Folio 2014 by American Society of Landscape Architects, Illinois Chapter

folio AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS ILLINOIS CHAPTER

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Folio 2014 TA B L E O F CO N T E N T S 1

ILASLA President’s Letter

2014-2015 ILASLA Executive Committee

Award Criteria

Honor Awards 6

10 & 120 South Riverside Plazas

Carolina North

Harvest Commons

Landscape Architecture Research: Inquiry, Strategy, Design

Orchard Willow Residence

Urban Refuge – Morrill School Garden

Merit Awards 18

233 N. Michigan Avenue Plaza Renovation

Garfield Park Conservatory Play and Grow Garden v1.0

Lake Michigan Gateway Implementation Strategy

LaSalle II Magnet Elementary School Playground

North Clark Street Strategic Plan

Openlands Lakeshore Preserve Action Plan

Orchard East

Park #574

Saddle & Cycle Club Entrance Plaza & Parking

St. Cloud Placemaking

University of Chicago 58th Street West Streetscape

Jensen Award 40

General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of the United Methodist Church

Special Recognition 42

Public Recognition Award

2014 Student Awards

ILASLA Marketing Committee & Production Notes

ILASLA Presidents & ASLA Fellows

Image Credits

ILASLA 2014 Supporters

ILASLA PRESIDENT’S LETTER Dear Friends, It is my honor to write to you and introduce the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects’ Folio 2014. The time has come to step back, look outward, and reflect on how much our industry has evolved over the last few years. Since the ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO was last held in Chicago in 2009, the state of the economy, the landscape architecture field in Illinois, and the City of Chicago have gone through significant changes. Chicago is now home to many new world-renowned public parks, an acclaimed riverwalk, and is leading the nation for new high-rise construction, second only to New York City. Over 100 additional miles of bike trails and lanes have been created and over $7.5 billion has been spent on capital improvements across Chicagoland, with another $7 billion planned to be spent through 2018—during a time where development trends have slowed across the country. Being a landscape architect in Illinois keeps getting more exciting every year, and the momentum is gaining. Join in! It is time to end our collective procrastination; to stop being humble. Instead, we must step up. Step up and talk to legislators, work with municipalities, excel in creativity amongst other design disciplines, and take action in meaningful organizations so that our voices—as landscape architects—are heard. A great opportunity lies in front of us to challenge the perception of landscape architecture and to bring increased awareness to the field. On a community level, this is an opportunity to make big strides to publish and promote landscape architecture to the public. We challenge you to reach out to schools, civic leaders, neighbors, and friends, and find ways to engage and educate them on the benefits of the profession. Eager to do something more hands on? Help solve community-wide challenges like food shortages and park deserts by joining community groups or starting your own. Politically, we are experiencing unprecedented cuts to public open land grants and statewide funding programs that directly impact our work. Help show funders and decision-makers the benefit of landscape architecture and how we contribute by helping to build communities, create open spaces, and increase economies. This is our time to declare our seat at the table; to show why we all need to be stewards of the land. Capitalizing on the energy and enthusiasm of the Illinois Student Chapter and our corps of dedicated volunteers is essential in this approach—for students, emerging professionals, industry leaders, and everyone in between. A great opportunity lies in front of us to challenge the perception of landscape architecture and to bring increased awareness to the field.

Education is at the forefront of our profession and its future success. On an individual level, this is the first year continuing education (CE) credits are required for licensed Landscape Architects in the State of Illinois. To support our members’ growing education needs and this requirement, the Chapter has created several programs that integrate into chapter activities; a logical step both fiscally and developmentally. The Landscape Architecture Foundation’s Case Study Investigation program is another excellent step, and Illinois has made a great showing. By tapping into our combined knowledge base, we can create our own educational tools and share with each other how we can work together to transform spaces. With education as a central theme for the years ahead, what better way to educate is there than to advocate? This is an opportunity to get involved in the state and local efforts. Join a garden club. Attend a park advisory meeting. Run for office. Most importantly, create meaningful connections with allied professionals and your community. Our allied professions face similar licensure challenges, and we are actively joining forces to collectively advocate. We need increased involvement from Chapter members to build new relationships and prepare ourselves for a successful future. To all of our dedicated members, committee members, and industry leaders, thank you for your participation and commitment to making the Illinois Chapter, ASLA what it is today, and for your significant contributions to planning what we hope will be the most successful ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO yet. Your involvement in the 2015 legacy project, host chapter booth, and field sessions, and your willingness to participate throughout the meeting itself in November shows the strength, diversity, and dedication of our truly inspiring chapter. This will be a remarkable year for the Chapter. As we honor the incredible work of Illinois professionals and their contributions to the fabric of our communities, we also move ahead with great anticipation for our future. That future will only be brighter with a unified voice that demonstrates landscape architects as leaders and problem-solving experts at the forefront of collaboration. Please use 2015 as the year you commit to be involved in education, advocacy, and show ASLA members from around the country just what Illinois is about. I look forward to embarking on this journey together! Best Regards and Congratulations!

Bradley McCauley, asla, pla ILASLA President 1

ILASLA Executive Committee 201 4-201 5 PRESIDENT - Bradley McCauley, asla, pla, is a Principal and Director of Operations at site design group, ltd. in Chicago. Brad joined the firm after graduation from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2007 with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture. His body of work includes urban waterfronts, streetscapes, residential, urban parks, playgrounds, and open space design in both the public and private sectors. A licensed landscape architect, Brad has also received Construction Document Technology certification from the Construction Specification Institute. PAST PRESIDENT - Chris Lannert, asla, pla, President of The Lannert Group, founded the firm in 1982. Since its inception, he has built The Lannert Group into a nationally recognized landscape architectural, planning, and community consulting firm. The firm enjoys an excellent reputation for combining technical expertise with artistic vision and has received numerous awards from ASLA, American Institute of Architects, American Planning Association (APA), Home Builders Association of Illinois, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and Urban Land Institute (ULI). Chris is experienced in working with municipal planning departments, engineers, architectural firms, developers, and corporations. He received a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Michigan State University. Chris is a member of APA, ULI, and NAHB; and is a past Board Member and President of the Landscape Architecture Foundation, and a past member and Chair on the Illinois Department of Professional Regulations Board. PRESIDENT ELECT - Darrell Garrison, asla, pla, noma, cpsi, is President/CEO of Planning Resources Inc. in Wheaton. Darrell has experienced professional success in the development of livable communities through planning and designs for parks and recreation spaces, downtown streetscapes, public plazas, education institutions, commercial developments and sustainable site master planning. He is the immediate past Board Chair of the Landscape Architect Registration Board with the Illinois Department of Financial Regulations, and a member of the National Organization for Minority Architects (NOMA). He is also a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI). Darrell earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and a degree in Environmental Design from Ball State University. He previously served ILASLA as the Public Service Chair and explored ways to engage public service initiatives to increase awareness and recognition of the profession. TRUSTEE, ACTING ADVOCACY CHAIR - Keven Graham, asla, pla, is a Principal with Planning Resources Inc. in Wheaton. Keven earned an Associate in Applied Science in Architectural Construction Technology from Illinois Central College and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University. A registered landscape architect, he has served ILASLA in numerous positions, including President. He is one of the founding officers of the ASLA Sustainable Design and Development professional practice network and immediate past chair of ASLA’s Public Relations and Communication Committee. He currently serves on ASLA’s Government Affairs Advisory Committee. TREASURER - Steven Halberg, asla, pla, is no stranger to leadership within ILASLA. He has previously served the Chapter as both Treasurer and as a two-time President. Steve earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, and also has a Masters in Business Administration from Illinois Benedictine College. He is a licensed landscape architect in Illinois and Wisconsin, and is CLARB certified. During his more than thirty-five year career as a landscape architect in Illinois, Steve has served as Superintendent of Parks and Planning with the Elk Grove Park District; Director of Planning and Development with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County; President and Principal Designer with David Gill/Steven Halberg Limited - Golf Course Architects; and Landscape Architecture Manager for Bonestroo. He is currently a Senior Consultant with Planning Resources Inc.

SECRETARY - Alan Watkins, asla, is an account representative with Clarence Davids & Company. He earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2005, and a Master of Business Administration from Northern Illinois University. His responsibilities at Clarence Davids & Company entail sales, estimation, project and account management, and the pursuit of new clients. He has served ILASLA as Secretary since 2009. In that time he has helped to educate high school students about the profession and has worked to increase ILASLA membership. He is also serving as Host Chapter Co-chair for the 2015 ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO, being held in Chicago. EDUCATION CHAIR - Kenon Boehm, associate asla, is an Associate Landscape Designer at Premier Landscape Contractors. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture and a Master of Landscape Architecture from Texas A&M University. His responsibilities at Premier Landscape Contractors revolve around all phases of residential landscape design and implementation, mainly in the creation of 3D imagery and production documents. Currently working towards his professional license, as the Education Chair, Kenon is focused on facilitating methods for peers to do the same. EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR - Rob Reuland, asla, pla, is an Associate at Hitchcock Design Group in Chicago, where he focuses on project management and construction administration. He graduated from Purdue University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture. A licensed landscape architect, Rob’s project experience includes parks and recreation, streetscape design, and green roofs. As External Communications Chair, he manages all chapter external communications such as elevation and Folio. FELLOWSHIP CHAIR - Jenna Whalen, asla, is a Project Architect at Mariani Landscape. Since graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2008, Jenna has been immersed in high-end residential design, with the occasional addition of commercial landscape projects. She loves challenging sites and clients, and, most of all, the personal touch placed on each design. Jenna is involved in projects from preliminary planning and site analysis to presentation drawings and construction documents. She has actively participated in ASLA since college, and is currently Fellowship Chair for the Illinois Chapter. She encourages everyone to attend events and mingle with fellow landscape architects, “it’s the best way to truly find your niche within the profession.” INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR - Renee TeVogt, associate asla, is a landscape designer at Clarence Davids & Company. Her responsibilities at Clarence Davids & Company are widely based; from the first steps designing residential and commercial sites to the final steps of overseeing the installation of her designs in the field. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013, where she was involved with ASLA as the Student Chapter President. Renee is currently working towards licensure, and as Internal Communications Chair is focused on increasing ILASLA membership and creating a constant web of communication between all members of the organization. PUBLIC AWARENESS CHAIR - Cynthia Anderson, associate asla, chose to pursue landscape architecture after a successful corporate career with a Fortune 100 healthcare company. Cindy earned her Masters of Landscape Architecture from The Ohio State University in 2011, where she was awarded the Faculty Prize in Landscape Architecture. She also has a certificate in Healthcare Garden Design from the Chicago Botanic Garden. Prior to studying landscape architecture, she received her Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School at Dartmouth College and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Cornell University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Architecture, researching the connection between the individual, the built environment, and health.

IL A SL A E XECUTIVE COMMIT TEE 201 4-201 5 (CO N T I N U E D) SPONSORSHIP CHAIR - Amy Olson, asla, pla, isa, is Principal of olson landscape architecture, focusing in both commercial and residential design with sensitivity to environmental issues in concert with aesthetic values and the healing qualities of landscape. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture and a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Master of Fine Arts in Landscape Architecture. Amy also has a certificate in Healthcare Garden Design from the Chicago Botanic Garden. She is a licensed landscape architect in the State of Illinois, CLARB certified, and an ISA-certified arborist. Amy is active in the Chapter, and currently serves ILASLA as Sponsorship Chair, building chapter relations with allied businesses and product suppliers. MARKETING COMMITTEE CHAIR - Terry Warriner Ryan, fasla, pla, landscape architect and partner of Jacobs/Ryan Associates, holds a Bachelor of Arts cum laude from the University of California Los Angeles. Terry began her career in Los Angeles and in 1979 moved to Chicago, joining B. Jacobs & Associates. She cofounded Jacobs/Ryan Associates in 1982. Today the firm is respected for quality design in projects such as the Chicago Riverwalk, the Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy, the Museum of Science and Industry’s Smart Home, and the John Hancock Center Plaza. In addition to specific project management, her responsibilities at Jacobs/Ryan Associates include all aspects of business management. CELEBRATION CHAIR - Deirdre Toner, asla affiliate, is principal of D.T. Design, llc and is known for creating unique landscapes intertwining design, horticulture, and landscape architectural history. Her firm specializes in residential and therapeutic garden design, and consequently strategizes all phases of installation to create a valued project management relationship for each client. Active in landscape architecture for 15 years, her background also includes awards in the decorative arts field of Fabric Design. She co-founded and served two terms as Chair of the ASLA Professional Practice Network (PPN) for Planting Design, and currently serves ILASLA as the Celebration Chair. Deirdre holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, studied planting design in Germany and England, and is a board member for Perennials In Focus. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & SPONSORSHIP COORDINATOR - Susan Ragaishis earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Arizona, where she studied Theater Performance, Directing, and Art. After 10 years of professional theater, she changed her focus to nonprofit management and worked in administration for the Latino Institute, corporate development for Brookfield Zoo, and as a Regional Director for the American Cancer Society. Since joining ILASLA in 2011, she has primarily worked to support and motivate the Executive Committee. However, she also represents each member and works to provide rich and meaningful experiences for everyone from education and networking to partnerships and advocacy efforts. Passionate about health, sustainable living, and aesthetics, her goal is to bring ILASLA to the forefront of everyone’s mind as the first place to look for a professional Landscape Architect.

2014 IL A SL A AWARD COMMIT TEE Sarah White, asla, Committee Chair Cassandra Rice, associate asla Julie Smith Sarah Dreier Susan Sevcik, asla

AWARD CRITERIA

Congratulations to the year’s most inspiring and noteworthy landscape architecture projects. HONOR AWA R D

Projects are honored with this distinction for superior professional achievement. Only 20 percent of the entries in any of the categories may earn this distinction.

MERIT AWA R D

Projects which demonstrate merit in design and environmental responsibility shall be given this distinction. Any number of entries in any category may be given this award.

JENSEN AWA R D

The award recognizes projects that represent the design principles of Jens Jensen by using native plants, ecological processes, and reconnecting people the landscape with harmonious designs.

The following categories were used to select this year’s award-winning landscape architecture projects. DESIGN – CONSTRUCTED PROJECTS

COMMUNICATIONS

PLANNING AND ANALYSIS

RESEARCH

Recognizes constructed sitespecific works of landscape architecture within the sub-categories of residential, commercial, institutional, memorial, recreational and open space, and urban.

Recognizes achievements in communicating landscape architecture information, technology, theory, or practice to those within or outside the profession. Entries may include: published or written documents, articles, videos, and audio of presentations on landscape architecture history, art, or technology; educational material for the non-technical consumer; events or public service; or material that increases awareness of landscape design, environmental, or conservation issues.

Recognizes the wide variety of professional activities that lead to, guide, or evaluate landscape architectural design. Comprehensive plans, master plans, viability studies, and design guidelines and standards are examples of submittals for this category.

Recognizes research projects that identify, examine, and address challenges and problems that are resolved using solutions of value to the profession. Typical entries may include issues and relationships investigated with an explanation of methodology used. Research might include statistical or other analysis and demonstrate advancement of the body of knowledge of landscape architecture.

Considers quality and functionality of the design; relationship to context and stated program; environmental responsibility; and relevance to the profession, the public, and the environment.

Considers quality of content and presentation; usefulness to the reader or viewer; and overall significance to the profession, the public, or the environment. 5

10 & 120 South Riverside Plazas

HONOR AWARD

DA N I E L W E I N B AC H & PA R T N E R S , LT D.

Sustainable Solutions Activate Pedestrian Experience and Retail Revenues

is a new stainless steel railing with laser cut panels of a grass-like pattern mimicking the natural landscape of a river edge. New signage incorporates the motif and provides a gateway into each plaza entrance.

The river edge plazas at 10 & 120 South Riverside, in Chicago, were built in the 1960s as part of a two-office building development, directly over Amtrak and Metra train lines. Renovated in the 1980s, the plazas functioned mainly as pedestrian thoroughfares for daily commuters. Over time, the plazas were fraught with technical problems including deterioration of materials; clogged surface drains; and declining or removed landscape. Daniel Weinbach & Partnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; design intent was to provide contemporary, aesthetic, and sustainable solutions that rectified all these problems and activated the plazas as destinations to better support ground-floor retail and restaurant businesses.

A more sustainable paving system was designed and implemented on a pedestal system to provide free-flowing drainage and allow for easier maintenance of the structural deck surface. New lighting was designed throughout the plazas using sustainably efficient LED lighting.

A strong curvilinear edge of the new concrete planters provides a visual relief to the hard linear edge of the river. The curve of the planters is designed to be an integral, continuous seating amenity; respite for pedestrians. Between the planters, more intimate circular seating nodes include custom designed ipe wood benches, cantilevered off the planter walls. Fronting the planters 6

The landscape planting includes informal groupings of trees to provide shade for plaza users and create the feel of a natural river edge planting. Additional planting includes native and adaptive shrubs, perennials, and groundcovers to minimize maintenance and irrigation demands. The design maintains the original cohesive appearance of the two-block river edge, while providing contemporary integration of technical and sustainable design practices and amenities that support the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tenants and plaza users. With improved casual seating and exterior dining space, the plazas have become two of the most widely used plazas in the Chicago downtown area, resulting in increased revenues for the buildingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; restaurant and retail tenants.

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois CLIENT: Callahan Capital

PROJECT TEAM: Carl Walker; Carol Naughton & Associates; Countryside

Industries; KJWW; Otto Damgaard; Takao Nagai Concrete Restoration

Properties

Carolina North

HONOR AWARD

HOERR SCHAUDT L ANDSC APE ARCHITECTS

LOCATION: Chapel Hill,

North Carolina

CLIENT: University of

North Carolina

PROJECT TEAM: Affiliated Engineers Inc.; Ayers Saint Gross;

BioHabitats; Martin Alexiou Bryson; Rummel Kepper & Kahl; Stonebridge Associates; TichlerBise; University Staff from Facilities Planning, Environment, Health & Safety, Public Safety, and Energy Services; Vannesse Hangen Brustlin

Landscape-focused Vision for Campus of the Future The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50-year development plan for a new campus, Carolina North, is marked by a landscape-focused vision developed by Hoerr Schaudt. It treats the entire site holistically and sustainably, stitching together a former brownfield with naturalized areas to create an iconic, mile-long open space. The plan is an example of how landscape architect involvement on planning teams connects large developments with the land and their natural context in meaningful ways. As the main campus reaches capacity, UNC Chapel Hill has renewed its planning efforts for a new campus on a 1,000-acre parcel north of the main campus. The land is comprised of healthy, natural areas of valley streams and forest, as well as the former brownfield remnants of a regional airport. A diverse team of nine consultants, University staff from five departments, and leaders from two municipalities worked together for nearly a decade to develop a master plan that fully embraces sustainability.

The University sought a way to expand using a responsible growth framework that was flexible to respond to changing program needs, would provide adequate space for the footprints required by 21st century research facilities, and defined a landscape framework that was in scale with that development. The landscape architect developed a comprehensive landscape vision for the entire development. Utilizing the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earlier ecological analysis in a slightly different way, their approach looked at the natural and cultural landscape as the primary guide to developing infrastructure. As a result, the plan changed to reflect the existing natural and cultural landscape and better integrated the development with natural features. This vision is expressed through four major strategies: 1) turn the former airfield into the predominant open space, 2) integrate the campus frontage with the surrounding landscape, 3) transition into more naturalized landscape as the development moves away from the city, and 4) incorporate a variety of working landscapes in the site. This vision is a clear, strong, and reliable foundation for building out the site over the next three generations.

Harvest Commons

HONOR AWARD

M C K AY L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T EC T S

Harvest Commons McKay Landscape Architects

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois 10

CLIENT: Heartland Alliance

Housing

PROJECT TEAM: Landon

Bone Baker Architects; Prism Engineering, Inc.; Rob Ebl, Inc.

Vacant Lot Becomes Transformative Environment

well, rainwater from the shelter’s roof is captured and reused to water nearby gardens which in turn provide habitat for pollinators—a necessity for successful food production.

Closed by the City in 2005, The Viceroy Hotel SRO on Chicago’s near west side sat vacant for years. Looted and vandalized, it was considered a local epicenter for crime. Thanks to socially-minded developer Heartland Alliance Housing, the hotel was transformed into Harvest Commons, an affordable housing development with social enterprise cafe situated in a landscape that exemplifies best practices in sustainable design. Harvest Commons now serves 89 individuals, including a number of women recently released from prison, in need of housing and a set of skills to re-start their lives. It consists of studio apartments with on-site social services, outdoor community spaces, a teaching kitchen, cafe, gardens, and an urban farm.

A brownfield reclamation site, the farm consists of a community vegetable garden, an apple orchard, composting facilities, and a chicken coop. Activities on the farm tie directly to programming for the residents. Food prep, healthy cooking, and nutrition classes are taught in a commercial grade kitchen. Organic gardening, tree grafting, and bee-keeping classes are also available. Resident-operated Gracie’s Cafe is open to the public, connecting residents with the neighborhood-at-large. In the summer, guests can sit on the patio and see residents tending the plots where the vegetables on their plates were grown.

Designed by McKay Landscape Architects, the landscape is critical to the project’s success as a stormwater management tool and source of programming opportunities; and for its aesthetic treatment of the site. The building employs an extensive green roof system and permeable parking lot to mitigate stormwater runoff. As

Recently, Chicago has become the home of many ground-breaking urban agricultural sites. In this context, the farm at Harvest Commons seems especially appropriate, giving the residents a connection to unique employment opportunities and a city-wide movement that transcends neighborhood as well as the boundaries of race, class, and gender.

Landscape Architecture Research: Inquiry, Strategy, Design

HONOR AWARD

U N I V E R S I T Y O F I L L I N O I S AT U R B A N A - C H A M P A I G N

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: M. Elen

Deming and Simon R. Swaffield

PUBLISHER: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Thoughtful Approach to Creative Research Advances Professional Practice Advancing the relevance and impact of landscape architecture requires landscape architects to validate “how we know… what we know” to potential clients, partners, and communities. Setting higher standards for disciplinary expertise, in turn, requires a secure comprehension of how new knowledge is produced and validated through research design and its procedures. Landscape Architecture Research: Inquiry, Strategy, Design is the very first book of its kind to address the special breadth and range of techniques for the production of knowledge essential to landscape architecture. A clear framework describing the full range of strategies used to generate professional knowledge, this book is based squarely within the types of work that landscape architects actually do and report. The authors of Landscape Architecture Research begin with the premise that producing specialized knowledge through research may take a variety of investigative forms and increasingly is being pursued through a range of practice types, organizations, and partnerships—including

academic, public agencies, firms in private practice, and foundations. Studies selected for this book therefore range from case studies to scenic landscape evaluation; from terrain modeling to community outreach; from field experiments to generating design guidelines; and from wildfire management plans to calculations of geographic orientation between ritual sites in ancient Crete. Illustrated by over 50 studies selected from major peer-reviewed publications in the field, Landscape Architecture Research describes nine basic research strategies with multiple examples showing how each strategy has been (or may be) applied to work by landscape architects. As landscape architects, editors, practitioners, and academics, the authors have been praised for the book’s scholarly merit, accuracy, and breadth of research definitions. The book itself has had a pronounced impact on the way that design research is being taught in programs worldwide. Since 2011, its thoughtful approach to creative research has been tested by dozens of faculty members and hundreds of graduate students in LAAB-accredited MLA and PhD programs in North America and internationally. In changing the way practitioners—whether entry level or experienced—think about producing and disseminating new knowledge, this book helps advance the discipline of landscape architecture worldwide.

HONOR AWARD

Orchard Willow Residence M C K AY L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T EC T S

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois CLIENT: Private Residence

PROJECT TEAM: Intrinsic Landscaping, Inc.; Mariani Landscapes; Nels J. Johnson Tree Experts, Inc.; Norcon, Inc.; Wheeler Kearns Architects

Study in Contrast Unites House in a Garden Chicago’s motto is ‘Urbs in Horto.’ Fittingly, the client wanted a City House in a Garden. This juxtaposition of urban and verdant instigated a larger study in contrast: public and private; inside and outside; formal and informal; polished and raw. Located in a dense Chicago neighborhood, the result is a home of copper, ipe, and concrete knit into a lush landscape. The clients love the city and plan to raise their family in the heart of it. At the same time, they have a strong interest in the natural world and want their children to develop this interest. Thus, the design needed to embrace both of these passions—the city and the natural world—proving the loves are not incompatible. In fact, when juxtaposed thoughtfully, each framing the other, the city and natural world are at their best. McKay Landscape Architects addressed the clients’ needs through the development of four distinct landscapes:

The Entry Garden creates a visual juxtaposition with the modern materials of the house and provides a sensory experience for those who pass by. The Garden Walk is a bright, contemplative space that links the very public parkway and the private West Garden nested within the walls at the property’s edge. It features a bluestone surface for dining and entertaining. The garden is richly textured and layered with trees and shrubs featuring coarse foliage which contrasts with the orderly joint lines of the bluestone. A green roof, accessible from the second floor, allows additional space for vegetable gardening and skyline views. Each area has a different function and a unique character. What unites them is their diverse, rich palette and their ability to hold their own, acting as a foil to an equally rich architectural palette. They provide a diverse, lively frame through which the family experiences their modern home. The family actively engages in the care of the gardens, enjoying the sensory experience it provides; the birds and butterflies the gardens attract; and the privacy it affords them—right in the heart of the city they love.

Urban Refuge - Morrill School Garden

HONOR AWARD

CULLITON QUINN L ANDSC APE ARCHITECTURE

Outdoor Space Enriches Students, School, and Neighborhood Located in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, Morrill School has a largely Hispanic and African American student body, predominantly from low income families. For some schools, this can create struggles that translate into the classroom. In an effort to combat this, Morrill School worked with nonprofit group Openlands and the design team to create a natural playground for exploration and education but also a refuge for the neighborhood. A driving force for the design was the existing school mural. Created by Bernard Williams, this art piece depicts strong forms representing ancient cultural art. The design team carried these same bold shapes into the circulation and site amenities, including the outdoor classroom at the south end of the garden that features a stage for formal instruction and lawn for lounging. Donated planter boxes offer space to plant vegetables; a first time experience for many Morrill School students.

Based on the existing asphalt and gravel sub-base, the area required 24â&#x20AC;? of excavation. This allowed the site to be transformed with some exciting yet functional grade changes. All the water caught onsite flows into a central rain garden; this area has a regulated overflow to prevent any standing water per Chicago Public School requirements. Pedestrian boardwalks are a playful educational tool to engage students in the workings of the rain garden below. Diversity was the motivating factor for the plant palette at Morrill School, including native grasses, perennials, and sedges. The variety of plants offers seasonal interest; blooms can be seen from spring to late summer, and grasses give structure long into the winter months. School gardens, like any built landscape, can be challenging to maintain. A watering program has been dutifully enforced with teachers taking shifts to ensure the native plants stabilize in the first couple years. Putting in long hours to plant and tend, the students and staff are very much devoted to the gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health and longevity.

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois CLIENT: Chicago Public Schools

PROJECT TEAM: Chicago Roof Deck; Clarence Davids & Company; G&L

Contractors; Openlands; Orsolini Welding Fabricators; Roy Diblik; Wayne Brunzell

BEFORE

233 N. Michigan Avenue Plaza Renovation

MERIT AWARD

WOLFF L ANDSC APE ARCHITECTURE, INC.

Exterior Amenities Reposition Office Property in Market 233 N. Michigan Avenue and the surrounding plaza were designed and constructed in the 1970s. The plaza was never particularly successful and had deteriorated over time. New ownership saw the exterior space as a key element to reposition the property in the Chicago Class A office market. Ownership was clear that the plaza redesign must make a strong first impression and provide an attractive, convenient amenity for tenants and visitors. The renovation scope included removal of existing materials down to the structural slab, pavement design able to support maintenance vehicles; and, importantly, unique tenant amenities and landscape with fourseason interest. The most striking feature of the plaza renovation is the reversal of the paving to planting ratio; formerly the plaza was 90% paving, and it is now 55% planting and 45% percent paving. A fire pit and surrounding lounge seating are a unique amenity in a Chicago plaza. The fire pit is demand-actuated, with a timer that shuts off after 15 minutes.

Another qualitative transformation is subjective; the former impression was of walking on a plaza past some planters. The renovated plaza now conveys the feeling of walking on a pathway through a landscaped urban garden. Circulation is accommodated directly and conveniently, but subtly. Paths are through a series of spaces defined by the landscape, with the space between planters constantly varying in width as the adjacent grading and planting vary in height, creating a subtle but dynamic sense of spatial modulation. The project is significant in the Chicago architectural and design community because it is a complete transformation of a dull, 1970s plaza in a derivative and uninteresting post-Miesian style. And interesting precisely because, with its organic shapes and spaces defined and enclosed by planters, grading, and planting, it is a complete break from the historical precedents and the architecture of the surrounding buildings.

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois CLIENT: Equity Commonwealth

PROJECT TEAM: Berglund Construction; C.R. Schmidt, Inc.; Eriksson

Engineering Associates, Ltd.; Goettsch Partners; Landtech, Inc.; Otto Damgaard Sons, Inc.

BEFORE

Garfield Park Conservatory Play and Grow Garden v1.0

MERIT AWARD

S I T E D E S I G N G R O U P, L T D .

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois 20

CLIENT: Chicago Park District, Garfield Park Conservatory

PROJECT TEAM:

Cityscape Landscape, LLC; Rebuilding Exchange

Garden Engages Families in Imaginative Nature Play The new three-season Play and Grow Garden v1.0 at the Garfield Park Conservatory (GPC) is the first of a twophase project to engage children in play with the natural environment. Working with the GPC, site design group, ltd. led an overall master plan for the garden with the goal to engage families socially, physically, and intellectually though imaginative play with nature. Physical engagement in the garden includes activities involving a wide range of gross motor skills (jumping and climbing) and fine motor skills (picking up pebbles or drawing on chalkboards). The garden also promotes a number of other skills, including social engagement— interactions between children, fostering intellectual engagement through imaginative (or pretend) play, problem-solving skills, and emotional engagement. Billy Goat’s Bluff is the central element of the garden with a bridge and series of paths that encourage inventive play and provide a physical challenge for older children. A pea-gravel pebble pool contains a free-play dig area, Gravity Log Runnel, and Water Spigot.

The Tree Hut Hangout is a series of platforms, including an ADA accessible transfer platform, with a wooden xylophone and stage area. A spiral log path made from reclaimed stumps and log steppers weaves through a backdrop of plants, engaging them in risk-taking by climbing, standing, and jumping off of the stumps. The Willow Fort, constructed of reclaimed bamboo and living willow walls, engages children in elaborate imaginary play. Made primarily from reclaimed materials, the Soil Kitchen facilitates free-play of loose parts and social interactions between children of different ages. Bowls, baskets, and utensils encourage children to gather soil, leaves, sticks, and pebbles to “cook” with. The garden offers a wide range of activities for visitors of all ages, whether they seek physical exertion; quiet, individual undertakings or social interaction; and imaginative play. Working with community members and local artists and builders throughout the design process, this natural playground is the first of its kind for this upand-coming neighborhood.

Lake Michigan Gateway Implementation Strategy

MERIT AWARD

HITCHCOCK DESIGN GROUP

Strategy Looks to Capitalize On Community Assets For many years, Michigan City community leaders have understood the value of its location and the unique potential of having a great lakefront beach AND a trio of other assets; the Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets, the Blue Chip Casino, and a traditional, walkable downtown known as the Uptown Arts District. Despite many good initiatives, the community has not been able to capitalize on these assets. Over the next five years, they seek to reposition Michigan City as Indiana’s ‘Great Lakefront Destination Community’. Specifically, community leaders asked for clearly defined and aligned capital, policy, and operational improvements so visitors will experience a cluster of year-round activities and destinations for the whole family; easily access and navigate the area; experience an extraordinarily attractive environment; and create more private sector investment, jobs, and tax revenue.

The completed Lake Michigan Gateway Implementation Strategy aligns the city’s abundant resources, enormous regional marketplace, and the passionate interests of key community stakeholders to accomplish the city’s ambitious goal. The Strategy features a long-range lakefront vision that includes major improvements to Washington Park, the development of a new Entertainment District on Route 12, new creek-side residential development, a makeover of the entire connector street network, and a riverwalk along Trail Creek. The Strategy stresses step-by-step, short-term community actions, resources, and responsibilities that, when executed, will communicate the brand, develop year-round attractions, simplify connections, create a memorable appearance, and sustain the momentum of this destination community.

LOCATION: Michigan City, Indiana

CLIENT: City of Michigan City, Indiana and the Michigan City Redevelopment Commission

PROJECT TEAM: DLZ; Market and

Feasibility Advisors; Nelson\ Nygard; Selbert Perkins Design Collaborative

LaSalle II Magnet Elementary School Playground

MERIT AWARD

S I T E D E S I G N G R O U P, L T D .

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois 24

CLIENT: Chicago Public Schools, LaSalle II Magnet Elementary School

PROJECT TEAM: ACG Consulting;

Gloger Engineers, Ltd.; Reliable & Associates Construction Co.

Playground Interprets Childhood Stories to Raise Cultural Awareness Together with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), LaSalle II Magnet school and an active community, site design group, ltd. designed a playground based on the concept of Storytime, where four children’s stories representing each of the four languages taught at the school come to life. Don Quixote in Spanish, One Thousand and One Nights in Arabic, Journey to the West in Chinese, and Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) in French are incorporated into the playground scheme through concept, imagery, and bilingual quotes that provide a unique educational opportunity and further awareness of other cultures. At the West end of the site is The Little Prince planet, a rubber surfacing mound with an accessible spiraling sloped walkway, embankment slides, and bean stalk climbers that lead to a singular rose climber–borrowed from imagery within the book. The popular fox sculpture serves as a shady nook to sit under with friends, and adorns the quote: “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt within the heart,” in English and its native French.

Facing The Little Prince planet is a Chinese-inspired landscape represented through the story Journey to the West, commonly known for the Monkey King character. A sculpture of the Monkey King sits high on a net climber with an enormous play boulder beyond it. Connected to the boulder are wave climbers that appear as though they are rolling clouds. The wave climbers also tie into the next story, One Thousand and One Nights, where a ‘magic carpet’ bench recalls imagery from the story. Finally, facing the school is the series of three towers interconnected by bridges and monkey bars, with a custom windmill sign to represent Don Quixote. As one of the first non-traditional playground projects for CPS, the storybook concept is distinctively tailored to the student body at LaSalle II Magnet School. By bringing these stories to life through imagery, color, and quotations, the narratives and cultures are reinforced through play and imagination. The integration of each of these cultures into one space was intended to help children understand cultural differences across language barriers.

BEFORE

North Clark Street Strategic Plan

MERIT AWARD

T H E L A KOTA G RO U P

Community Engagement Bolsters Successful Corridor Planning The Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce (LVECC) engaged The Lakota Group to develop a Strategic Plan for a portion of North Clark Street that had seen little investment over the past decade. Focused on a key mile-long stretch of this mixed-use street, the plan involved a comprehensive multi-phase effort to develop strategies and implementation tools necessary to upgrade the physical conditions and promote, attract, and retain new and existing businesses along the corridor. The landscape architect’s team worked closely with a local task force to ensure a collaborative process—one that would result in a strong sense of ownership from the corridor’s key stakeholders. The first phase included community outreach, as well as analysis of existing conditions, issues, and opportunities. Creative engagement efforts throughout the process included a project website, focus group discussions, online surveys, and interactive community workshops. Over 300 community members helped shape the vision and define specific strategies to enhance the corridor.

The second phase focused on alternative design concepts and strategies to improve the corridor’s physical image; traffic, pedestrian, and bike circulation; parking; streetscape design; open spaces; land use; and buildings and storefronts. Multiple place-specific concepts were developed to address streetscape, intersection, and building improvement needs. These ideas were presented to the community in a local vacant storefront to gather input and the project website included a ‘virtual workshop’ with an online survey to gather additional insight on design ideas. The third phase culminated in the North Clark Street Strategic Plan. The final plan includes a series of recommendations for priority initiatives, as well as shortand long-term steps to implement the priority initiatives; a ‘How-to Guide’ for using the tools described. Major priorities of the Plan include implementation of a streetscape that provides additional sidewalk space and street trees; creation of a People Spot (or parklet) in place of parking spaces in the street for temporary public space; storefront and façade improvements; redevelopment of key vacant buildings; and enhancements to multiple difficult intersections to address the need for better pedestrian circulation.

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois CLIENT: Lakeview East

Chamber of Commerce

PROJECT TEAM: Goodman

Williams Group; Sam Schwartz Engineering; Sheridan Park Consulting

Openlands Lakeshore Preserve Action Plan

MERIT AWARD

C O N S E R V AT I O N D E S I G N F O R U M

LOCATION: Highland Park, Illinois

CLIENT: Openlands

PROJECT TEAM: Tom Price, PE

Long-term Planning and Incremental Approach Protects Natural Lands The Openlands Lakeshore Preserve at Ft. Sheridan was the first-ever land acquisition undertaken by the conservation organization to protect a swath of rare and picturesque bluff and ravine habitat found nowhere else in Illinois. Before the Preserve officially opened in 2011, Openlands had to understand the restorative, recreational, maintenance, and programming endeavors to be expected with a property of this type. In 2004, Openlands commissioned Conservation Design Forum to do a feasibility study focused on four actions: evaluate the propertyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ecological value and condition; formulate a vision for its most beneficial usage; specify the ecological restoration and long-term stewardship implications, including costs; and identify priorities and an overall timeframe. The Fort Sheridan Lakefront Preserve Action Plan was conducted by the landscape architectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team of recognized authorities in collaborative planning, ravine ecosystems, site analysis protocols, stormwater engineering, native plants of the Chicago region, and restorative site practices.

As an ecological and geological treasure, the Plan advised that the Preserve develop programming to include educational opportunities and activities that would expand scientific knowledge and create greater public awareness/ appreciation. Located next to established communities and park district property, the plan recognized the integral relationship that existed between people and place; and identified low-impact recreational activities which would be compatible with restoration efforts. With the framework in place to guide the project forward, Openlands took ownership of the 77-acre parcel at a signing ceremony on August 1, 2006. Since that time, a significant portion of the restoration work has been performed to successfully conserve and enhance this last remaining one-mile stretch of authentic Lake Michigan shoreline in Illinois. In 2013, the area was designated as an Illinois Nature Preserve by the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission, protecting it in perpetuity. In addition to the recreational paths, overlooks, beach area, outdoor artworks, and rich plant and wildlife, the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve is now one of 96 registered StarParks worldwideâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; identifying it as a place where the public can enjoy the starry night sky surrounded by other gifts of nature.

Orchard East

MERIT AWARD

M C K AY L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T EC T S

Landscape Reinforces Architecture to Blend and Frame Spaces In an established Chicago neighborhood, a meticulously designed modern house stands on a square site designed with equal rigor. Deemed an architectural work of art by many, the house was commissioned by clients with a keen interest in modern art and design. Although home and garden inhabit the site in equal parts, they are far from separate entities. Instead, McKay Landscape Architects and the architect collaboratively wove these components into one arena in which art, architecture, and landscape act as frames for each other and focal points on their own. The second floor of the house cantilevers over a glasswalled first floor, allowing for unobstructed visual connections between interior and exterior spaces. These connections are further strengthened through the repetition of concrete, glass, limestone, and bronze. A consistent grid of these materials establishes a rhythm for everything from the sizes of rooms, planting cut-outs, and spacing of lights and plant material.

While the landscape reinforces the architectural cadence, it also provides a necessary counterpoint to the modern materials. The riot of planting materials, though planted in a grid-like manner, lightens the formality of the space. As the main garden continues to evolve from year to year, the plant material will mature and create its own rhythms, ultimately dissolving the grid within the garden. The plant palettes vary from space to space, responding to varying light conditions and levels of protection, but each palette is characterized by a cultivated wildness, providing a sense of cohesion overall. The project successfully integrates sustainability into the design in many ways. Geothermal wells under the main garden supply the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HVAC system. Between the gardens and green roofs, over half the site is permeable, and an oasis for butterflies, bees, and other wildlife thanks to the incredibly diverse plant paletteâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and a complete lack of turf grass. The result is a stunning residence that serves the owner, the public, and the environment.

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois CLIENT: Private Residence

PROJECT TEAM: Charter Sills; Leslie Jones; Mariani Landscapes;

Norcon, Inc.; Thorton Tomasetti; Wheeler Kearns Architects; Xavier Vendrell Studio

Park #574

MERIT AWARD

S I T E D E S I G N G R O U P, L T D .

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois CLIENT: Chicago Park District

PROJECT TEAM: ACG Consultants; All Bry Construction; Fountain

Technologies; GSG Consultants; TERRA Engineering, Ltd.

Former Housing Development Becomes Destination Park Located in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, the park’s geometry is driven by hexagons, the strongest naturally-forming geometric shape, intended to tie together and bring strength to this community that is separated by historic and spatial obstacles. Formally a Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) housing development, acres of open land situated against the railroad tracks remained empty until a land-swap occurred between CHA and the Chicago Park District (CPD). The program was simple: develop a public park that would serve all ages and promote the health and well-being of the community. The resulting design included an adventure playground, fitness equipment, 1/5th-mile running track with markers, open space, and fountain. Working closely with the civil engineer and environmental engineer, it was essential to the project that no soil was taken off of this 2.27-acre site. A 25’ tall hill—an especially dramatic sight in the pancake-flat Chicago—was first formed with detention stone on either end of the site for stormwater management.

A playground faces towards the city skyline, looking out to the neighborhood, utilizing the side of the hill as a play element with different levels, embedded slides, belt bridges, net structures, and a 72’ zip line. Despite the large elevation changes, the playground is almost completely accessible. At the base of the playground is a circuit training course of exercise equipment alongside the running track that encompasses the site. A custom spray fountain marks the lot’s main access point. Mimicking the hexagonal shape of basalt, an igneous rock formed from lava after it has cooled, the fountain is an interesting mix of hexagonal concrete seating platforms, tall basalt columns that spray water, and a spiraling runnel formed with thin slabs of basalt. It is the hope of the CPD, the design team, and the community that this engaging multifaceted park will revitalize and bring a new identity to this community with a long history of violence and crime. Since its opening, the destination park has drawn visitors of all ages, cultures, and ethnicities from the surrounding neighborhoods; activating a place vacant for more than a decade.

Saddle & Cycle Club Entrance Plaza & Parking

MERIT AWARD

D A N I E L W E I N B A C H & P A R T N E R S , LT D .

Elegant Plaza Updates Appearance and Solves Flooding The new entrance plaza for the Saddle & Cycle Club was designed to provide an elegant, updated appearance, but also to solve various site problems. Until now, the Club had been plagued by serious flooding and detention issues. Daniel Weinbach & Partners, Ltd, having designed various improvements throughout the grounds, was brought in to re-design the entrance drive, plaza, and parking lot. Knowing that the soils were extremely sandy, the landscape architect proposed the use of permeable pavers throughout the areas in question to capture and dissipate the water before it could reach the clubhouse. After soil testing and engineering studies, it was determined that permeable pavers would be a viable solution. The paving design was developed, using several sizes, colors, and patterns of permeable pavers to differentiate the drive and drop-off spaces from the parking areas. A special paver design was developed for the porte

cochere, and even the parking space delineation was done using white precast pavers. Stormwater is now absorbed immediately as it hits the pavement, and water no longer flows to the club entrance. The drainage problems have been solved at a reasonable cost, and all stormwater for this area is absorbed directly into the site without burden on the city storm sewer system. Connecting all club activities, paver pathways extend from the new entrance plaza north to the paddle tennis courts, west to the new playing field, and southeast to the main tennis courts. The new landscape planting reinforces the forms of the entrance plaza. Shade trees line the approach drive, and spreading Elms surround the new plaza space. These trees provide spatial definition and will eventually form a continuous canopy. Due to the Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s frequent evening events, site lighting was extremely important. The landscape architect designed the new site lighting using bollard lights to highlight the entrance drive and to light the paving surface. Major trees were uplit to further reinforce the definition of the entrance plaza.

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois CLIENT: Saddle & Cycle Club

PROJECT TEAM: Bulley & Andrews;

Otto Damgaard; Spaceco

St. Cloud Placemaking

MERIT AWARD

T H E L A KOTA G RO U P

LOCATION: St. Cloud, Minnesota CLIENT: City of St. Cloud

PROJECT TEAM: Chicago Public

Art Group; sparc inc.

Planning Captures Unique Ideas Into Shared Community Brand In 2012, the City of St. Cloud, Minnesota engaged The Lakota Group to develop a placemaking plan to enhance the community’s quality of life. Built upon components of previous planning efforts, the goal was to create a clear, documented, and shared vision that fosters placemaking and better establishes St. Cloud’s sense of place. The landscape architect structured a range of venues to collect public input. Advanced Resource Kits were sent to the steering committee before the initial project meeting. These included information about placemaking and journals for recording observations, as well as instructions for participating in a photography exercise linked to a Twitter hashtag. A four-day ‘community immersion’ visit included tours, placemaking training sessions, almost a dozen focus group sessions, casual conversations at a “drop-in” studio in a vacant downtown storefront, and a community workshop. Input was also gathered through a project website and associated social media. This outreach led to a strong understanding of St. Cloud’s key attributes and supported concepts and strategies,

including thoughts for a new community brand. The team struck upon a simple idea that became the new brand, as well as the organizing theme for the process - St. Cloud: GREATER. A brief narrated video, with accompanying images, convey the new brand and placemaking concepts: GREATER Community, GREATER Connectivity, GREATER Livability, GREATER Activity, GREATER Environment, and GREATER Opportunity. Several unique placemaking ideas, ranging from enhanced downtown streetscapes, to interpretive art and signage along the Mississippi River, to art incubator spaces, were organized in each category. The video was presented at a public workshop and shown to visitors of a second ‘drop-in’ studio. The power of the video to quickly convey critical information while eliciting an emotional response in the viewer made for an extremely successful communication tool. The final document was ultimately adopted by the City. It includes descriptions of each of the placemaking concepts, as well as the steps, roles, responsibilities, and prioritization for completion. However, the bigger success was that, aided by the strength of the video, the GREATER branding campaign was quickly launched and implemented across several media platforms.

University of Chicago 58th Street West Streetscape

MERIT AWARD

S I T E D E S I G N G R O U P, L T D .

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois CLIENT: University of Chicago

PROJECT TEAM: David Mason & Associates; dbHMS;

TERRA Engineering, Ltd.

Artful Hardscape Converts Street into Pedestrian Corridor The University of Chicago’s new 58th Street West Streetscape is the redevelopment and enhancement of the heavily utilized east-west thoroughfare that runs through the heart of campus. The redevelopment was guided by a previously completed Campus Planning Study which envisioned this as a component of a pedestrian corridor throughout the campus. The scope of work included the conversion of an existing vehicular street into a pedestrianoriented gateway to the campus, creating a safe, functional, and carefully-detailed pedestrian experience. Prior to construction, the project site consisted of a two-way vehicular cul-de-sac with street parking, a turnaround and hospital emergency entrance. As part of the initiative to open up the connectivity between the University’s Main Quadrangle and the Science Quadrangle, a new pedestrian ‘portal’ through the existing administration building was opened to serve as an extension of the streetscape. The new throughway creates an important connection between the biological

and physical science campuses and several nearby institutes, centers, and academic offices. The streetscape is defined by a seamless and artfully detailed hardscape palette, custom furnishings, and four-season plantings. The new streetscape intersects numerous buildings, each having a unique treatment adjacent to it. The most significant example being the University of Chicago’s bookstore, located toward the center of the project limits. An ADA accessible, two-platform gathering plaza was designed to serve as an extension of a future indoor coffee shop on the upper level. Custom-designed picnic tables, seatwalls, and a refined pavement palette delineate this space, but tie it into a coherent design with the rest of the streetscape. From the onset of the project, one of the primary goals of the University was to make the new streetscape as green as possible; as lush and enlivened with plants as space would allow. The landscape architect participated in numerous sessions with the University of Chicago’s landscape architect to select native and adapted plants that were low maintenance, functional, and provided interest throughout the academic year.

BEFORE

General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of the United Methodist Church

JENSEN AWARD

DA NIEL W EINB ACH A ND PA RT NER S , LT D.

Sustainable Initiatives and Practices Support Site Ecology The new home of the General Board is set in a 25-acre site in suburban Chicago. Formerly an unused parcel of a corporate office site, the parcel was partially wooded and partially planted with lawn. From the beginning of the design process, all partiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the client, municipality, and the design teamâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;were committed to a sustainable, native plant palette and to the complete elimination of lawn grass. Existing woods were retained wherever possible. Cutting through the site is a creek that ties into a large watershed area. This necessitated an extensive flood control and detention system which includes a wet pond adjacent to the building, and several dry basins for additional detention and compensatory storage. All detention areas were planted with native vegetation and today they blend seamlessly into the overall landscape. Composed entirely of curvilinear forms, the parking lot of the LEED Gold project is constructed of highly-reflective concrete, and all drainage is filtered through a series of bioswales that tie into the detention basins.

Indoor-outdoor relationships were integral to the design. Floor to ceiling glass in the lobby and dining spaces on the ground floor allows uninterrupted views to shrub and perennial gardens, and the existing woods beyond. A large terrace juts out from the building into woods. An extensive green roof covers the dining room and is visible from the second and third floors facing north. Constructed of compacted decomposed granite, a onemile long walking and jogging path winds through the site. It is heavily used by building occupants and welcomes neighbors as well. The clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to native landscape has been strong and unwavering. A complete stewardship program has been instituted to ensure excellent maintenance and elimination of invasive species. The native meadows and bioswales are periodically burned to promote strong growth and eliminate of invasive weeds. The grounds are maturing into an excellent illustration of sustainable, native landscaping for clients who value the history and ecology of their property.

LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois CLIENT: General Board

PROJECT TEAM: Countryside

Industries; ecology+vision, llc; OWP/P (now Cannon Design)

Public Recognition Award P E T E R M . M U R P H Y, j . d . , c a e PRESIDENT & CEO I L L I N O I S A S S O C I AT I O N O F PA R K D I S T R I C T S Each year, ILASLA recognizes projects, legislation, articles, organizations, or individuals that have significantly enhanced the Illinois landscape or promoted the profession of landscape architecture in our state. This year, the Chapter bestows the award to Peter M. Murphy, the current President and Chief Executive Officer of the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD). As an fearless advocate for parks and open space throughout the State of Illinois, Peter’s leadership has shown us all what it means to organize, educate, and support landscape architects and our allied professions to the benefit of our precious resources. ILASLA is proud to honor Peter for his relentless support of Illinois’ natural resources. Our land, water, and air continues to be compromised by legislation, budget cuts, and irresponsible development. Peter has continued to champion parks and the protection of open space through his strategic and passionate efforts. Peter joined the Illinois Association of Park Districts in 1980. As President and CEO, he has extensive experience in operations leadership, customer service, and organizational design and development. He manages the association’s dayto-day operations and personnel, and works with the IAPD board of trustees on the development and implementation of strategic plans and goals. He actively establishes corporate and nonprofit partnerships. He also directs all association programmatic activity and services including advocacy, research, board member training, publications, education, public awareness, and marketing. He works daily with more than 415 park districts, forest preserves, conservation, recreation and special recreation agencies throughout Illinois that fall under the policy direction of 2,100 locally-elected park and recreation board members that employ more than 62,000 personnel. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Michigan and his Juris Doctorate from the New England School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts. He has more than 35 years of experience with state and local government. While serving as the Association’s General Counsel, he was responsible for the initiation and passage of legislation pertaining to park districts, forest preserves, conservation, recreation, and special recreation agencies on statewide and national levels. He has an unprecedented legislative record having worked to pass more than 90% of the IAPD’s legislative agenda during his 35 years at the association. In 1989 he was responsible for establishing the funding source for the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) fund. Since that time, nearly $415 million has been awarded to Illinois park districts, forest preserves, conservation, recreation, and municipal agencies. This is matched by over 50% for a total investment of more than $1 billion in the recreational infrastructure of local park and recreation agencies. He played a key role in protecting open space in the state and coordinated the efforts of more than 130 organizations to turn back former Governor Blagojevich’s stated objective to put funding for open space “on holiday” in Illinois. In 1994, he re-established the bonding ability of Illinois local governments who were subject to the Property Tax Extension Limitation Act. He has also been responsible for legislation that took the tax levy for programs that support services for the disabled outside the limitation of the state’s tax cap. He has managed the Association’s legal and legislative programs, acted as legal counsel to the membership, provided grassroots advocacy training, and provided testimony on behalf of the Association to House and Senate committees. He is a founding member of the Partners for Parks and Wildlife Coalition and served as liaison to the IAPD/IPRA Joint Legislative Committee, which establishes the Association’s yearly platform and coordinates initiatives to promote positive legislation for parks, recreation, and conservation. The Illinois Chapter, ASLA is proud to recognize Peter M. Murphy for his dedication, leadership, and outstanding contribution to the Illinois landscape.

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