I.M.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
IDAHO | MONTANA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE MAGAZINE SECOND EDITION | FALL 2021
TABLE OF CONTENTS IDAHO | MONTANA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE MAGAZINE
1
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT KATE DINSMORE, PLA | ASLA
3
REFLECTIONS ON SERVICE-LEARNING WITH NATIVE TRIBES REBEKAH VAN WIEREN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF LANDSCAPE DESIGN AT MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
COVER: SHILOH CONSERVATION AREA. ABOVE: STUB ROAD ESTATE.
13
2019 IDAHO | MONTANA CHAPTER AWARDS GENERAL DESIGN RESIDENTIAL DESIGN RESOURCE CONSERVATION PLANNING & ANALYSIS COMMUNICATION & RESEARCH
51
13 24 29 35 46
VIRTUALLY CONNECT - A CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF EDUCATION ELIZABETH SCOTT AND DANIEL CRONAN, UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT KATE DINSMORE | PRESIDENT, IMASLA
PAGE 1
In the last year, we faced uncertainty and found a new normal. Outdoor spaces have taken on a new importance in our communities. These spaces, whether parks, trails, backyards, plazas, or campgrounds, have provided opportunities for connection with nature, friends, and family. As a landscape architect, I am proud to design and implement these spaces along with my colleagues in landscape architecture.
I encourage you to step outside and explore a new site or your favorite outdoor space to clear your mind and while you are there, take a minute to consider the design of the site and how it came to be. You may notice the subtle details that deftly provide a transition from urban development to nature, the use of bold, vibrant colors to create energy and excitement, or the local materials providing a sense of place.
As we celebrate outstanding design of outdoor spaces on the following pages, I hope you find a greater understanding of the thought put into the design of the spaces that are integral to our neighborhoods and shape our communities. Landscape architects are working on projects that enhance quality of life; such as, finding the perfect observation point to frame a majestic view, choosing sustainable materials for a bench, planning for future trail connections, and selecting plants that are resilient to wildfires. Consider how your everyday life would be affected if you did not have a nearby park, street trees, a plaza for the community farmer’s market, or a trail for kids to ride their bike.
After a year of upheaval, unknowns, and uncertainty, outdoor spaces have become even more important and vital infrastructure in our communities. I hope these spaces provide an escape and place of calm while revealing the passion of landscape architects to create special landscapes for everyone to experience. As we have found, we need nature more than ever.<<
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
Smart cities aren’t born that way. They’re designed intelligently with Relay. VICTOR STANLEY RELAY ™ S T R E E T L E V E L S E N S I N G ™ & WA S T E C O N T R O L S E R V I C E
Planning and running a smart city depends on a stream of secure, accurate, real-time data that can be used to make remarkable changes in how cities can optimize the use of resources. Relay technology provides it in a street-level sensor that measures fill level, weight and temperature inside waste receptacles, and air quality, foot traffic and noise pollution on the outside. Providing insight for years to track and tackle everything from waste management cost savings to environmental equity. With actionable data from every street corner, you can start immediately. What can we do for your city? TM
V ICTOR STA N L EY.COM
Reflections on Service-Learning with Native Tribes
By Rebekah Van Wieren, Associate Professor of Landscape Design at Montana State University
PAGE 3
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
IMAGE: TOURING AREAS SURROUNDING OUR PROJECT SITE TO LEARN ABOUT THE LOCAL ECOSYSTEM AND CULTURAL STORIES IN BROWNING, MT.
I teach an upper-level landscape design studio course at Montana State University that focuses on site planning and design for public green infrastructure, like parks, plazas, trails, or public building grounds. Since 2013, I have integrated service-learning as the pedagogical approach in conjunction with the traditional studio method. We have collaborated with numerous local to federal partners, but this article reflects on just two projects working on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and Blackfeet Indian Reservation. In 2017, we partnered with the U.S. EPA-Region 8 Tribal Relations and the Fort Peck Tribe’s Office of Environmental Protection to begin research on how green infrastructure might be utilized in the regeneration of vacant or derelict land in Poplar, Montana. Students developed schematic site designs for a former gas station on Main Street and an underutilized neighborhood-scale park. In 2019, we collaborated with the USDA-Tribal Extension office
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
and Blackfeet Community College in Browning, Montana to develop a framework plan and schematic district designs for a landscape master plan for the college’s primary campus and extended properties. Service-learning results in remarkable impacts on students in diverse ways, but, in combination, collaborating with Native American tribes in Montana has been an unparalleled experience that leaves students feeling empowered to be agents for change. Just as the elders who opened our community design meetings with a prayer of thanksgiving and hope, I open this reflection with gratitude for my project partners’ efforts in collaborative opportunities for MSU students and faculty. Three characteristics of service-learning that distinguish it from other types experiential learning are, 1) the project provides meaningful activities that address a
PAGE 4
genuine community need as defined by the project partner, 2) the relationship between the service provider and recipient is reciprocal and the project applies equal emphasis on coursespecific learning outcomes and service activities, and 3) students engage in rigorous reflection on the service experiences and self-development. One of the reasons I am such an advocate of service-learning is that studies have shown that students who critically reflect throughout their service-learning experience think of new ideas more effectively, gain a deeper understanding of subject matter, and assess complex problems and potential solutions more thoroughly. These benefits of active learning within the servicelearning setting are the foundation graduates need to be successful in landscape architectural practice. Designing a service-learning course involves significant efforts to establish partnerships and relevant service, secure funding for travel and service delivery, and to align course learning objectives. For this studio, the learning objectives are categorized into academic knowledge on SITES and Landscape Performance, personal growth of verbal, written, and visual communication skills, and civic competencies to engage with society (all of which also need to connect to LAAB-accreditation standards!). The services that students provide partners and communities are not complete construction documents or holistic design services. The project scopes make clear that our work is simply a stepping stone for hiring professional landscape architectural services or further research. Nonetheless, the students provided meaningful services to initiate the design process and enthusiasm that comes with envisioning life-filled landscapes. First, students cultivated conversation among partners and community members, essential for participatory design and public landscapes. During the front third of the course we underwent what I refer to as ‘engagement week.’ This is an intense set of assignments where students create, organize, and prepare activities
and presentations for a multiple-day site visit. We brought participants together and facilitated interviews, walking tours, and a design workshop to help our partnering communities develop landscape performance goals and, ultimately, functional diagrams for the project site by the end of the visit. When in-person communication becomes more challenging due to geographic distance or remote learning delivery, students learn to utilize digital resources for gathering input and feedback at draft stages, such as Qualtrics, Adobe Acrobat file commenting, and videocapture applications. These tools allow for continued communication among stakeholders, faculty, and students. For example, partners at the Fort Peck Tribes sent the digital surveys we created with students’ design drafts to high school students for feedback. At the end of the project, I invite partners to evaluate student work alongside me so their perspectives are integral to the design process and student personal growth. The Fort Peck Tribes went one step further and convened another community meeting following our final review to refine ideas and discuss next steps, testament to the spirit of open dialog and conversation that students helped foster. Second, students provide project partners with the power of choice through design alternatives. I prioritize developing multiple individual or team site design solutions for each project site. This allows communities to actively compare and contrast impacts of different design choices and develop ownership over the solutions. The plausible alternatives and associated visuals that students developed at both Poplar and Browning led to continued dialog, participation, and collaborative decision making at the communitylevel. For students, presenting multiple solutions emphasized the collective service work, rather than individual competition or the tendency to be inflexible with their own ideas. During the semester-long project there is not enough time for proceeding to finalized schematic designs or design development. Instead, the studio
OPPOSITE: STUDENTS AND PARTNERS WORK TOGETHER DURING A DESIGN WORKSHOP AT BLACKFEET COMMUNITY COLLEGE. IMAGE CREDIT
PAGE 5
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 6
LEFT: SITE ANALYSIS POSTER FOR BLACKFEET COMMUNITY COLLEGE LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN PROJECT. CREDIT: JOHN DOHNER RIGHT: SCHEMATIC SITE DESIGN POSTER FOR ‘WETLAND EXPERIENCE’ DISTRICT THAT IS INTEGRATED INTO THE PROPOSED CAMPUS NATURAL AREA THAT CONNECTS THE MAIN CAMPUS TO A CAMPUS FARM AND FUTURE HOUSING. CREDIT: JOHN DOHNER
provides the groundwork for further collaborations or experiential learning opportunities for students and faculty, such as independent research, internships, and engaged scholarship. In the case of Blackfeet Community College, the student work is now being integrated into a federal grant proposal. Finally, students’ visualizations and illustrations give hope for partners and their communities. Areas of Poplar’s and Browning’s community landscapes appear neglected and barren, due to challenges of vacant and brownfield properties, socioeconomics, and the bioregional climate. Students observe PAGE 7
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
first-hand the impact that effective landscape representation can have on participants’ understanding and excitement for a renewed landscape within their community. During each of our site visits, I required students to work in the evening following the design workshop to prepare functional diagrams they would present the next morning. As the students presented their sketches, I was reminded of the impact that simple scratches and drawings have on bringing a design project to life. The drawings legitimatized our work and create a direct bridge between the students and partners. Our tribal partners have provided immense learning opportunities for students. First, these projects have provided students the applied setting to practice and witness the need for active listening and building trust as outsiders in new communities. Students experience the value of learning from local community members and on-site observations by IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
discovering first-hand information they did not gather from studio, library, or online resources. When students organize and facilitate activities and a participatory design workshop, they build invaluable skills in project management, and on-thefly verbal and visual communication strategies necessary for civic engagement. For Poplar and Browning projects, students practiced site analysis presentations before our site visits, and I video recorded their rehearsals so they could review their delivery and disposition. We also had mock-meetings in the studio to prepare how to ask meaningful questions and respond to tough ones, and discuss best practices for engaged listening. At the end of the project, students present their work at a stakeholder or public meeting that is much larger and formal than most studio reviews. In the case of the project for Blackfeet Community College, students presented via video conference for their first time. Overcoming their
IMAGE: REPRESENTATION FOR A TRAIL AND RIPARIAN REGENERATION AREA THAT CONNECTS THE MAIN BLACKFEET COMMUNITY COLLEGE CAMPUS TO A CAMPUS FARM. CREDIT: JOHN DOHNER
nerves and the added pressure from this unknown setting was illuminating and empowering. It is difficult to mirror this experience in traditional studio teaching. Second, in the age of experience extinction due to increased technologydriven work and indoor isolation, service-learning projects provide physical, geographic experiences that illicit student interest differently than a lecture slide. If we desire our students to give back to Montana and the broader world, we need to have students experience outside Bozeman and learn from the state’s diverse communities. There are a good share of environmental justice and equity-related challenges in our local-Bozeman region from which to explore in the studio. For example, cost and distribution of housing options, PAGE 9
loss of agricultural land, urban forest distribution related to property value, or access to park and trail resources and characteristics. But, getting out of town and into rural Montana, opens students’ minds and willingness to analyze their assumptions and biases of inequalities through new lenses. In both projects, several students had never even visited an Indian Reservation or traveled to northern Montana. The projects resulted in students gaining knowledge of the breadth and history of Montana, its ecosystems, and its indigenous people. Furthermore, observing things like outdated and hazardous playgrounds, neglected parks, or little to no urban forest, makes the cultural and social aspects of sustainable site design that we learn in class immediately apparent. Experiencing these places first-hand
elevated students’ interest in exploring the design problem at a deeper level. For example, in our project with Blackfeet Community College, one student wrote in her reflection, “The whole visit was very meaningful and impactful. What impacted me most was probably how many different people wanted some way to memorialize and honor the missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW). I was inspired to do some personal research about Ashley Heavyrunner and statistics about MMIW and tribal land laws.” One of the most powerful elements of service-learning projects with Native American tribes has been the opportunities for students to experience the intertwined relationship between ecology and culture and to build their MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
landscape design ethic. Reading and discussing aspects such as, the role of landscape preferences and social and well-being benefits of nature within the classroom feels static and removed from culture itself. Hearing elders and community members tell stories about how their ancestors lived with the land, share traditional knowledge about plants and animals and how they relate to survival, medicine, or ceremony, and describe the spiritual connections with their surrounding ecosystem are much more powerful, immersive teachings that inspire students to reflect on their own understandings and connections with nature. The interactions students had with tribal members also revealed the true value of nearby nature on ecosystem and human health, especially when learning and seeing tangible disparities related to mental health and substance abuse, which are difficult to grasp within the context of a micropolitan mountain community such as Bozeman. Finally, through pre- and post- project writing reflection assignments students analyze the positive impacts that landscape design and their efforts can have on a community’s environmental and social health. The assignments require students to individually assess their own strengths they may contribute to the project, hopes for learning, biases they may have about working with Native American tribes, fears related to project execution, and evaluation of the service-learning outcomes. One student shared, “I may not see it every day, but landscape design can have a very powerful effect on people and communities. Here in Bozeman, I have the luxury of easily accessed recreation trails and greenspaces, but that’s not the case in many places in this country. Browning is one of those places. This trip gave me more insight to how successful design can directly impact people’s everyday life and health.”
In closing, I don’t do service-learning because it is a better way to learn disciplinary skills and knowledge to become the best CAD-junkie or have the hottest Photoshop montages. I don’t do service-learning projects because they are easier. Service-learning adds another layer that takes additional time and energy for course design, project management, and preparing students for respectful civic engagement. Still, there is one experience I can’t shake, giving me courage to continue collaborations in new ways that hopefully make a difference in the future of Montana community landscapes. It was over a breakfast meeting at the end of an activity-filled two and half day site visit to Poplar, Montana. Student teams presented schematic diagrams to key partners based on what they had learned and heard up to that point. At the end, our lead project partner shared her heartfelt appreciation for the students’ ideas, skills, and willingness to help their community. She also shared that she had been involved with several other projects undertaken by undergraduate students from around the state, yet no other student group had ever traveled to their community to engage in the extent we had. Following her comments, one of my students, unprompted, replied, “No, thank you.” He went on to share his and his classmates gratitude for the vital opportunity to work on the project and learn from the Fort Peck Tribes and their communities. Like our project partner, I am extremely grateful for my students at MSU. Their energy and efforts, drive for equitable landscapes and social responsibility, desire to be environmental stewards, and hard work has been inspiring, and they continue to be an integral part of service-learning impacts and legacies. I am confident our future generation of landscape architects are ready to make a positive difference in Montana and beyond.<<
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 10
LEGISLATION MANDATING PRESSURE REGULATION FOR SPRAYS IS COMING
NO PROBLEM. We’ve got your back.
FROM CALIFORNIA TO VERMONT, state and local agencies are increasingly mandating the use of pressure-regulated devices to save water. At Hunter, water conservation is part of who we are. Our innovative Pro-Spray® PRS30 and PRS40 spray bodies save up to 30% more water compared to systems without pressure regulation. Look for their easily identifiable brown and gray caps to comply with new requirements. Learn more at hunter.direct/prospray.
PRS30
PRS40
RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL IRRIGATION | Built on Innovation®
AD-02-PRS-FP-LAM.indd 1
10/17/19 10:58 AM
GENERAL DESIGN AWARDS 2019 IDAHO | MONTANA CHAPTER AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 13
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
IMAGE: JUMP & SIMPLOT CORPOPRATE HEADQUARETERS PROJECT
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 14
STUB ROAD ESTATE MERIT AWARD | ARCHITECTS WEST
Like some projects, Stub Road Estate had a humble beginning. The overall project began as a master bedroom remodel. A newly married couple purchased an existing home on 100 acres and soon augmented that with 100 more with the aspiration of breeding, birthing, raising, training and racing mules. 4.5 million dollars later, the house remodel and immediately adjacent grounds, a 5-acre lake and a new equestrian arena were completed. The project is submitted under general design but could also be considered under the ‘residential’ category. The project is the result of a sequenced 3-component effort which began with the house, grounds and staging areas, progressed to the lake and finished with the equestrian arena. It is important to understand that the lake was not envisioned as an aesthetic whim, although, early on
there was discussion of the potential recreational opportunities associated with it. Water is a critical need of any agricultural operation. In the Northern Rockies, the advent of climate change has appreciably changed precipitation patterns. West slope ecosystems are, generally, becoming warmer and wetter both in the winter and transitional months. Summers aren’t and won’t be appreciably warmer. Winters and springs, though, have changed. Most snow that previously fell will now fall more as rain. What snowpack that does accumulate will leave earlier leading to greater aridity and resulting in shortages in surface and ground water regimes. This will influence wildlife management, agriculture and domestic water supplies. The owner/client desired to sustainably harvest, through natural surface flow, water for storage in an impoundment and release through natural flow cycles. Existing hydrologic patterns downstream
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
OPPOSITE TOP: VIEW OF LAKE AND WATERFALLS SHOWING INTEGRATION WITH NATURAL LANDSCAPE AND WATER QUALITY TREATMENT. OPPOSITE BOTTOM: PATIO AND OUTDOOR FIREPLACE NESTLED IN EXISTING LANDSCAPE. ABOVE: SITE PLAN CONCEPT. ABOVE INSET: FACILITY RACING MULES.
PAGE 16
were to be maintained. Water would then be available for agriculture, and to fight fire as the project lies at an urban/ wildland interface. 25 million gallons of water ultimately were stored in the impoundment. The moderately sloping site, suitable for equestrian pastures, provided challenges for the siting of an equestrian arena of 40,000+/- under one roof. The strategy emerged to use the soil from the main excavation of the lake to create the pad for the equestrian arena. 125,000 c.y. of soil material were moved to both create the lake and ultimately the arena pad. All aspects of the site development were completed under the direction of the landscape architect, including USACOE coordination, in partnership with the general contractor. The LA also prepared the grading plans and SWPPP. A second landscape architect was also included on the team for special expertise in water and oxygenation as well as geotechnical and civil engineers, a hydrogeologist and an aquatics biologist. All worked as an integrated team to carry the project forward.
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: WATERFALL AT LAKES EDGE. ROCKWORK ANCHORS PROJECT IN SITE. OVERVIEW OF ONSITE RESIDNECE. EARTHWORK FOR LAKE.
The house and lake were completed late 2015 and the equestrian center in 2017.<< CONTRIBUTORS: ALL WRITTEN AND GRAPHIC CONTENT PROVIDED BY ARCHITECTS WEST.
PAGE 17
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 18
OPPOSITE TOP: OVERALL CAMPUS VIEW WITH FOCUS ON AMPHITHEATER. OPPOSITE BOTTOM: OVERSIZED CLIMBING EQUIPMENT AND TUBE SLIDE FROM UPPER FLOORS OF BUILDING.
JUMP (JACK’S URBAN MEETING PLACE) AND SIMPLOT CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS HONOR AWARD | JENSEN BELTS ASSOCIATES
JUMP (Jack’s Urban Meeting Place) is a not-for-profit, interactive creative center and community gathering place in the heart of downtown Boise, Idaho. JUMP is sited on a 4 city-block site in conjunction with the Simplot Corporate Headquarters.
had 18” of soil or less. Lawn areas were seeded over a lightweight soil mixture to meet specific drainage requirements. We worked with a garden designer on the planting scheme to create a mix of traditional and modern styles to emulate planted agriculture rows.
Our firm joined the design team for JUMP in the summer of 2011, during the design development phase of the project. Along with the lead architects, our firm and supporting consultants helped shape the Urban Park and Plaza spaces connecting these two monumental buildings.
The integration of 52 antique tractors are on display throughout the site from the Simplot family’s historic tractor collection. The placement of the tractors and identification displays were essential for tying together an overarching agriculture theme.
The entire 5-acre park is built over an underground garage creating a rooftop park at ground level. Proper tree locations and soil weight were essential in making sure rooftop loads did not exceed weight limits. Our firm worked closely with the civil engineers on the garage lid location, structural foam, and minimum depths of at surface plantings and hardscape elements. Trees had 36” of planting depth for root ball to be anchored within the planting bed above the form fill. All planting areas PAGE 19
Many different event spaces make up the different areas of the park and plazas. The Pioneer Pathway runs though the middle of the site connecting the 8th Street pedestrian corridor to the east with the existing Pioneer Pathway to the west. An oval event lawn on the corner of 9th and Front St. is a multi-use turf area lined with trees and surrounding pathway including nine seating nooks. On the east side of the site is a Market Circle intended as an outdoor market and festival space complete with overhead string lighting MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 20
PAGE PAG E9
ABOVE : SITE PLAN. OPPOSITE: BIRDS-EYE VIEW OVERLOOKING PLAZA AREA, TRACTOR DISPLAYS AND CONNECTION TO URBAN NEXTWORK.
PAGE 21
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
MAGAZI MAG AZINE AZI NE | FIRS F IRS IRSTT EDIT E DIT DITION ION
and seating walls. Tucked into the corner of the Simplot Corporate Headquarters building is a performance amphitheater, complete with concrete and lawn terraced seating and state-of-the-art stage lighting and sound. Adjacent to the amphitheater is the action zone with an interactive splash pad, sports court, and a three-story pyramidal climbing structure. Coming off of the top of the 5-story parking garage and terminating in the action zone is the iconic helix slide.
On multiple floors of the Simplot Corporate Headquarters, outdoor useable roof terraces were designed with surrounding LiveRoof green roof. Completed in 2017, the JUMP/Simplot Corporate Headquarters Urban Park and Plaza helps foster the mission of JUMP’s vision to be a place to imagine, innovate, adapt, and explore one’s environment and will continue to do so for many generations to come.<<
CONTRIBUTORS: ALL WRITTEN AND GRAPHIC CONTENT PROVIDED BY JENSEN BELTS ASSOCIATES.
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 22
Iconic Collection The perfect balance of classic style and modern design maglin.com/products/iconic
800.716.5506
RESIDENTIAL DESIGN AWARDS 2019 IDAHO | MONTANA CHAPTER AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 24
THOMPSON LAKE HOUSE GARDEN HONOR AWARD | CUSHING TERRELL
OPPOSITE: VIEW TOWARD CASCADING WATERFALL. ABOVE: OVERALL CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN OF THE PROPERTY IN EAGLE, IDAHO.
The overall site consists of 80-acres, which was originally a cattle ranch. Most of the property was then converted to a gravel mine and dewatered. Through cattle and mining operations, the natural environment of the site was severely damaged. Once the mining operations were complete, landscape architects were brought in to restore the property. An existing stream, negatively impacted by the cattle operations, was restored with extensive native vegetation and with pools and gravel bars for feeder fish and spawning beds. Natural water flow was allowed back into the mining pits forming lakes with constructed islands consisting of native plants attractive to water fowl. Newly constructed green space included a comprehensive planting of trees and native shrubs, meandering streams, and areas of open space. Low water use fescue was seeded as the tree understory. To make the site suitable for residential and recreational use, engineered soil and stone terraced walls were used to raise four large lots out of the flood zone.
Lot 2 was envisioned as a single-family oasis that could be restful and serene yet open and welcoming. The client wanted the interior and exterior to blend effortlessly together. To accomplish this, architects and landscape architects worked closely together to assure this seamless transition was accomplished. Large windows and operable hanger doors allow for the extension of enclosed space to flow into the integrated outdoor space. The home was carefully aligned to provide focused views to significant outside features such as the lake, waterfalls, forested berms, and the temple on a distant hill. To experience the landscape, one enters the site crossing a stone bridge and driving through an allée of trees. On the left is an open lawn set aside for recreation and special events. A circular drop area allows for easy access to the house. Paver walkways direct guests indoors or alongside a meandering stream, past a cascading waterfall, and to the large lakeside patio. Footbridges cross the stream and introduce users to a long boardwalk that terminates on one end over the waterfall pool and
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
CONTRIBUTORS: ALL WRITTEN AND GRAPHIC CONTENT PROVIDED BY CUSHING TERRELL
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: VIEW OF THE TERRACED LAKESIDE PATIO. WALKWAY AND DOCK ON AXIS AT LAKE. VIEW FROM THE LIVING ROMM TOWARDS THE LAKESIDE PATIO.
PAGE 27
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
on the other at a viewing platform above the lake. The back patio is terraced via locally quarried sandstone walls above a sand beach at the edge of the lake. The terraces are planted with a variety of drought tolerant and native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees to provide color, movement, and a feeling of respite. The majority of the hardscape, both vehicular and pedestrian, is comprised of dry set concrete pavers that allow for the percolation of stormwater. The Thompson Lake House Garden is an example of adaptive reuse through the conversion of a damaged site into a beautiful oasis for the enjoyment of both humans and wildlife. <<
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 28
GENERAL DESIGN RESOURCE CONSERVATION AWARDS 2019 IDAHO | MONTANA CHAPTER AWARDS AMERICAN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS 2019SOCIETY IDAHO |OF MONTANA CHAPTER AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 29
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
IMAGE: SHILOH CONSERVATION AREA PROJECT
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 30
SHILOH CONSERVATION AREA HONOR AWARD | LAND DESIGN, INC.
OPPOSITE TOP: VIEW OF WATER STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AREA. OPPOSITE BOTTOM: WILDLIFE CONSERVATION. ABOVE: PUBLIC RECREATION - FISHING.
Location:
Description:
Billings, Montana
The purpose of the project was to improve water quality through natural treatment methods for a large drainage area before reaching the Yellowstone River. Prior to constructing this project, untreated water containing elevated levels of suspended solids, heavy metals, and excess nutrients flowed from urban and agricultural lands into the Yellowstone River.
Statement: The 76-Acre Shiloh Conservation Area is a landmark project for Montana that offers environmentally sensitive treatment of stormwater through wetland development and bio- filtration improving water quality while providing a valuable recreational amenity for the Billings community. This unique approach to stormwater treatment at this scale has exceeded expectations. The quantifiable impact to the community and improvement to water quality has spurred the development of similar projects throughout the state of Montana. Shiloh Conservation Area serves as a case study in an arid mountain desert environment that green infrastructure can and should be incorporated at every level of stormwater management.
Site Planning Included: •
Site analysis, which found 36 acres of the existing site was a functioning wetland. This area was protected, as well as enhanced upon, for a realized goal of restoration and expansion of a wetland ecosystem.
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 32
•
Studying the regional trail network and the opportunities for physical connection, both onsite and offsite.
•
Supporting physical activity through various programming, such as fishing, community gathering space, running/ walking trails, and biking.
•
Encouraging a direct connection to nature. This was accomplished through interfacing user experiences with habitat restoration areas. Presently, it is not uncommon to see visitors stopping along the trail to watch turtles sunbathing on strategically placed downed logs, or birdwatchers sitting on secluded benches tucked near shade trees.
•
Utilizing regionally acquired materials where possible including rebuilding native plant communities and most importantly to the catalyst of the project,
•
Designing a stormwater management facility that also functioned as a community amenity.
The implemented design features oversized, armored and harvestable sedimentation forebays, a series of shallow flow through wetlands which work with the slopes of the site, and three large ponds which serve as additional water clarification and water detention basins. Notably, wayfinding nodes on the site educate visitors of the complex stormwater treatment happening around them. Native wetland and indigenous riparian zones couple with high plains landscape to create a natural aesthetic for the site while providing critical wildlife habitat and water conservation for a public facility. The site also provides a trailhead to the regional Heritage Trail System and direct access to Montana’s only zoo, numerous multi-family housing areas, and two large commercial developments.
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: OVERVIEW, BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF PROJECT SITE WATER TREATEMENT. POLLUTED WATER. WATER WEIR DETAIL. EARTHWORK DURING WATER TREATMENT CONSTRUCTION.
This is Shiloh Conservation Area - a new chapter in stormwater management for Montana.<<
CONTRIBUTORS: ALL WRITTEN AND GRAPHIC CONTENT PROVIDED BY LAND DESIGN, INC.
PAGE 33
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 34
PLANNING & ANALYSIS AWARDS 2019 IDAHO | MONTANA CHAPTER AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 35
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
IMAGE: SHORELINE DISTRICT RENDERING.
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 36
PAGE 37
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
THE SHORELINE URBAN FRAMEWORK PLAN MERIT AWARD | CUSHING TERRELL
The District:
Process:
Approximately 195 acres in size and directly adjacent to the Boise Central Business District, The Shoreline District is a unique mix of suburban and urban development. Steeped in history and draped in some of Boise’s biggest recreational gems, the Boise River, and Ann Morrison Park. A need to see urban redevelopment and transformation of the socio-economic challenge and blighted region of Boise became the basis of the Shoreline urban Renewal District.
Rigorous Analysis, Clear Implementation
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
Working with CCDC, and Boise City, the Landscape Architectural team spent six months analyzing and combing over GIS data, infrastructure date and market criteria, coupled with extensive stakeholder engagement. The process assisted the team in creating a development and investment strategy for the district. The resulting framework and typology plans were implemented in the district. Focused sub areas; the Boise
PAGE 38
FROM TOP: RIVERFRONT SHORELINE SECTION. RIVER STREET SECTION. ANN MORRISON BANK AND GREENBELT TYPOLOGY.
PAGE 39
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
River Greenbelt, the Lusk, Island Festival Street and Shoreline Park, provide greater detail related to the framework and typologies. Within each of these subareas, the team designed projects that incorporated green infrastructure, storm water management, activated multi-use corridors, and enhanced urban gathering spaces into a larger vision for the district. These projects inform future revenue expenditures within the district. The improvements are categorized into five strategies: 1) Infrastructure; 2) Mobility; 3) Place Making; 4) Economic Development: 5) Special Projects. Restoration and Connection The Boise River is the anchor of the Shoreline District. Significant in the Greenbelt subarea are stretches of
urban river that are degraded and dangerous. The team developed four benchmak typologies that assist in restoring the Greenbelt while expanding it. The plan considered culturally and environmentally sensitive areas of the river, and through context sensitive design, created a balanced shoreline allowing for habitat, multi-use trails, and public gathering and recreation spaces. Assess and Activation The planning effort placed considerable emphasis on activation of subareas. Shorline Park, Island Avenue, and The Lusk greatly benefit from the Framework Plans. The team integrated multiple strategies into these locations. Green infrastructure, enhanced mobility, and special projects turn degraded, less
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 40
PAGE 41
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 42
PAGE 43
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
desirable streets into activated places meeting environmental and urban design goals of water management, urban planning and design principles, creating activated streets and plazas that focus on the pedestrian. The plan provides a path towards an urban district that facilitates an environment that balances both nature and the urban form.
PREVIOUS PAGE: FRAMEWORK PLAN CONCEPT MAPS. ABOVE CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT: FESTIVAL ISLAND STREET CONCEPT. SHORELINE PARK CONCEPT. LUSK DESIGN - RIVER INTERFACE.
Success and Significance In establishing the district, the future vision of redevelopment for the Shoreline is on the horizon. The Framework Plan was prepared in support of the Urban Renewal District to assist the client and city in creating a vision and strategy to accomplish it. << CONTRIBUTORS: ALL WRITTEN AND GRAPHIC CONTENT PROVIDED BY CUSHING TERRELL.
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 44
Upfit Emily Noh Idaho 269.276.4439 emilyn@landscapeforms.com
Marcus Rowell Montana 269.337.1321 marcusr@landscapeforms.com Upfit is designed by KEM Studio in partnership with StruXure Outdoor.
COMMUNICATION & RESEARCH AWARDS 2019 IDAHO | MONTANA CHAPTER AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 46
ABOVE: APPLICATION PROJECT INFOGRAPHIC.
PAGE 47
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
Grey Water Systems: A Design Guideline to Provide Alternative Irrigation Resources in Idaho Integrated Research and Design Summer Internship Program HONOR AWARD | THE LAND GROUP, INC.
Project Statement
Project Narrative
In the Intermountain West, and Idaho in particular, many private and commercial landscapes use potable water for landscape irrigation. As the state’s population growth has accelerated there has been increased demand on our water supply for landscape irrigation, agriculture, industrial processes, and consumption. The potable and fresh water of the State of Idaho is a finite resource and we must balance the demands on this resource in a thoughtful manner.
This project is intended to educate and to promote the conservation of water in Idaho through reuse. The Design Guideline is a product of a combined effort in research and design.
One approach to this balancing act is to reduce the demand of landscape irrigation through grey water reuse. The purpose of this Design Guideline is to provide information and proposed design alternatives for the use of grey water for future landscape projects in Idaho. This approach will help ensure that our agricultural, industrial, and human consumption needs can be met for many years to come.
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
The research has two steps, first being to review grey water reuse on a broad scale. This is to help the reader establish a comprehensive understanding of the issue, its impact, current practices, and successful case studies. The second step focuses on the specific requirements and challenges of implementing grey water systems in Idaho. Readers will obtain knowledge of Idaho’s grey water policy, the various approaches to reuse and reuse systems available and how to calculate the demand for the system’s capacity. The Design Guideline also features a local pioneering grey water reuse project – Boise State University’s Honors College, to examine the effectiveness of this new system. This specific project provides
PAGE 48
detailed lessons on the implementation of a grey water system with landscape irrigation as the intended use. The guideline further evaluates the effectiveness and probable cost of using grey water as an alternative resource for irrigation in Idaho. This Design Guideline illustrates the system’s key information and implementation components with info graphics which ensures the information is easily understood and adopted by design professionals as well as an intriguing education tool for the public.<< CONTRIBUTORS: ALL WRITTEN AND GRAPHIC CONTENT PROVIDED BY THE LAND GROUP, INC.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: PAGE FROM HANDBOOK WITH IMPORTANT TERMS AND INFORMATION. GREY WATER TREATMENT IN IDAHO. GREY WATER DEMAND CALCULATOR FOR PLAN MATERIAL. GREY WATER REUSE CONSTRUCTED WETLAND TREATMENT APPROAHC CUTSHEET.
PAGE 49
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
PAGE 50
VIRTUALLY CONNECT - A CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF EDUCATION BY ELIZABETH SCOTT AND DANIEL CRONAN The past year presented myriad challenges to everyone, and education in landscape architecture was no exception. Words and phrases such as ‘uncertainty’, ‘virtual meeting’, ‘remote learning’, and ‘zoom fatigue’ started to make their way into our daily dialect. However, despite the past year’s challenges, we see a dynamic forecast for the profession and related industries. Job growth in the intermountain western US is expected to average about 4% over the next 10 years, with some markets expected to see greater than 10% growth (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020; projectionscentral.org, 2020). However, enrollments in programs of landscape architecture have been on a downward trend for more than 10 years, and 2020 saw even higher decreases in many programs due to COVID 19 restrictions, severe budget cuts to many public institutions of higher education, and good job opportunities in the industry. Amidst the challenges and spotty wifi access, there were a number of positive aspects, connections and opportunities which arose during this time. January 2021 sees the adoption of new accreditation standards for Landscape Architecture programs across the country. Significant changes to curriculum requirements include coverage of: • • • •
• • •
Diversity, equity, and inclusion Resilience and sustainability Ideation, creative and strategic thinking Landscape performance addressing ecology, human health, climate science, social and economic factors Integrated water management Digital modeling, and Interdisciplinary collaboration.
PAGE 51
The list highlights the changing nature of our profession, and a charge to develop projects that provide multiple benefits to clients and end users alike. [image 1 – Wencan Li] The University of Idaho’s Landscape Architecture department is embracing these changes and the unexpected opportunities that 2020 brought by finding new ways to collaborate and expand the reach of our partnerships in education, outreach and research. Students have largely been able to adapt to virtual platforms for classroom and studio activities without a hitch, and the same has been true of our public and private sector partners. Rather than seeing opportunities for collaboration decrease, students and faculty have been engaged with visiting lecturers, research partners and service-learning projects on an even broader basis than before. Professor Dan Cronan organized a Fall 2020 Landscape Architecture Lecture Series that brought professionals in to speak about “Wisescaping” and xeriscaping, addressing technologies, materials choices and water management strategies. Several members of the IMASLA also joined the lectures, offering many thought provoking questions and comments. Similarly, we have worked with colleagues at Univ. of British Columbia, Univ. of Washington, Univ. of Oregon and Washington State University to offer a monthly lecture series called “Stir Well: thoughtful mixing of diverse thinking across a broad range of topics in Landscape Architecture to rouse reflection and frame action.” These collective conversations embrace the need to question set assumptions to “engage the wicked problems, tricky subjects, and thorny issues of design and environment in our region and beyond,” in challenging and sometimes troubling times.
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
Although the University of Idaho continues to offer classes in person as well as virtually, the same is not true of many of our peers across the country. This has given rise to a rare opportunity to engage in a national collaboration, the Green New Deal Superstudio, sponsored by Landscape Architecture Foundation. The Superstudio is “a national conversation about how the framework of the Green New Deal can be translated into actual projects and where, as a matter of priority these projects should place, what will they look like, who will they serve, and how will they roll out.” (LAF.org, n.d.) UI’s participation in the Superstudio has focused on the potential growth impacts for the city of Moscow and surrounding region as national population shifts driven by unemployment, cost of living, wildfires, floods and other social and environmental challenges force people to move into more livable communities. Students in the studio were asked to answer the question: “How can interactions of stream systems, greenhouse gas emissions, and water quantity issues be modified to increase resilience under scenarios of changing climate, adoption of resource recovery technologies, demographic and economic development?” Student projects addressed the question with a variety of strategies implemented at a range of scales. [Image 2 – Sara Von Borstel]
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
ABOVE: PERSPECTIVE OF (IMAGE 1) BOARDWALK AND WETLAND DESIGN FOR THE ZHENGZHOU NATIONAL PARK, CHINA, DEMONSTRATING PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY, ECOLOGICAL PROTECTION AND REMEDIATION, DESIGN FOR HUMAN HEALTH AND RESILIENCE. WENCAN LI.
PAGE 52
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: (IMAGE 2) INTEGRATED STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND CARBON SEQUESTRATION FOR THE GREEN NEW DEAL SUPERSTUDIO. SARA VON BORSTEL. (IMAGE 4) GRADUATE STUDENTS PRESENT URBAN REDEVELOPMENT PLANS TO A PANEL OF ULI MEMBERS IN BOISE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. (IMAGE 5) STUDENTS KATHERINE WOODHOUSE AND CHAD LORENTZEN PRESENT ANALYSIS AND PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS AT A PUBLIC MEETING FOR THE SETTLERS CANAL LINEAR PARK ALONG GODDARD STREET IN BOISE.
PAGE 53
MAGAZINE | SECOND EDITION
A variety of other service-learning opportunities arose in both the preand post-COVID environment which gave small groups of students a chance to work closely with a set of community partners and stakeholders. A mixed group of juniors, seniors and graduate students in Moscow worked with Okanogan County planners and professionals from Otak, Inc. to develop concepts for Main Street revitalization in rural communities in Okanogan County, WA. The studio was sponsored by Otak to support student travel allowing them to conduct site visits and talk with community stakeholders. [Image 3 – group in Okanogan Co ] A similar interdisciplinary studio was sponsored by Cushing Terrell Associates in Boise for development of concepts for the Idaho Museum of International Diaspora. This is a model for studio engagement that is becoming more common, and has strong benefits for each of the
parties involved. In this studio model, the clients have a chance to envision new or redesigned sites without a large investment, while private sector partners guide concept development with students for contracts they either have in hand or will work on in the future. Students benefit tremendously from professional mentoring and the interaction with stakeholders, working on projects that would not be feasible without the support of the private and public sector partners. Students had other opportunities to interact with professionals during the Boise-based Urban Plan studio, sponsored by UI and the Urban Land Institute. ULI members from the Treasure Valley mentored students in creating hypothetical urban development plans, including land use, massing models and pro forma financial performance calculations.
IDAHO | MONTANA AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
The student group was a mix of graduate architecture and landscape architecture students, working together to represent different interests involved in the redevelopment plan. Final studio presentations were given to a panel representing City Council members in the Boise Council Chambers. [Image 4 – Urban Plan presentations] All of the students commented that they never realized how complex all the issues associated with development projects are, and really enjoyed the challenge. ULI members also enjoyed the process, and were impressed by the quality of the presentations, analysis, development concepts and graphics developed by the students for the studio. Other service-learning projects included design concepts for a linear park along the Settlers Canal near Capital High School, working with neighborhood residents and Energize
PAGE 54
our Neighborhoods Coordinator, Nikki Drake. [Image 5 – Settlers Canal Public Meeting] The project enabled four Capital High students to do an externship with the UI graduate students, helping develop the program and design concepts for the park. This is a great example of the opportunities that service-learning projects provide to get the word out about the valuable work landscape architects do, and inspire the next generation of landscape architects. Students in Boise also worked on a campus plan for the USGS Boise campus, and a
PAGE 55
pre-school garden at the Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS). [Image 6a, 6b, 6c – Woodhouse USGS plan] Research continued as well, with major work wrapping up on the Center for Resilient Communities’ (CRC) research in Idaho’s Magic Valley. The work focuses on gathering input from a range of stakeholders in the Magic Valley to create models of alternative future scenarios based on projected changes in land use, water supply, and economic and other
factors. The work is funded by a $2.7M National Science Foundation grant under the Investigations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems (INFEWS) program. Landscape architecture professor Andy Kliskey led the effort, with faculty member Dan Cronan and graduate students Katherine Woodhouse and Chad Lorentzen, and a team of researchers from Southern Oregon University, University of Vermont, and University of Alaska. The research aims to improve the function and management of water and energy resources, along with food production and processing, by identifying their stressors and ensuring sustainability. The CRC’s research continues in southwestern Idaho, the arctic and other
areas struggling to define pathways for future resilience in times of climatic, economic and social change. Given the many successes the program has seen during this challenging time, we are confident that the future for both the profession and the UI’s landscape architecture program are promising. We continue with our project-based model of learning while embracing new technologies and modes of educational delivery. We believe that the supporting students to be agile and adapt quickly and easily to changing paradigms both in education and in the profession will contribute to making the profession stronger and more resilient too.<<
References Barth, Brian. 2019. MLA ROI: Job prospects for landscape architecture graduates are excellent, so why aren’t more students enrolling? Landscape Architecture Magazine, v. 109(5), 86-93. Idaho Department of Labor. 2020. Idaho Labor Market Information. https://lmi.idaho. gov/ Accessed 9/16/2020. Landscape Architecture Foundation. n.d. https://www.lafoundation.org/take-action/ green-new-deal/superstudio Accessed 1/29/2021. O-Net. 2020. Summary Report for 17-1012.00 - Landscape Architects. https://www.onetonline.org/link/ summary/17-1012.00 Accessed: 9/13/2020. Projections Managing Partnership. 2020. State Occupational Projections. https:// www.projectionscentral.com/ Accessed: 9/17/2020.
OPPOSITE: (IMAGES 6A, 6B, 6C) PLAN, PERSPECTIVE AND SECTION FOR CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF THE USGS WATER CAMPUS IN BOISE, HIGHLIGHTING STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FEATURES AND USE OF NATIVE PLANTS FROM THE REGION. KATHERINE WOODHOUSE.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2020. Employment by Industry and State. https://www.bea.gov/ data/employment/employmentby-industry Accessed: 8/30/2020. b4d53131394e00a8d5ec8a05281b2c)
Master of Landscape Architecture at the University of Idaho 1ST PROFESSIONAL & POST-PROFESSIONAL DEGREE TRACKS Research opportunities with the Center for Resilient Communities $5M+ in NSF-funded social-ecological research
Study abroad in Italy: urban centers, cultural landscapes, world heritage sites
Landscape Architecture
Classes, internships and outreach opportunities at our main campus in Moscow or the Urban Design Center in Boise
I.M. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE IDAHO | MONTANA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE MAGAZINE SECOND EDITION | SPRING 2021