PO R T F O L I O URBAN PLANNING/ LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
MADE L IN E M CCO RT 1
BIO I am a junior at the University of Washington majoring in Community, Environment, and Planning with minors in Urban Ecological Design and Environmental Studies. My interests include sustainable urban planning and how natural and urban systems interact. I want to learn how we can create stronger communities and more resilient cities through ecological design and planning.
C O N TA C T Phone: 303-378-0666 Email: mmccort@uw.edu Address: 5237 12th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98105
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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S PROCESS AVONSIDE LANDING CELEBRATING WATER IN SEATTLE’S FUTURE EXPERIENCE THROUGH DESIGN A CULTURAL WETLAND
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PROCESS SKETCHING AND DRAWING SAMPLES
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A v ebur y Park
Rawhiti
Ri ve r lut i o n P r o po se d Ti ny Ho use Vi llage
Bexley Wainoni
Avonside R i c hm o nd C o mm uni t y G a rde n
Dallington
R i ve r lut i o n P r opo se d C a fe
Native Forest
Nature Play
SITE CONTEXT
Tiny House Village
Averbury Park Community Garden
Otakato Riverbend Refuge
Arts Corner Cafe
Avonside Landing
Vi si t o r Ce nt e r Cultivate Urban Farm
10 years visitor center floating walkway interpretive signage nature play elements
50 years
100 years visitor center moves to third terrace floating walkway moves to third terrace
interpretive signage changes to reflect new ecology flooded elements create habitat
new elements on third terrace
living laboratory edible garden informal classroom terracing reforestation constructed wetland
P ar
50 YEAR PLA
Girl’s High School
PHASING DIAGRAM information/access
Based on core concepts of education and stewardship of the land, Avonside Landing orients visitors to the Avon Otakaro river. Through nature play paths, interpretive signage, a living laboratory and classroom, a visitor center, and a storm water wetland, this site is a space where everyone can learn about the river through play and education. The terraced stopbanks create useable space that will be submerged over time, and site elements move and dissipate, exemplifying the interaction between nature and humans while creating adaptable spaces for both.
Travis
education/play
Winter of 2020, I had the opportunity to attend a landscape architecture study abroad program in New Zealand. I worked alongside 14 MLA students to design landings along the Otakaro Avon River. This studio focused on change over time.
10 YEAR PLA
RIVER CONTEXT
ecology
AVONSIDE LANDING: CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND
raising and rerouting retreat road
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FROM NATURE PLAY TO HABITAT 10 Years
50 Years
100 Years
Tunnel like a Tuna F l oa t i n g B oa r dw alk
Natur e Pl ay Tr ail
Edible G a rd e n a n d Outdo o r C l a s s ro o m
Hopping through Harakeke
Survey like a Shag
Water for Whitebait Permanent Play Elements
Climbing Kahikatea Retreat Ro a d
k i n g Lot
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Ci t y t o Sea Tr ail
Stor m w a t e r W e t l a n d
100 YEAR PLAN
On the back of a Black Billed Gull
NATURE PLAY MAP Hopping through Harakeke
Push off like a Pukeko
Meander through Muehlenbeckia
Survey like a Shag Water for Whitebait
Climbing Kahikatea
On the back of a Black Billed Gull
Tunnel Like Tuna Push off like a Pukeko
Meander through Muehlenbeckia
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CELEBRATING WATER IN SEATTLE’S FUTURE: SUBSTATION
CONTEXT MAP
The Introduction to Landscape Architecture studio final project asked students to imagine Seattle’s future. What problems will the world be facing, and how can they be addressed at the University Substation while incorporating industrial reuse. Seattle will have little space for rain water to infiltrate. The site attempts to mitigate the negative effects of combined sewer overflow on the ecosystem by utilizing green stormwater infrastructure to collect, filter, and store stormwater runoff from the surrounding neighborhood. The bioswales filter runoff water that has been redirected from 15 acres of the Wallingford neighborhood, and collect it into the bio retention pond where it is slowly filtered into a cistern that feeds 3 large fountains. These fountains provide a playful space to soften the burden of living in this dense urban future, and the filtered water is released into Lake Union. 8
CONCEPT DIAGRAM
PLAN
WATER COLLECTION
PERSPECTIVE
SECTIONS
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EXPERIENCE THROUGH SEQUENCE: HENRY ART GALLERY
SITE ANALYSIS
The landscape architecture class Introduction to Planting Design encouraged us to think about the plants we interact with on an every day basis. This lecture course focused on the use of plants to create spaces and experiences. An outdoor escape where students, appreciators of art, and pedestrians are guided through a sequence of spaces that aim to both squeeze and release, both visually and spatially. It is a space that encourages users to slow down and appreciate the natural world and its many surprises while allowing functionality in the areas that require it.
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PLAN
SECLUSION
SOCIAL GATHERING
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A CULTURAL WETLAND: UW CAMPUS
PERSPECTIVES
SECTION B
The Introduction to Landscape Architecture studio midterm project asked students to use inspiration from the place they grew up, or their culture to create a design for a vacant lot on UW’s campus. This design takes users through a wetland on wooden boardwalks. Our choice of birch trees will give users a feeling of seclusion while retaining safety. Renee’s Chinese Zen culture is one of balance and meditation. Human use is balanced with the ecological function of stormwater retention and filtration. My hometown provides the security of being surrounded by mountains and nature. We chose to create a feeling of prospect and refuge by using plants to surround people on most sides while retaining a view to the center pond. Chris’s Pacific Northwest culture drove our selection of native wetland plants and natural materials. This calm but functional design provides students 12and other Seattleites spaces to gather and a small refuge in the city.
SECTION A
PLAN
TOPOGRAPHY
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