EXPERIENCING THE BUTTERFLY SCALE BY SCALE
butterfly exhibit design proposal by a ball state immersive learning team for the foellinger - freimann botanical conservatory in fort wayne , indiana
April2016
TEAM MEMBERS ERINADKINS ALYSSABABB BETHANYGORDON CARTERGORDON EMILYMEER KATHRYNPOWELL PAYTONSMILEY KATEESTONE TOMTRAIL JASMINE-SHIREETROYER MAGGIEWEIGHNER FACULTY MENTORS MARTHAHUNT ROBBENSON
CONTENTS
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UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
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IN YOUR BACKYARD .
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OVERVIEW
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DESIGN SUMMARY
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TENT INTERIOR .
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PLANTING PLAN .
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SUSTAINABILITY ACTIONS .
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A WORLDVIEW
FINAL THOUGHTS
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appendices
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TEAM
a
| extended educational activity
b
| indiana state standards
c
| graphic design
d
| model
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OVERVIEW
CONTEXT
Students from various of disciplines came together for the Butterfly Project, a Ball State University Immersive Learning class. The project connected with the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory in Fort Wayne, IN, to develop designs for the Conservatory’s 2017 Butterfly Showcase. The Conservatory requested a functional and beautiful design that would care for the butterflies and be accessible to all audiences. “Perspective: Experiencing the Butterfly Scale by Scale” -- a beautiful and informational experience for visitors of the Conservatory -- is the result of three months of creative collaboration between students and professionals. The final products include planting plans for the gardens, designs to guide and accommodate the visitors, and educational materials that complement the design theme. GOALS + OBJECTIVES
In collaboration with the Conservatory staff, the following goals and objectives were set for the project: CONNECTION • Draw connections with the butterfly through the design and educational components. • Give visitors opportunities to connect physically and mentally with the butterfly’s biology, influence, and beauty, as they walk through the garden space. Encourage the audience to remember that the story of the butterfly is important even in their own backyards.
INSPIRATION • Inspire visitors with the butterflies. • Inspire with the beauty of butterfly wings, and both the local and global importance of the butterfly. • Use educational activities to guide the visitors through the exhibit, encouraging them to connect with the butterfly’s story.
UTILITY • Design a functional space to serve both the butterflies visitors, fitting The Conservatory’s mission. • Conserve resources through material use and sourcing.
BEAUTY • Showcase butterflies and plant life. • Create an aesthetically pleasing design. Use bright and colorful flowers to instill a sense of awe or wonder, and incorporate other materials in a manner that complements the natural beauty of the garden.
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BUTTERFLY’S EYE VIEW OF PROPOSED EXHIBIT
Abstraction of the chrysalis for the pods.
DESIGN SUMMARY “Perspective: Experiencing the Butterfly Scale by Scale” focuses on the beauty of the butterfly. The primary goal was to couple lush natural beauty with engaging activities for visitors. The design features bright and colorful and butterfly-inspired design elements. The proposed design works with any combination of butterfly species. Scale is the unifying theme. The “scale by scale” theme is achieved by providing visitors with three destination points, beginning with the finest scale (Under the Microscope), to human scale (In Your Backyard), to global scale (A Worldview). These three scales complement the experience of seeing butterflies inside the tent.
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE focuses on the finest scale. Visitors interact with the unseen world of butterfly wing scales and eyesight.
IN YOUR BACKYARD draws connections between the butterfly and Fort Wayne, encouraging visitors to consider how their daily lives influence the butterfly.
A WORLDVIEW pulls the exhibit together by finishing with the Tohono O’odham butterfly creation story, highlighting the butterfly’s cultural significance.
Educational material developed for this exhibit complements the design by following the theme of scale, sharing information, and providing opportunities to engage in learning activities. These activities include Butterfly Bingo, See Like a Butterfly, Pollination Hopscotch, Butterfly Tumble, and Flutter Fashion (See Appendix A for more detail). The “pod” design unifies the design of the spaces aesthetically. The form, an abstracted butterfly chrysalis, houses the educational material throughout the exhibit. A planting plan and list was also prepared, providing detail regarding plant choice and placement throughout the exhibit space.
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under the microscope
the butterfly at the finest scale
activity nodes
FLUTTER FASHION Visitors look through the eyes of a butterfly by experiencing a flower under UV light (APPENDIX A).
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in your backyard
bringing home the butterfly
activity nodes
POLLINATION HOPSCOTCH Visitors act as pollinators as they jump over flowers in a game of hopscotch (APPENDIX A). BUTTERFLY TUMBLE In a game of plinko, visitors take a chance and learn about butterfly habitats (APPENDIX A).
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A WORLDVIEW
the butterfly’s global footprint
activity nodes
FLUTTER FASHION Visitors connect with the Tohono O’odham butterfly creation story as they piece together their own butterfly design (APPENDIX A).
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tent interior activity nodes
BUTTERFLY BINGO Visitors stay engaged in the butterfly tent by filling out a bingo card with the butterflies they find (APPENDIX A).
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PLANTING PLAN
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sustainability actions While this butterfly exhibit proposal is primarily focused on design, plant selection and placement, and associated educational activities, there are opportunities to build upon sustainability efforts already in place at Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory. Most sustainable practices provide economic benefits (sometimes short-term, sometimes longterm), which alone is a good reason to pursue this direction. Sustainable practice is activated in many ways, most visible in day-to-day activities: reducing, reusing, and recycling. However, the creation of a sustainability plan would provide an opportunity to systematically develop long-term high impact initiatives. This would take time and expertise, but would also position the Conservatory as a leader in its day-to-day practices, as well as communicating and inspiring others in the Fort Wayne area. For these reasons we recommend pursuing this direction, and to publish current and ongoing sustainable practices via the web site. Though developing a full sustainability plan was outside the scope of this project, we have made a list of different ideas in this regard. These are organized under the following headings: of Food, Energy, Water, Topics, Exhibit, and Gift Shop. These categories are not complete, and likely do not reflect all of the Conservancy’s sustainability efforts, but do represent a way to think about strengthening sustainability efforts. FOOD • Relate pollination story to the Ft. Wayne community • Explore permaculture in future outdoor demonstration gardens • Use organic fertilizers (generated from a solar aquatic system) GIFT SHOP • Stock items made in a sustainable manner (e.g., reusable water bottles (with your logo), gift wrap) • Stock books on sustainable practices (e.g., gardening, composting, aquaponics) • Stock books on butterflies and plants, and their role in the ecosystem
ENERGY • Capture solar energy • Install automatic lighting system (lights automatically turn off when not in use) • Source local and reused materials (reducing shipping impact/carbon footprint) • Continue to grow plants for temporary exhibits and transplant to local park system
WATER • Install automatic watering system and informed placement of plants • Create microclimates, particularly near labs or generators that produce heat • Install water catchment system for irrigation purposes
EXHIBITS • Install demonstration gardens (e.g., kitchen, succulent, rain, vegetable, fruit/nut orchard, hydroponics) focused on sustainable gardening practices • Install aquaponics/solar aquatic system • Develop educational display about insecticide impact on pollinators; potential (organic) solutions • Develop educational display about natural repellents (e.g., catnip, lemon balm) to keep pests away
POLLINATION STORY The pollination story, as illustrated below, is an important connection to sustainability, and relates directly to the butterfly exhibit. It could be used as a foundation for further developing educational activities or informational material for visitors.
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final thoughts RESULTS AND MOVING FORWARD
After three months of dedicated work on the Butterfly Project, we presented our ideas at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory in Fort Wayne. The presentation included the following: - Design concepts and models - Planting Plan and List - Educational materials (supported by Indiana State Standards) - Sustainability recommendations This project challenged our team to grow academically and professionally. We developed ideas and solutions by drawing on all areas of expertise. Not only did we work with classmates from different disciplines, but we also learned to communicate effectively with leaders at Ball State and from the Conservatory. We ended the semester with new, valuable interpersonal skills and a deeper appreciation for our classmates. The project was driven by a solid purpose and goal -- to create an accessible and engaging butterfly exhibit for Fort Wayne audiences. This encouraged us to think outside the box and develop exciting ideas, while also paying close attention to the Conservatory’s needs and resources. All of us (students and professionals) involved in this project can be proud of the final proposal: “Perspective: Experiencing the Butterfly Scale by Scale.” Thank you to the staff of the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory and Ball State University for this wonderful opportunity to serve the community of Fort Wayne. We look forward to seeing how the project becomes a reality for the 2017 butterfly showcase.
for more information on this project contact martha hunt, department of landscape architecture, ball state university, muncie, in book design by jasmine shiree
jasmineshiree.com
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The te
team “It is very rare to find this sort of group coming together, but each individual brings a special something to the completion of this project.” ERIN ADKINS
“Working with students outside of Landscape Architecture gave me a greater appreciation for the depth of study many of them pursue. In a profession that needs to be a jack of all trades at times, it was fascinating to learn from others who are experts in their fields.” CARTER GORDON
“I have learned to trust others to do tasks, and to listen to and communicate ideas in a way that helps us come to the best design solution” ... “I do believe having those ‘nonCAP’ perspectives and skills has made the outcome more meaningful and accessible to our client/audience.” MAGGIE WEIGHNER
“I have also learned how to take ideas and tweak them and turn them into something amazing, and I also learned not to settle. These students are very ambitious, and typically enthusiastic. It has been great to work next to them and watch each other grow along the way.” PAYTON SMILEY
ERIN ADKINS Biology (Spanish)
ALYSSA BABB BETHANY GORDON Landscape Architecture Advertising (Marketing)
KATHRYN POWELL EMILY MEER Landscape Architecture History (German)
PAYTON SMILEY Biology (Sustainability)
TOM TRAIL Architecture
MAGGIE WEIGHNER Landscape Architecture
JASMINE SHIREE Visual Communication
CARTER GORDON Landscape Architecture
KATEE STONE Landscape Architecture (Anthropology)
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APPENDICES A | extended educational activity B | indiana state standards C | graphic design D | model
APPENDIX A EXTENDED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY DESCRIPTIONS SEE LIKE A BUTTERFLY Under the Microscope
BUTTERFLY BINGO Tent interior
Educational goal: Help visitors visualize what it is like to be a butterfly. Visitors learn about and marvel at how butterflies perceive the world.
Educational goal: Engage visitors in the butterfly tent by encouraging them to search for butterflies by playing an I-spy game of bingo.
Activity: Visitors will look inside an educational pod lit up by a backlight. The display will focus on flowers painted with patterns that butterflies use to recognize nectar plants. Looking at these patterns under the backlight will help visitors understand what it is like to be a butterfly flying around a garden. Senses utilized: Sight Age demographic: Ages 4 and up
Activity: Visitors are given a bingo card, featuring the several species of butterflies at the botanical exhibit, before entering the tent. In the tent, visitors try to get a row of butterflies by finding them in the exhibit. Senses utilized: Sight Age demographic: Ages 6 and up
POLLINATION HOPSCOTCH In Your Backyard Educational goal: Get kids moving and thinking about the importance of butterflies in ecosystems. Kids act like pollinators by jumping from flower to flower and following the pollen. Activity: Children will pick up a beanbag (pollen) and throw it across the floral hopscotch design on the floor. Then, they will jump across the hopscotch, pick up the pollen, and return. Senses utilized: Touch, sight Age demographic: Ages 3-10 BUTTERFLY TUMBLE In Your Backyard Educational goal: Inform kids about the need for butterfly habitats through a game that simulates random butterfly movement. By contrasting city, rural, and backyard settings, Butterfly Tumble encourages children to think about how they can find safe spaces for butterflies to live in their own towns or backyards. Activity: Visitors drop a butterfly-shaped token through a plinko game. The butterfly token will end up in one of several zones—dangerous zones or healthy zones. To “win” the game, the butterfly token should land in a healthy butterfly habitat. Senses utilized: Touch, sight Age demographic: Ages 3-10
FLUTTER FASHION A Worldview Educational goal: Visitors interact briefly with butterfly pattern variation and connect with the the Tohono O’odham butterfly creation story. Wing pieces reference the myth and the materials used to create butterfly wings and beauty. Activity: Visitors place wing-shaped puzzle pieces into a butterfly mold to design their own butterfly wing. Senses utilized: Touch, sight Age demographic: Ages 4 and up PHOTO OP Hallway Educational goal: Provide visitors with the opportunity to take a themed photo before or after visiting the exhibit. The display’s characters represent each stage of butterfly metamorphosis, and visitors will briefly interact with the idea that butterflies grow from caterpillars to butterflies. One possibility is to add a special hashtag to gain social media publicity for the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory. For example: #FFBCbutterflies Activity: Visitors put their faces up against the holes in the display and take a photo. Senses utilized: Sight Age demographic: Any age group
POLLINATION HOPSCOTCH
BUTTERFLY TUMBLE
BUTTERFLY FASHION
PHOTO OP
APPENDIX B INDIANA STATE STANDARDS
APPENDIX C GRAPHIC DESIGN
BUTTERFLY showcase
CMYK 0 54 100 1 RGB 253 116 0
CMYK 9 0 51 8 RGB 213 234 115
CMYK 24 0 15 26 RGB 143 188 160
CMYK 10 0 5 6 RGB 215 240 229
CMYK 12 28 0 64 RGB 81 66 92
CMYK 0 47 18 35 RGB 165 88 136
#FD7400
#DSEA73
#8FBCA0
#D7F0E5
#51425C
#A55888
SHOWCASE CARD
BROCHURE DESIGN
OUTSIDE
Winged Wanderers Butterfly gardens are key resting points for butterflies as they migrate between winter and summer homes. Each of these butterfly species has a unique migration habit. See if you can guide each butterfly back home! Flutter Fact: Some butterflies migrate to warmer climates to avoid the cold winters in the north and to find food before migrating back in the spring.
COMMON BUCKEYE
MONARCH
FIERY SKIPPER
PAINTED LADY
ING A BUTTERFLY GARDEN
BUILDING A BUTTE GARDEN
FLORIDA
ARGENTINA
MEXICO
SOUTHERN AFRICA
INSIDE
Butterflies to Look For
Ideal Plants for Your Butterfly Garden
TIPS + TRICKs
Your garden will be a resting place for many different butterflies, and here are a few common to Indiana to keep an eye out for. See how many of these you can attract!
Care for your native pollinators by planting your own butterfly garden! Not only will you attract beautiful butterflies to your backyard, but also you will care for key members of our local ecosystems by growing native plant species and providing nectar sources. Here are a few suggestions to get your own butterfly garden started.
Plant clusters of flowers. It is easier for butterflies to notice denser groupings of nectar plants.
Clouded Sulphur ( Colias philodice) Common Wood Nymph ( Cercyonis pegala) Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma) Eastern Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes asterius) Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanata) Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio Troilus)
Keep your butterfly garden in full sun. Butterflies use sunlight to keep their wings warm.
Perennials Butterfly flower (Asclepias tuberosa) Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Joe-pye-weed (Eupatorium fistulosa) Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) Hairy sunflower (Helianthus hirsutus) Phlox (Phlox paniculata) Flowering Dogwood ( Cornus florida) Blazing Star (Liatris aspera) New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae)
Shrubs Buttonbush ( Cephalanthus occidentalis) Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) Summersweet ( Clethra alnifolia) False Indigo (Amorpha spp.) Privet (Ligustrum spp.)
Avoid using insecticides and herbicides. These chemicals will deter butterflies away from your garden. Protect your garden from strong winds. Butterflies want to land and rest comfortably in your garden.
LESSON PLAN
APPENDIX D MODEL
SPECIAL THANKS TO FOELLINGER - FREIMANN BOTANICAL CONSERVATORY BALL STATE UNIVERSITY