the road and the noise level is high.
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
Standing along the building at point 3, you are able to look directly over the berm and view the cars passing by.
Views & Sun/shade
View 3
North
7/20
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Analysis:Legal Riverfront Resource Area
More than half of the building and focus area fall within the Riverfront Resource Area. Any design alternatives that make changes to the southern half of the site would require a meeting with the Northampton Conservation Commission to determine the best way to implement the proposed changes. A RDA (Request for Determination of Applicability) or NOI (Notice of Intent) may be required in order to implement the designs proposed. These same regulations apply for any construction within the wetland buffer.
Zoning Setbacks
The northern and eastern property boundary each has setbacks required by zoning. The northern boundary prohibits any built structure within fifteen feet of the property boundary. On the eastern property boundary no structure is permitted within twenty feet.
Right-of-Way
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
The area adjacent to the road belongs to the state as the right-of-way for Easthampton Road. The area is reserved for utilities and future infrastructure. Sunnyside is allowed to plant vegetation but the state has license to expand the road if and when they see fit. Permitting is necessary for parking in the right-of-way.
Second Curb-Cut
If Sunnyside wanted to add an additional curb-cut onto their property, it would require a permit from the City of Northampton Planning Board and Conservation Commission since the curb-cut would be within the Riverfront Resource Area. Northampton Zoning Bylaws (http://ecode360.com/13265306)
15ft
20ft
Front Setback
0 10
`
40
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
Legal
Side Setback
80ft
Legend Wetland
Right-of-Way Setbacks
Wetland Buffer
0 10 20
40ft
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
100 Yr. Floodplain
North
Riverfront Resource Area
8/20
Ex t Riv ent o Are erfro f 200 â&#x20AC;&#x2122; nt a Re so
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Summary Analysis Northern Slope
urc
Entrance and Front Area
The front play area receives sun, but due to its proximity to the road it is rather loud. The main entrance into the building is located inside of the play area. When parents arrive on site, in order to enter the building, they must first walk through the play area, which in turn encourages parents to engage in play with the children in the play area. Water flows off the building and down the slope to the east. Water pools between the fence and the berm, particularly in the northern corner of the play area. As a result, an erosion channel has formed at the end of the berm closest to the driveway.
e
pt am
Sheet Flow Impervious Surface Vehicular Traffic Pedestrian Circulation
Southern Woods
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
on
Ro Underground Pipe Erosion
sth
Erosion Channel
Play Area
Doors Year-Round Sun Exposure
0 10 20
40ft
Riverfront Resource Area
Southern Woods In the southern woods of the property, beyond the focus area, the wetland buffer and the one-hundred-year floodplain are located. Any construction within the area would involve permitting. The wetland buffer and floodplain boundary do not impose legal restrictions of the focus area. However, the Riverfront Resource Area covers twothirds of the focus area. Any work proposed in the play areas or back gravel lot may require permission from the Northampton Conservation Commission.
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
The gravel parking lot is meant to direct stormwater to the underground drainage system. Some surface runoff flows off the gravel lot, creating the erosion channel on its southern edge. The erosion channel conveys polluted runoff, sediment, and warmed water into the wetland and the stream with negative consequences for the water quality in the stream and the the health of the wildlife in the area. The sediment has potential of slowing the stream and changing the chemistry of the stream as does the different temperature in the parking lot runoff. In addition, this gravel lot and the paved driveway separates the play areas from the wooded area in the back, and overlapping vehicle and child traffic patterns is a safety concern.
Legend
Play Area
Summary Analysis
Back Gravel Lot
Culvert
Ea
The back, mostly paved northern corner has a small sunny microclimate. Surface runoff flows down from the slope to the north and is meant to be channeled into the drain at the bottom of the hill to be conveyed underground to the culvert on the southwestern edge of the woods. However, water pools on the driveway. The northern slope is unstable because of its steep grade, its silty loam soil, and lack of vegetation. Given the amount of sun that this slope receives throughout the year, a variety of vegetation could grow here.
ad
Northern Microclimate
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
Back Gravel Lot
North Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Erosion channel running off the western gravel lot towards the southern wetland.
The western gravel lot separates play areas from the natural environment nearby.
A boggy area within the wetland abutting the perennial stream.
9/20
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Design Alternatives Aternative I
This design involves the least amount of change to infrastructure and to the current layout of the site. It addresses the goals of incorporating nature and addressing erosion and drainage issues. A variety of learning materials are introduced to the play areas, including, dirt, sand, mud, and water. Erosion and run-off are controlled by different meadow grasses and terraced water catchments in both the northern corner and the zone adjacent to Easthampton Road.
Terraced Meadow Nature Trail Accessed Through Gravel Lot
Pros
Play Area
0
40ft 10 20
Alternative II
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Meadow Grass Spots Additional 10
Ca re Educational Garden Space
Rain Garden
am
pt on
Play Area
Check-Dam
Ro ad
Play Area
Living Fence
Visual Screen
Ea sth
• In order to get to the front main entrance, parents must walk through the play area, encouraging play with the children. • Additional vegetation screens the road, and creates a prominent entrance. • Low-maintenance vegetation helps control erosion on the edge of the whole site. • Raised vegetable beds take advantage of the full sun in the northern corner of the building. • The parking removed from northern corner of building is replaced in the front, with more spaces for child drop-off and pick-up. • Mud, sand, water, grass, wood and stone replace current metal and plastic play gyms. • The nature trails are accessed only through the southern play area; children do not have to cross vehicular traffic to enter into the woods. • An attractive rain garden near the front parking lot collects and cleans stormwater. • A garden on the southwestern side of the building creates small habitats for different birds and insects, which children can learn about inside and outside the classroom. • The erosion channel is controlled with terracing, helping to infiltrate runoff from the impervious surfaces and protect stream health. • Provides 26 parking spots. Cons • Cost of regrading, and removing asphalt. • The eastern play area is adjacent to Easthampton Road, and still noisy. • The northern hill must be regraded in order to introduce ten new parking spaces.
Raised Vegetable Beds
ld
Pros
Nature Trail with Access Through Play Area
Su nn ys id eC hi
This design expands the play area away from the road and closer to the woods. Erosion issues are addressed and twenty-six spaces are included. The vegetation creates natural playscapes as well as an attractive landscape for visitors, parents, and faculty.
0
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
Ea
Terraced Water Catchment
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
to nR oa d
Play Area
sth am p
Su nn ys
id eC
Visual Screen
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
hi ld
Ca re
Perennial Beds
• The cost is lower. • Vegetation screens the road and creates a comfortable atmosphere for the children. • The vegetation also helps to create a distinctive entrance to the property. Perennial and colorful garden beds by the driveway reflect the mission and philosophy of the school. • Nature trails bring children into the woods without having to travel far. • In order to get to the front main entrance, parents must walk through the play area, encouraging play with the children. • Native plants chosen to grow well in the site conditions result in less maintenance. • Thicker and higher vegetation is added to help screen the road and give shade in the warmer months. Cons • The play area is still abutting the road, and very noisy. • The driveway separates the building and the play areas from the nature trails. • More impervious surfaces than natural surface in the focus area. • Parking is distributed across the site and does not meet minimum of 25 spaces.
Design Alternatives I & II
Driveway
40ft 10 20
North
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Alternative III
This design moves the play areas from the front to the back of the site, eliminating the separation caused by impervious surfaces. Children can directly access the nature trails from inside the play areas, without crossing vehicular traffic. The trail comes into the play area and creates a trike path. A rain garden and infiltration swale not only solve the erosion and drainage issues on the southern edge, but can also be utilized for educational purposes. Furthermore, another rain garden at the northern end of the berm, catches and infiltrates stormwater runoff from the front parking lot.
Tall Grass
Nature Trail with Trike Path
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Design Alternatives Pros
Living Fence
0
• Costs associated with asphalt removal and some minor regrading in the front parking lot. • The warm microclimate to the north remains paved. • Entrance to facility is not inside the front play area. • Some of the play space is in the front adjacent to the road. • Only 21 parking spaces. • Parking is built beyond the property line into city right-of-way.
40ft 10 20
Alternative IV
Pros
Terraced Vegetable Gardens
Parking
Infiltration Swale
Ca ld
Play Area
Visual Screen Ro ad
Parking
Check-Dam Living Fence
Ea sth am
pto n
Play Area
Cons
• Costs associated with new asphalt and removal of old driveway. • Parking exceeds property boundary to the east. • Southern oak is removed for second curb-cut, which leaves one less tree to absorb water from the soil.
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Courtyard
hi
Nature Trail Accessed Through Play Area
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• Most of the parking shifts to the eastern side of the site, abutting the road. • Vegetation has multiple functions: visual screen, living fence, aesthetics and erosion control, especially on the steep northern slope. • Raised vegetable beds are placed where there is full sun during the growing season. • Children avoid crossing vehicular traffic to reach the woods and the nature trails. • Erosion is reduced with a rain garden and terracing, which also create more learning opportunities about water flow and catchment. • Perennial beds align the front driveway create a welcoming setting for visitors & staff. • A second curb-cut creates a more efficient traffic flow, from north to south. • New parking has 25 spaces meeting desired minimum. • Perennial beds on all sides of the building create habitats for small birds and insects.
Su nn ys id
In this design, most of the parking is in the front, allowing for the play area to be in the back. Proposed vegetation creates a much greener landscape. A rain garden in the back play area controls erosion and creates a water feature for the children to play in. A nature trail directly connects to the play area, eliminating crossing vehicular traffic.
2nd Curb Cut
0
40ft 10 20
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Meadow with Grass and Wildflowers
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
Ea
sth
Meadow with Grass & Wildflowers
Cons
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
am
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Ro a
Play Area
Rain Garden & Visual Screen
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
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Infiltration Swale
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Play Area
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Rain Garden
Design Alternatives III & IV
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• Proposed vegetation helps control erosion, screens the road, and creates educational nodes within the play areas for children. • Vegetation creates refuge from the hot summer sun in the warmer months. • A variety of learning materials are introduced inside play areas, including mud, sand, water and lawn. • Some of the play area is far from the road and noise.
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332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Final Design: Overview
This design supports Sunnysideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission of creating a natural playscape for children to explore and discover through dramatic play and strong sensory experiences. The focus area has a stronger relationship with the natural environment on its north, west and south sides. The addition of vegetation and natural playscapes helps solve drainage and erosion problems and creates a landscape that offers opportunity and interest to young children.
Terraced Vegetable Gardens terraced vegetable garden 1 A on the northern slope makes
Terraced Vegetable Garden
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nt Ca ld hi ys
3 4
eliminating the crossing of vehicular traffic. The entrance runs adjacent to the checkdam, creating an immediate opportunity for water flow education. The trail runs off the back paved lot, allowing for the oppurtunity to create a universally accessible trail in the woods.
Terraced Meadow
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To Nature Trail
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10 20
40ft
Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Play Areas 4
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Both the southern and eastern play areas have new play structures. One element of the new natural playscape is a sunken sandbox covered by an arbor with concord grape growing on it to provide shade and to create a diverse garden within the play area. Each play area has a water feature made of rocks and logs, with water coming from the rain barrels attached to the downspouts. The berm on the eastern edge is planted with shrubs and trees, both evergreen and deciduous, to provide shade and green space all year round. The berm screens the busy road and creates small outdoor pockets for the children to play in on the western side of the fence. The play areas reflect the mission of Sunnyside of dramatic play and strong sensory experiences with a variety of natural learning materials.
Terraced Meadow 5
Terraced berms control erosion and the speed of water flow from west to east. The berms are planted with deep-rooted tall meadow grasses to screen the road and stabilize the slope. With the grasses and the berms slowing the speed of water and stabilizing the slope, erosion is far less likely.
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
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Check-Dam
Final Design
entrance to the nature 3 The trail is within the fenced area,
Planted Berm and Visual Screen
id
Tricycle Track
0
Nature Trail Entrance
eC
2 An attractively planted
infiltration basin catches and infiltrates the runoff that is causing the erosion channel to the south. A check-dam slows and infiltrates the flow of water moving north to south. The runoff from the impervious surfaces adjacent to the basin is infiltrated rather than allowed to direct sediment-filled, warm and polluted to the wetland.
re
2
Infiltration Basin and Check-Dam
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
Infiltration Basin
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
1
er
use of the large amounts of sunlight the area receives during the growing season. The slope becomes a destination for education and is attractive for visitors driving onto the site. The slope is stabilized with the terracing, and the runoff helps water the vegetables.
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332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Nature Trail A nature trail meanders through the woods, stopping at varying educational destinations.
Large White Pine
B.A large white pine infected by the pine weevil, which has caused it to form
source for woodpeckers.
Snag
D. A snag, a dead tree that has
been stripped of its bark, has been a home and food source for different animals and insects.
C
entrance. It has been infected with white pine weevil. The impacts on the tree are noticeable: the stem usually becomes deformed and crooked. The result is usually a mutliple-stemmed tree.
D
Snag
E. Another taller snag marks the transition from dry to wet zones.
H
E
Culvert
F
H. At this entrance into the woods, the children can see
the water from the centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parking lot leave the culvert and enters the woods. Starting at G, they can follow the channel that the culvert creates all the way to the bank of the stream and learn how water moves from one point to another.
Culvert Channel Meets Stream F. This is the channel that begins at point H and travels through the woods to F, where it meets the stream.
G
Boggy Zone
G. In the wetland along the perennial stream. The
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
C. A young tree has clearly been a food
A
Nature Trail
Woodpecker Tree
Small White Pine
A. A smaller white pine is the first destination from the northernmost
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
B
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
multiple trunks, stands in a clearing at a high point in the woods.
culvert taking the stream under Easthampton Road is visible from the wet zone. At this destination, there is a likelihood of finding animal tracks in the muddy soil.
North Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
13/20
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Materials and Precedents Introducing Natural Elements into the Playscape
Rock Drainage Swale
A slide that is built into a greenscape, combining the natural elements with manufactured.
Channeled logs create a natural and engaging water feature for children to discover how water flows.
A bean teepee not only creates a small zone for the children to explore, but gives them an opportunity to learn about food production as well.
A rock-lined drainage swale provides multiple functions, as a drainage system in the front play area as well as an interactive and educational opportunity for the children to engage with water movement. This swale channels water in a more controlled flow as it travels down the slope.
http://freepix.eu
http://visitor.benchmarkemail.com
http://www.clarkforkace.com
http://blade-runners.com
Boulder Path
Sand Pit
Stump Circle
Climbing Logs
A boulder path allows the children to practice kinesthetics and balance on natural elements.
A sandbox that incorporates other natural materials such as stone and vegetation creates a more organic feel, creating a fused relationship between the sandbox and the rest of the play area.
A stump circle creates a small gathering space that can vary in size and shape. Children can walk or sit on the stumps, developing their physical boundaries.
Large hollowed-out tree logs provide unique exploration space for children to discover shapes, textures and smells of natural elements.
http://www.letthechildrenplay.net
http://playstreet.com.au
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
http://www.littleecofootprints.com
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
Bean TeePee
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
Log Channels
Materials & Precedents I
Green Slide
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
A natural playscape for children should include a variety of plants and interactive materials to introduce the children to their natural surroundings and allow them to explore and discover on their own.
http://pixabay.com
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Fence with VIrginia Creeper
Virginia creeper planted along a chain link fences creates a green wall. http://www.gardeningknowhow.com
Honeysuckle Fence
Honeysuckles are sweet-smelling, and beautiful and attract birds and insects. http://www.pbase.com
Terraced Meadow
The front zone, immediately to the west of Easthampton Road, has an unstable slope due in part to the upland silty loam soil and the lack of vegetation. A terraced meadow would help with water absorption and control the erosion and speed of water flow.
A terraced meadow controls water flow and erosion and helps stabilize the slope. http://www.gettyimages.com
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Slopes can be used for terraced vegetable gardens with a small landing for accessibility to vegetables further away from stairs. http://redbucketfarm.blogspot.com
Infiltration Swale & Check-Dam
A terraced vegetable garden stabilizes a slope prone to erosion and also creates an attractive view from the drive. http://www.pacifichorticulture.org
On the southern edge of the site, an erosion channel has developed. A swale, in combination with a check-dam, could direct water from the gravel lot and infiltrate and slow the water flow before it reaches the culvert channel.
A swale with a check-dam controls water flow and erosion. http://www.oseh.umich.edu
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
The northern slope on the property currently erodes and isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stabilized due in part to the upland silty loam and lack of vegetation. Terraced vegetable gardens will stabilize and eliminate erosion as well as take advantage of the high amount of sunlight the slope receives all year round.
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
The chain link fence surrounding the play areas does not provide much visual screening or present a natural environment. Planting different vines along the fence creates a green visual barrier.
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
Terraced Vegetable Gardens
Materials & Precedents II
Living Fence
332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Materials and Precedents
North
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332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Plant Palette: Berm & Front Area Plants for the front zone adjacent to Easthampton Road have multiple functions: to screen the road, to control erosion, and to attract birds and insects. The berm and front area range in moisture level from wet to dry. The water from the berm flows down west towards the play area and east towards the road creating wet soil on the west side and dry soil on the east side.
20ft
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
0 5 10
Red maple
http://www.qualitytreemi.com
American persimmon
https://www.gardenerdirect.com
Virginia dogwood
http://forestry.about.com
Eastern red cedar
http://www.ibiblio.org
http://www.gardentaining.com
Red-osier dogwood
http://macphailwoods.org
Butterflybush
http://mangachupada-requeri. blogspot.com
Inkberry
https://www.studyblue.com
Legend Deciduous trees/shurbs: red maple, red-osier dogwood, butterflybush, inkberry, American persimmon, Virginia dogwood Evergreen trees/shrubs: red cedar, arborvitae, yew
American yew
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com
Big bluestem
http://hoffmannursery.com
Maiden grass
.georgiabackyardnature.com
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Indiangrass
http://www.wildflower.org/
Meadow grasses: big bluestem, maiden grass, indiangrass 0
5
10
20ft
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
Arborvitae
Plant Palette I
Area sprayed with Meadow Mix
North
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332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Plant Palette: Play Area and Living Fence
Concord grape
http://www.harborcountry.com/
Black willow
http://www.northcoastweeds. org.au
Arborvitae
http://www.gardentaining.com
Yellow daylily
http://en.wikipedia.org/
High-bush cranberry
http://www.wildflower.org/
Niger seed
http://en.wikipedia.org
Legend
Virginia creeper
http://en.wikipedia.org/
Living fence: V. creeper, honeysuckle Bean teepee: snap peas Floral beds: daylilies, niger seed, cosmos, tickseed sunflower, nasturtium Mid-story shrubs: High-bush cranberry, arborvitae Arbor vine: Concord grape
Tickseed sunflower
http://www.wildflower.org/
Cosmos
http://pixabay.com/
Snap peas
http://www.itzybitzyfarm.com
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Eastern red cedar
http://www.ibiblio.org
Nasturtium
http://pixabay.com/
Shade tree: Black willow
0
5
10
20ft
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
http://extension.entm.purdue. edu
Plant Palette II
Nothern bush honeysuckle
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
0 5 10 20ft
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
The plants for the play area and living fence were chosen for their function. Some plants are sweet-smelling, some serve as a screen from the road, and some attract native birds and insects. These plants can tolderate dry to wet conditions.
North
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332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Plant Palette: Infiltration Swale and Check-Dam
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
Plants for the proposed check-dam control erosion and runoff from the back gravel parking lot.
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
0 5 10 20ft
Legend Infiltration swale/check-dam: ostrich fern, swamp azalea, New England aster, roughstemmed goldenrod, cardinal flower
Infiltration swale trees: black willow
Swamp azalea
http://www.wildflower.org/
Black willow
http://www.northcoastweeds.org.au
0
New England aster
http://www.wildflower.org/
Rough-stemmed goldenrod http://www.wildflower.org/
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
Cardinal flower
http://www.wildflower.org/
5
10
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
http://www.wildflower.org/
Plant Palette III
Ostrich fern
20ft
North
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332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Plant Palette: Terraced Vegetable Garden
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
The northern slope is one of two areas on the site that receive 4+ hours per day of sunlight throughout the growing season. The final design proposes a terraced vegetable garden for this area. The terraces expose more vegetation to sunlight. These vegetables were chosen by the types of soils they need and the amount of sunlight necessary for healthy growth.
Legend
Radish
http://isten-patikaja.blogspot.com/
Plant Palette IV
Vegetable beds: radish, butternut squash, cucumber, cherry tomatoes
Butternut squash
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butternut_squash
0
Cucumber
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cucumber
Cherry tomatoes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomaccio_(tomato)
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
5
10
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
0 5 10 20ft
20ft
North
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332 S. Deerfield Road | PO Box 179 | Conway, MA 01341 413-369-4044 www.csld.edu
Creating Habitat A variety of vegetation invites a variety of birds and insects onto the site for refuge, water, and food. A diversity of habitats attracts beneficial birds and pollinators for plants. Small mammals who may take refuge within the tall grasses or in the ground will take advantage of the seeds and other resources provided by the proposed vegetation.
Providing a Home
Supplying Water
The niger seed flower is a valuable food source for goldfinches. Highbush-cranberry provides berries for small mammals and for the cedar waxwings.
Birds and small mammals can take refuge or build homes in large shrubs.
Providing a water source may attract deer, birds and small mamals.
Niger Seed
Maiden Grass
A check-dam can retain water making it available for small mammals and birds.
Arborvitae
Birds drink and bathe in this water-containing boulder.
High-bush Cranberry www.wildflower.org/
Not for construction. Part of a student project and not based on a legal survey.
.georgiabackyardnature.com
www.flickr.com
www.oseh.umich.edu
www.calown.com
Designer: Hillary Collins Fall 2014
http://en.wikipedia.org
Creating a Habitat
557 Easthampton Road, northampton, MA 01060
Sunnyside Child care/Sue Beemer
Creating a Food Source
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