landscape architecture portfolio by Nicholas Gulick

nicholas gulick

2723 Bristol Drive, Ames, Iowa 50010 319.538.4760 nagulick@iastate.edu

contact nagulick@iastate.edu | 319.538.4760

Nicholas Gulick 2723 Bristol Drive Ames, Iowa 50010

objective to learn from and contribute to the design process in a landscape architecture studio that practices in urban, public spaces with an emphasis on human cultural needs and environmental stewardship

education Iowa State University

Bachelors of Landscape Architecture | 2009 - 2014 Cummulative GPA: 3.65 Extracurricular Activities: • • •

Student Society of Landscape Architects (SSLA) Design Across Boundaries (DaB) 2012 Spring Semester Core Program Peer Mentor

honors Hansen Award Finalist

Kansas City, Missouri Studio Design Competition

2012 Floyd Valley Federated Garden Club Student Scholarship 2012 Murray Weir Scholarship

Awarded by Iowa State University Department of Landscape Architecture

2011 Federated Garden Clubs Scholarship

Awarded by Iowa State University Department of Landscape Architecture

experience Design Collaborative Seminar Teaching Assistant | Iowa State University August 2012 - Present | Ames, Iowa • • • •

the Design Collaborative Seminar is instructed by Malinda Cooper, an academic advisor in the College of Design mentor incoming students to the College of Design assist in lectures and class events introduce students to the design disciplines and studio pedagogy

Undergraduate Research Assistant | Iowa State University August 2012 - Present | Ames, Iowa • •

Expanding the Digital Matrix: From Virtual Monitor to the Material Realm of the Studio Arts is a grant project overseen by April Katz who is a studio arts professor at the College of Design assist in the development of a guidebook and training materials that will enable integration of new digital technologies into College of Design studio arts courses using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign; as well as Autodesk AutoCAD

Landscape Architecture Intern | Hall & Hall Engineers, Inc.

references Loren Hoffman | Landscape Architect Hall & Hall Engineers, Inc. 1860 Boyson Road Hiawatha, IA 52233 319.362.9548 loren@halleng.com

April 2012 - August 2012 | Hiawatha, Iowa • • • •

interviewed stakeholders in Dyersville, Iowa; Center Point, Iowa; and at the University of Iowa generated and collaborated on preliminary design solutions designed project solutions and generated project graphics prepared presentation boards

2012 Community Visioning Intern | Iowa State University February 2012 - April 2012 | Ames, Iowa • • • •

prepared Community Visioning graphic vocabulary manual assisted in focus group meetings in numerous Iowa communities documented Community Visioning focus group data prepared inventory and analysis boards

2011 Community Visioning Intern | Iowa State University February 2011 - October 2011 | Ames, Iowa • • • •

interviewed stakeholders in Mount Vernon, Iowa and Lisbon, Iowa produced and collaborated on preliminary design concepts and solutions designed project solutions and generated illustrations prepared presentation boards

Julie Stevens | Assistant Professor, Landscape Architecture Iowa State University Landscape Architecture Department 146 College of Design Ames, IA, 50011 515.294.5676 jstevens@iastate.edu

Julia Badenhope | Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture Iowa State University Landscape Architecture Department 146 College of Design Ames, IA, 50011 515.294.3007 jmb@iastate.edu

Growing up my parents instilled in me a strong work ethic and a responsibility for my actions that persists in me today. I have long enjoyed growing and caring for the family garden on our rural acreage outside Marion, Iowa. I also enjoy hobbies that include drawing , photography, ceramics, woodworking, rebuilding and restoring antique tractors and vintage motorcycles. My appreciation for the design process and the landscape architecture profession stems from these experiences. I believe in a strong environmental ethic and stewardship , collaboration, respect for others and careful craft in my work.

My understanding of collaboration and its role in the design process has grown from my time as a lead member of my high school robotics team. As the head of the design-build construction team, and a competition driver I was responsible for coordinating work efforts and ensuring we had a quality machine when we entered the field. I believe that the future morphology of our culture and the built environment will be the result of collaborative efforts among concerned citizens who believe they can and should respond to natural processes that sustain our needs.

nicholas gulick | landscape architecture portfolio

I have been fortunate enough to get to travel to many places across the country including my time in Savanna Studio with the department of Landscape Architecture at Iowa State University. Traveling and experiencing new people and places has given me new lenses through which to perceive different cultures, environments, and systems. Looking through these lenses gives me the motivation to respond to these challenging differences. I see potential to foster societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s understanding of rich, complex systems through creativity and sustainable public spaces in the realm of urban and park design.

Designers have the responsibility to inspire new ways of thinking, and to imagine spaces that challenge societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lack of understanding and explore itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dependence on world resources. For me, landscape architecture is the process by which I understand complex relationships between people and their context. I look to discover concepts with the power to open views into the world beyond the site itself. Building a strong concept unlocks the potential to introduce new ideas to the world that spur human innovation and compassion for the world in which we live.

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Colored Crosswalk, typ.

a community vision

1-2

a sense of place

3-4

unity, rhythm & connectivity LEGEND

5-6

Hills Bank Potential Bioswale Widened Sidewalk

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Sidewalk Access to Neighborhood

Abbetyp. Creek School dflower Bed, Abbe Creek Cemetery

150’ Single Lane Roundabout

200

400

Scale in Feet: 1” = 50’

Mount Vernon Road Trail

The planned Mount Vernon Road Trail would travel west from Mount Vernon to Indian Creek.

Existing Trails LOS 1: Grade Separated Concrete Trail LOS 2: Bike Lanes, Standard Sidewalks LOS 3: Widened Sidewalks, Shared-Use Road LOS 4: Standard Sidewalks, Shared-Use Road LOS 5: Widened Shoulders, Shared-Use Road

linking places, linking people

Irish Ln

N Washington St

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Springville Rd

Hardee’s

Trailheads Old Lincoln Highway Planned Future Road

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Existing Parks and Green Spaces

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Nature Park

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Mount Vernon Cemetery

Downtown Lisbon

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Hig

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Lisbon City Park

Lisbon Community Schools

Potential grade separated crossing of Highway 30 through culvert

9-10

Lincoln Square

Hillcrest Countryclub

To Palisades-Kepler State Park. A trail to Palisades Kepler State Park from Mount Vernon could join planned trails leading from the park to Ely, with the addition of a bridge over the Cedar River

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Gillette Ln

Memorial Park

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Willow Creek Rd

community & regional trails planning

Downtown Mount Vernon

A l ternate

4,000

Civic/Community Destinations

west side park

11-12

molding form & function

13-14

Lisbon Cemetery

Feet

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Proposed Future Parks and Green Spaces

Mount Vernon Community Schools

2,000

Elliot Sports Complex

Davis Park

The planned Lincoln Trail lies along the former rail ROW of the InterUrban from Smyth Road to Mount Vernon. This Trail connects to the InterUrban Trail at Smyth Road.

1,000

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Cornell College

Lincoln Trail

Schools

Prairie Park /////////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /////////// Bryant Park

7-8

To Sutliff. A trail from Lisbon south on Sutliff Road could connect to planned trails south from Sutliff.

contents 15-16

lindquist center plaza

17-18

university of iowa memorial union plaza

19-20

prairie terrace

21-22

5th street gardens

23-24

celebrating good food & community

25-26

embracing the landscape

27-28

a different perspective

200

Scale in Feet: 1â&#x20AC;? = 50â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Dyersville

Mount Vernon & Lisbon

Hiawatha (Hall & Hall Engineers, Inc.)

Center Point

Perry

Manning Villisca

Paullina

Center Point

where I participated in & design efforts

focus group

Ames (Iowa State University)

Iowa Communities

The Community Visioning Program is a unique outreach program that integrates landscape planning and design strategies with sustainable community action to assist community leaders and volunteers in making informed decisions about the local landscape. The planning process empowers local residents, providing them with a transportation enhancement plan that respects local values and strengthens community identity. The resulting implementation plan is a framework outlining strategies for meeting community goals. While working with Community Visioning I have had the opportunity to lead focus group discussions with community stakeholders, design strategies and solutions for community enhancement goals, collaborate on complex cultural and environmental solutions to issues in the local landscape, organize and document research

community visioning | a transportation enhancement planning program

data, outline graphic standards for presentation board sets, and listen to the passionate stories and aspirations of small town Iowa residents. During the summers of 2011 and 2012 I worked with landscape architect Loren Hoffman at Hall and Hall Engineers, Inc. of Hiawatha, Iowa. I collaborated on planning and design solutions in Mount Vernon, Lisbon, Dyersville, and Center Point, Iowa with Loren, Andrea Blaha, and Trees Forever coordinators. In 2011 we worked with the communities of Mount Vernon and Lisbon, Iowa. These two communities located adjacent to one another had unique personalities and visions for the future and in both we focused on creating comprehensive trail plans to improve pedestrian mobility across busy state highways and enhancing community identity through

comprehensive wayfinding signage families, monument signage, and community park signs. In 2012 we worked in Dyersville, and Center Point, Iowa. These communities shared the desire to enhance and improve trail system connections in their communities, but also had differing aspirations that included re-envisioning the Main Street in Center Point and creating a concept plan for the immense green space recently acquired by the city of Dyersville as a result of FEMA buyouts. Stakeholder empowerment and participation in the Community Visioning design process is what makes Community Visioning unique. The information the design team receives through community surveys, focus groups, and the steering community ensures a firm foundation for proposed transportation enhancements.

Capturing Place Identity The trend of new highway infrastructure to bypass small Iowa communities is a large concern for small town residents. Iowa towns have strong place identity and are looking for ways to attract passing travelers who are not aware of the community’s presence. The fact that the highway no longer utilizes Main Street makes it difficult for small businesses to attract customers and for small town celebrations to be noticed. Poor funding restricts small town access to proper planning strategies, making it difficult for communities to design and plan for the future.

Roundabout pedestrian accommodations and sculpture element.

20’

15’

10’

5’

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In both Mount Vernon and Dyersville I looked for opportunities to enhance community identity through sculptural, wayfinding, and monument signage. We proposed that these visual cues be placed throughout the community, near state highways and interstates to attract motorists. Each family of signs borrows inspiration from iconic features in the town. I used Photoshop and Illustrator to manipulate my photographs and drawings in order to create imagery which I integrated with SketchUp elements.

a sense of place | mount vernon & dyersville, iowa

Roundabout centerpiece sculpture.

4th Street in Mount Vernon

Accommodating the Pedestrian Iowa Highway 1 carries heavy traffic north-south from Highway 151 to Interstate 80 through Mount Vernon. The roadway acts as a barrier for pedestrian traffic and presents safety concerns at particular intersections.

Nature Park in Mount Vernon

I conducted site analysis along Highway 1 that included studying sight distances, traffic speeds, and intersection proximity to existing and proposed trail alignments. The study resulted in a rhythm of evenly spaced roadway crossings every three to four blocks through town. Pedestrian traffic would be directed to these crossings from the adjacent neighborhoods and undesired pedestrian crossing locations. The enhancements we proposed create a unified identity for pedestrian awareness and trail nodes at Mount Vernon parks and community spaces. Gateway planting beds at Nature Park in Mount Vernon

unity, rhythm & connectivity | mount vernon, iowa

Planting beds were proposed where pedestrian crossings are viable along Highway 1. These planters call attention to pedestrian presence and breath new life into the space.

linking places, linking people | dyersville, iowa Main Street in Dyersville Iowa is several blocks away from Highway 20 which crosses the northern p orti on of I ow a c a r r y i ng m a ny travelers each day. Highway 136 brings many travelers off Highway 20, north through one of the business districts located along in Dyersville along Highway 136. The enhancement opportunities at the intersection of Highway 136 and 2nd Street include accommodating pedestrian travel and connecting heavily trafficked sidewalks. It iis also a key place for monument signage that

directs travelers toward main street were many local businesses and attractions are located. There is also an opportunity to utilize monument signage at the north edge of town along Highway 136 to welcome travelers to Dyersville and to direct them towards another local attraction, the Field of Dreams. I used Photoshop, Illustrator, and AutoCAD to manipulate my photographs and drawings in order to create imagery that depicts future enhancements at these key intersections in Dyersville.

Existing trees

Proposed understory

Proposed gateway column Proposed overstory trees

Future traffic signals Proposed accenting on pedestrian crosswalks

Perspective view

Highway 136 & 2nd Avenue intersection gateway enhancements.

Connecting People & Places

Highway 136 & 2nd Avenue intersection improvements in Dyersville. Heritage Trail connectivity in Dyersville.

Dyersville & Field of Dreams monument signage.

Creating a Regional Trail Network

Enhancement to Prairie Park were included in the community and regional trails planning we conducted for the neighboring communities of Mount Vernon and Lisbon. Loren and I collaborated on a design for the park that included

Abbe Creek Cemetery

During the trails planning process I studied ongoing local and regional trails planning documents, and connectivity to nearby special places and communities. I utilized Indesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, hand sketches to produce trail planning illustrations.

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Irish Ln

a large massing of native planting, an information kiosk, and a rain garden. The native prairie planting and rain garden characterize the name Prairie Park and act as an educational stormwater management tool.

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Lincoln Trail

The planned Lincoln Trail lies al rail ROW of the InterUrban from to Mount Vernon. This Trail conn InterUrban Trail at Smyth Road.

30 Prairie Park trailhead kiosk & spatial design.

Mount Vernon & Lisbon Regional Trails Plan.

Prairie Park is a small 1 acre parcel in Mount Vernon bounded by a railroad line to the north, 1st Street West along the south and the west, and the Old Lincoln Highway to the east. The park is currently home to a city utility structure, a small parking lot, and an information board.

Abbe Creek School

Prairie Park trailhead kiosk.

To Palisades-Kepler State Park. A State Park from Mount Vernon c leading from the park to Ely, wit over the Cedar River

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1,000

2,000

4,000

community & regional trails planning | mount vernon & lisbon, iowa

Mount Vernon Road Trail un

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Springvil le Rd

The planned Mount Vernon Road Trail would travel west rom Mount Vernon to Indian Creek.

Prairie Park Railroad /////////////// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Bryant Park

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Cornell College

long the former m Smyth Road nects to the .

Nature Park

illo

Mount Vernon Cemetery

Downtown Lisbon Lincoln Square

Potential grade separated crossing of Highway 30 through culvert

Lisbon City Park

Lisbon Community Schools

Hillcrest Countryclub

A trail to Palisades Kepler could join planned trails th the addition of a bridge

a s hingt on St

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Lisbon Cemetery

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Gillette Ln

Downtown Mount Vernon

A l ternate

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Memorial Park

Mount Vernon Community Schools

Will ow Cre ek Rd

Elliot Sports Complex

Davis Park

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To Sutliff. A trail from Lisbon south on Sutliff Road could connect to planned trails south from Sutliff.

west side park | dyersville, iowa

ta River Fork M aquoke North

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The design includes a disc golf course situated in a densely vegetated landscape that provides diverse environmental benefits. The design also provides space for public gardens and public edible landscaping that provides year round services to the community. I utilized SketchUp to conduct spatial analysis and AutoCAD to understand and create scaled design solutions. I also used Illustrator, Photoshop, and marker renderings to create detailed images to illustrate the communities vision for the future.

3 rd Ave SW

3rd

This proposed plan for the expansion of West Side Park in Dyersville, Iowa reflects the desire of residents to have expanded passive recreational activities, new pocket parks, youth athletic fields, and additional trails.

West Side Park and community greenspace expansion plan for Dyersville.

Performance at Dyersville City Square.

Dyersville City Square & proposed pavilion being used during a farmers market.

A Unique Opportunity

1s t Ave W

Using original piece to create a slip cast mold.

Clay is used to mask areas of the mold.

The large ceramic pot after it is glazed and fired in the kiln.

Handles and a lid are fashioned for the pot.

ceramic construction, molding & finishing | ceramics studio Pieces from the mold are trimmed.

Plaster is poured to form the slip casting mold. The lorge coil pot is assembled on a wheel.

Ceramic earthwork is an enriching experience that explores form and function in complex new ways. It is a discipline that allows the artist to evoke emotion through sculptural composition that relies on spatial analysis and detailed material choices. My experience in ceramic studios has given me an understanding of the importance of careful material choices and attention to detail in construction. In comparison to landscape architectural design work, ceramic projects require an understanding of a variety of tool s and col labo ration w ith othe r a r tists w ith diverse knowledge of construction techniques and compositional strategies.

The Lindquist Center houses the Education Technology Center for the University of Iowa. It is located east of the Iowa River on the corner of Madison and Burlington Streets in Iowa City. The central building courtyard provides access to the main entrances of both the north and south wings. The courtyard is accessed via a ramp and stai rs from the west, or from the parking area to the southeast. The third floor spans the courtyard, connecting the two wings of the building.

Original concept sketches submitted to the client.

Preliminary Concept Development During the project I produced a series of hand rendered pen & ink drawings that were submitted to the project managers for further review. After receiving comments back from the project managers, Lo ren a nd I col l abo ra ted o n ref i n i n g t h e i n i t i a l d ra w i n g s to p roduce a p rel i mina r y design co n ce pt. I p ro d u ce d t h e f i n a l co n ce pt d ra w i n g s fo r secu r i n g funding by hand rendering scaled AutoCAD drawings for the project managers.

Preliminary design concept rendering.

Lindquist Center North Wing

lindquist center plaza | iowa city, iowa

Lindquist Center South Wing

The final preliminary design concept rendering .

Prairie Terrace is the result of a collaborative effort with another landscape architecture student in an ecological design studio.

storm runoff volumes, peak rates of discharge, hydrographs, and storage volume requirements for our floodwater reservoir.

I was primarily responsible for generating the illustrative plan that lays out our design strategy to reduce stormwater runoff rates and improve water quality on our sub-watershed at the Frederiksen Court apartments. I also conducted Technical Release 55 (TR-55) stormwater calculations to calculate

Prairie Terrace is a comprehensive design that enhances student awareness of regional hydrologic processes and regional landscape characteristics by providing connectivity to recreational trails that pass through woodland, savanna, and prairie landscapes.

Pedestrian walkways embeded in the prairie.

Ecological Design

prairie terrace | ames, iowa

university of iowa memorial union plaza | iowa city, iowa

V E N T U R E 22

5th Street Gardens builds on an understanding of the opportunities and challenges present in the neighboring River Market and Columbus Park communities in Kansas City, Missouri. This project was a collaborative initiative between myself, another landscape architecture student and two architecture students to design neighborhood places that would improve employment opportunities, support local food markets, and strengthen relationships. Our team identified food culture as a foundation for building a healthier, more sustainable community that would provide educational outreach and community support to local residents. A strong food culture already exists within local markets, grocers, and restaurants that provide residents with the ingredients they need to build relationships around the dining table. We designed commonground, public spaces that support awareness and social interaction around the growth and preparation of good food. Strengthening relationships between people and the environment encourages sustainable initiatives that build livable communities.

5th street gardens | kansas city, missouri

Delaware Square is an important node in the 5th Streets Garden Project. Situated along the Missouri River waterfront, the space provides a place for public gatherings to celebrate good food, community, and the environment. The 5th Street Gardens are located along 5th and Delaware Streets in Kansas City, Missouri. Delaware Square and Garrison Square community center serve as bookends to the public corridor that provide spaces for urban agriculture, public edible landscapes, compost recycling centers, and urban plaza gathering spaces. The design for Delaware Square is a mix between a public park located on the bluff and a public plaza adjacent to our proposed Delaware Square community center. Our team collaborated on our proposed design of the outdoor and indoor spaces. I worked in AutoCAD to produce detailed site drawings and a grading plan. I also produced hand-rendered perspectives and computer generated photo edits, along with a hand-built site model.

5th Street pocket park with edible planting walls.

Delaware Square

Urban agriculture & compost facilities.

The pocket-park is adjacent to community gardens.

celebrating good food & community | kansas city, missouri

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Amphitheater space.

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Delaware Street public plaza.

Pavilion structures along trails.

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bluff overlooks

orchard

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Delaware Square aerial view.

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The 5th Street Gardens Delaware square public space is set into the Missouri River bluff. The site is designed to accentuate the vertical scale of the bluff and to integrate human interaction within its embrace. The amphitheater is carved from the bluff and is located at the mouth of the existing cut into the landscape where Delaware Street emerges onto the riverside. A series of paths and trails are sewn into the

Riverfront Heritage Trail Bridge

orchard, cascading down the face of the bluff with overlooks protruding toward the river that reflect the presence of piers along the river. The landscape and architecture work together to accommodate the needs of the public in the space, providing areas for passive recreation, performances, food harvest, and public events. The fractured landscape emphasizes human interaction and influence in the urban landscape.

bluff overlooks along park trails

amphitheater

embracing the landscape | kansas city, missouri

Delaware Square parking space. horizontal & vertical scale in feet Community center outdoor plaza.

Delaware Square Community Center

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240

Motorcyclist Being a motorcyclist means more than simply riding motorcycles. It is an art , a culture , and a way of traveling that is truly unique. I rode my first dirtbike when I was five years old and have loved them ever since. I rebuilt my daily commuter four years ago and from the time I first began organizing its parts that had been pulled from its barren frame, I have learned a great deal about constructing and designing new environments from leftover pieces. I have a deep respect for the energy and experience invested in the art of motorcycle

design and maintenance. It is hard to understand the intimate and detailed relationship of of parts in a complex system until you have pulled them apart and put them back together. There is a special respect for the landscape one develops when riding through the landscape. One is exposed to the elements, to the wind, the rain, and other beings. It demands a certain attention and awareness of the world. In the cool night breeze with the rain softly misting from the sky, my mind is clear and focused, it is a beautiful reflect and wonder.

Sculpting new materials and parts is much like understanding the topographic relationships in the landscape. You must respond to the constraints and needs of the rider while pursuing a new aesthetic.

a different perspective | 1985 honda vf500f interceptor

1985 Honda VF500F Interceptor

1967 Cub Cadet 125

1969 Honda CB350 Cafe Racer Project

nicholas gulick

2723 Bristol Drive, Ames, Iowa 50010 319.538.4760 nagulick@iastate.edu