ISABEL BENNETT Design Portfolio 2018-2019
CONTENTS 01 The Path 02
The Park
Terpsichore’s Tree: Choreographed Flooding in the Neponset River Basin
03
Back Bay Intervention
04
Future Fens
05
An Amendment to Constitution Beach
The Back Bay Greenway
The Spleen of the City
Adapting Zandmotor to East Boston
01 The Path
Low Tide
Mid Tide
This project was about creating a path system around the Neponset River to connect certain points in the area. The path I chose to create was an aquatic one that would allow people to kayak through marshy canals, while also providing ecological benefits to the region. This area of Boston will be affected by sea level rise in the next 10-30 years. The canals create a space for the rising water to go. With some of the dredge I proposed adding hummocks into part of the marsh to act as a second line of defense against flooding.
High Tide
All Tides
Hummocks not only provide a diverse habitat for plants and animals, but they can also attenuate currents and waves as well as protect areas by diverting the flow of water.
Ecological Impact
Besides flood mitigation, the canals will increase the flora and fauna of the area. The canals provide a protected space for animals. There are a couple of species like mallard ducks, river otters and muskrats that like to make their nests in the banks of river. By creating the canals the need for mosquito ditching will be lessened because they will potentially bring in fish species that will eat the mosquito larvae as well as creating a stronger flow of water through the marsh.
Ecological Impact cont. The flow of salt water through the canals hinders the growth of phragmites and will hopefully help to reduce that population while promoting the growth of native species. Spartina will be planted along the walls of the canals allowing for the deep roots to stabilize the banks.
The Park
02 the Neponset River Basin
Terpsichore’s Tree:
Choreographed Flooding in
Manifesto Climate change is upon us bringing with it unprecedented flooding. The Neponset River will not be able to hold the rising tide and the neighborhoods surrounding are at risk for being permanently impacted. This area deserves a proactive solution to protect it. My reimagined coastline will help to mitigate the effects of flooding while also creating new, resilient spaces for dwelling, recreation, leisure, and connecting with nature. The three-part solution is as follows: 1. Creating more area to absorb floodwaters by dredging and widening the river. Taking a queue from where most of the flooding will be, the majority of the expansion will take place at the top of the river to protect those vulnerable areas. The landmass being taken away is part of an already existing park and a neighborhood that will be lost to flooding if nothing were to be done. Generating a larger capacity for the river to expand will keep the water from filling even more of the adjacent neighborhoods. 2. With the fill, the remaining landmasses will be built up creating, resilient residential areas providing a space that will withstand and protect its inhabitants; active park spaces bringing together the people of the neighborhoods and offering a respite from city life, and restoring ecosystems generating robust diversity and strengthening the health of the region. This is not just about enduring, but flourishing in the face of long-term climate change. 3. The smaller processes that will be implemented are the use of bioswales to redirect surface water, water retaining vegetation and terraced hillsides for choreographed flooding, and the expansion of marshlands to utilize the sandy buffer they offer. These will provide that extra protection to keep water away from neighborhoods. Given the severity of predicted sea level rise, any solution at best will require massive infrastructure reconfiguration. Investing in solutions now will avoid economic and social strife later on. We can choose what areas get flooded or Mother Nature can choose and it is to our advantage that we make those upfront choices. Science Fiction writer William Gibson wrote, “The future has arrived — it’s just not evenly distributed yet.” Climate change is no longer a phantom of the future. It is happening right now, so now is the time for action.
Terpsichore’s Tree: Choreographed Flooding in the Neponset River Basin The next iteration the path project was to then create a park. The park was not required to include the path, but I wanted to take the idea of the canals a step further and create a space that allowed the water to expand. Looking at what areas will be flooded in the future, I chose to carve away at specific points to make the river wider, allowing more space for the rising tides.
Existing Conditions
1/900”=1’
Existing Conditions
50 Year Flood
1/900”=1’
6’ Flood
Proposed Plan
Proposed Plan
1/900”=1’
Isabel Bennett SUEN 6110 December 11, 2018
The infrastructural changes were made to accommodate the new parkland and situate I-93 in an area away from the flooding. The cut and fill method involves minimal movement of dredge for maximum benefits.
Recreation
Residential
Leisure
The park has a mix of programs to maximize the use and effects of the park. All residential area are positioned on the left side of the park to provide even more protection from any possible storms that could effect the area. The restored ecological spaces are there to not only create another barrier between the water and the park, but also increase biodiversity in the area and foster a connection with nature. The park mimics the movement of a branch in 3D with some areas that are elevated and others that are downgraded.
Restored Ecological System Movement
We can decide where we want the water to flood or mother nature can decide for us. The regional scale of this plan is to incorporate canals into neighborhoods to attenuate the flood water, while simultaneously creating a richer ecological habitat along the banks for people to enjoy.
Regional Impact
1/18000�=1’
Isabel Bennett SUEN 6110
Back Bay Intervention
03 The Back Bay Greenway
The semester was focused observing and gathering information on the Back Bay neighborhood. With the information that was gathered, we were tasked with proposing an intervention utilizing an aspect that we found interesting. I was interested in the semi public/semi private spaces on Commonwealth Avenue. I wanted to take what I thought was successful there and see how that could be translated into a larger public space. My intervention was to turn Commonwealth Avenue into The Back Bay Greenway. Expanding green space and reducing traffic in the area were my main objectives and from there is was all about creating a fun space that was comforting, welcoming, and enjoyable.
A study on architectural guidelines for the Back Bay. There were specific characteristics that could not be changed and strict rules for gardens, awnings, and signs. Yet, I found that even with these strict rules every personality of the residents came out in their semi private/public space.
3 8"
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3 8"
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3 8"
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2.25
4.5
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3 8"
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2.25
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4.5
= 1'
1.125
2.25
= 1' 1.125
2.25
4.5
3 8"
= 1'
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3 8"
= 1'
1.125
3 8"
= 1'
2.25
4.5
4.5
COMMONWEALTH
AVENUE
Diagramming traffic flows and use in the area, as well as a shadow study of Commonwealth Avenue were helpful in gathering information on how to make this intervention work.
Future Fens
04 The Spleen of the City What does the Back Bay Fens look like in 50 years? That was the question we were posed for this assignment. It was up to us to determine what we thought a pressing issue or a reality of the future was. I thought about how transportation would change in that time and advance to the point where roads as we know them today would become obsolete. What would happen to those roads? I imagined a portion of them would be turned over to valuable development space, but some of them would also be reclaimed by nature. I picture the Fens growing and expanding through those streets creating avenues of greenspace in between the buildings. The park as we know now would revert back to marshland and forest, and the programs would move to those green alleys.
2050
2060
2020
2070
2070
2100?
05
An Amendment to Constitution Beach
Adapting Zandmotor to East Boston
East Boston is just one of the many areas that will be impacted by rising sea levels in the coming years. We used Constitution Beach as a point of resilience to protect the surrounding neighborhoods. My strategy focuses on the use of soft solutions and edges to reduce the impact and storm surge and create more surface area to absorb water. Taking inspiration from the Dutch and their Zandmotor that they have implemented off their west coast, I wanted to experiment with how that would work in East Boston. By creating a peninsula and extension of the beach there is the opportunity for more water to be absorbed by the sand. The widening of the beach also creates the opportunity for a network of sand dunes to grow. Because sand is movable and subject to the elements I experimented with how it would look over time based on wind and tides. As the peninsula moves and shrinks, the beach and dunes grow. With the formation of dunes will hopefully also create a richer ecological environment that will bring a variety of plant and animal species to the area.
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Original Fill
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5 Years
30 Years 15 Years 5 Years Original Fill
15 Years
Original Fill
30 Years 30 Years
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Reptiles
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Rodents
15
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