Ryan Welch Landscape Architecture BLA Portfolio 2012 by Ryan Welch

RYAN WELCH Email: RMW.GoGreen@gmail.com Phone: 860-227-1277 Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture 2012 West Virginia University

TYSONS CORNER PROJECT: I recommend you visit my capstone project book at: www.issuu.com/gogreen12/docs/tysonscornercentral123 Also visit the video at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq0hc_tVrxo

Residential landscaping should be a defined vision and premeditated idea. Taking into account the municipal codes, the property ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visions, and the impact the design will have not only on the property, but neighboring properties is a key factor to a successful plan. Designing a home can be as simple as lining shrubs along a driveway, to a sophisticated oasis that uses intricate patterns, textures and colors.

THE THOUGHT BEHIND THE DESIGN

The idea I had for this residential design was creating a functional area for the owner and his family to enjoy, live, and love. The area consists of a hot tub, fireplace, water feature, garden retaining walls, and an outdoor kitchen shaded by a redwood pergola. The major task with designing this area was the house was located along a steep slope that was problematic for outdoor gathering and rain

water run off flowing towards the back end of house. By implementing a layered retaining wall it provided more room for the family to gather and also provided a unique area for rain gardens and small dry ponds. The gardens consist of all native plantings to provide low maintenance and low cost and is interactive with use of stepped pathways.

Being able to illustrate the ideas through sketching perspectives creates a strong connection between the designer and the client. It allows the client to vision the idea and provide positive or negative feedback to create a successful design.

Rising Creek Bakery is a small commercial building located in Mount. Morris, Pennsylvania. The owner wanted the area to provide sufficient parking for customers and also an outdoor seating area for people to eat and enjoy the baked goods made at the shop. He also wanted to take advantage of the great view located along the creek adjacent to the shop. The design offers seven parking spaces and one handicap accessible spot. The grading runs diagonally though the parking area and the rain water is guided to a rip rock channel that then empties out to the nearby stream. The parking is located along a slopped hillside that is vegetated with native ground cover such as Phlox Subulata and Thymus Serpyllum to provide low maintance due to tough mowing conditions and will utilize the rain water run-off.

To provide an esthetically pleasing spot for the customers I designed a deck/patio that leads up to the bakery. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equipped with stairs and a handicap accessible ramp located near the handicap parking. The deck acts not only as a access point to the building but also an overlook to utilize the view to the creek. The deck then tears down to a pergola covered patio for customers to relax, eat, and enjoy the outdoors. *This design was constructed and built by the owner.

THE GOAL

The goal of this project was to take an unsightly 25 acre park and change it into an area thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more welcoming for the Silver Springs residents. The existing park is without road ways, parking or paths. It consists of two inadequate baseball fields, a basketball and tennis court that is eroded and poorly located and lacks the overall feel of a public park.

OPEN GREEN SPACE The main focal point area leading into the soccer and baseball fields. The area incorporates a spot for sport fundraisers, picnicking, school events, and food sales.

JR. BASEBALL FIELD THE NEW EAST NORBECK PARK

The new design makes use of recreational activities such as a High School size baseball field, Jr. Baseball field, soccer field, and basketball, and tennis courts. The park also includes a playground and many areas for picnicking and activities such as the open field located north of the site. Streets, parking, and paths are properly incorporated to provide easy access to different parts of the park. An environmental center and service areas were designed to create an area for people to gather and be informed about sustainable solutions, controlling the habitat and to keep informed about local events happening with in the park and around town.

HIGHSCHOOL BASEBALL FIELD

SOCCER FIELD

DESIGNING A BETTER EDUCATION

Shown on this page is the master plan of Nutter Fort Intermediate School, located in Harrison, WV. The two main issues that were addressed in the design were to renovate the parking and to create a functional drainage system that was sufficient enough to hold the vast amount of run-off water. The parking renovation consisted on creating more parking spots for the teachers and visitors and also to create a stronger connection form the front parking to the main entrance of the school. Due to the ineffective wetland the overflow drainage was consistently flowing into the school. By designing a proper ecosystem for the wetland and directing the water in a serpentine fasion it would alleviate and slow down the rain water overflow. Implementing rain gardens, bioretentions, bio-swales and dry ponds on site creates a healthy water circulation and prevents the school from being flooded. The main goal of the design was to alleviate the stress impacted of the drainage as well as promoting a user friendly interaction within the site and fuse the two together in an embracing design.

COMPUTER

GRAPHICS PRUITT- IGOE

SUSTAINABLE LIVING URBAN PLANNING

TYSONS CORNER CORE DEVELOPMENT URBAN PLANNING

PRUITT-IGO ST. LOUIS, MO

E C

Rain water runoff is fltered down through green roofs and green walls and then transferred to Bios Swales Located as B. A Bios Swale is located along the green bridge that disperses water to rain gardens, crops, and water cisterns, then it travels to the water feature C. The water feature (Illustration on the right) shows how the water aerates down the wall. When the water level reaches its peak height it will then be sent into an overow drain that will then be sent to E. Also anther water feature located in the distance of illustration on the right shows the collection of rain water through art that then flows into water feature C. Rain Garden that collects overflow from the water feature C and sends it to water cisterns or sent underground to F.

Underground piping sends the water to the residential district G. to be use for water closets and irrigation This area is a rain garden that filters and cleans the grey water and spreads it out to crops and water cisterns that will flow the water back into the buildings.

THE LIVING CITY

The conceptual approach to my design is to embody nature and energy to an area that is in much need. The structures are all self-sustainable and provide food, water, and power; not only to the structures themselves but also neighboring buildings. Circulation is another key component to my design; the grid pattern in the street layout fit nicely with the adjacent streets creating easy access to the site. Notice the absence of parking lots; this is to cut down the vehicular traffic and CO2 admissions by providing walkable streets, bike paths, bus access and circular vegetated bridges. The vegetated bridges not only act as a walkable area, but also a space that produces crop gardens that can be grown and sold to local markets and restaurants creating job opportunities and healthier living. Another key factor in the bridges is it works at capturing and dispersing grey water from local buildings to nearby crops, rain gardens, bio swales, water features, and eventually into water cisterns that then filter and flow the water back into the buildings.

My design does not forget the history of Pruitt Igoe but yet embraces it though out the site using art, memorials, and gatherings to remind and teach people the history of what once stood there. My design also gives life back to Dickson St. which will provide ample opportunities for commercial and office districts to flourish. The brick used in the modern architecture throughout St. Louis will be implemented within my design on the streets, sidewalks, and architecture. I feel my design is about learning from the past and creating a future that can live on its own using renewable energy and proper water circulation and provide a safe and healthier living for the current and future of St. Louis.

C This illustrates the local gardens and crops that are incorporated in the residential building. This is healthier and economically beneficial.

This graphic shows the use of reusable enegry by implenting solar power panels to the roofs.

The orange illustrates the pedestrian circulation entering from the street and rising up to the residential complex which then bridges over the projected busy streets

Walkable streets, plazas and parks have proven to have many other individual and community health benefits. Complete streets give the opportunities for increased social interaction, an increase in the average number of friends and associates where people live, reduced crime rate, more open spaces and increased sense of pride for the area. One of most important benefits of walkability is the decrease of the automobile footprint in the community. Carbon emissions can be reduced drastically if more people are encouraged to choose to walk or bike rather than drive. Walkable cities has also been found to have economic benefits, including accessibility, cost savings both to individuals and to the public, increased efficiency of land use, increased livability, economic benefits from improved public health, and economic development, among others.

Both stepped greens located on the living complex are provided for growing crops. These growing crops can be regularly maintained by local residence or paid workers. This also provides a fun learning experience for the local schools to teach the kids how locally grown food can be healthy and good for the environment and economy. When you grow your own vegetables, you can control how much fertilizer, pesticide and herbicide you use on your plants. This means you can have healthy, chemical-free vegetables right at your fingertips. Tending a vegetable garden is physical work that burns calories and uses muscles. You can burn anywhere from 220 to 500 or more calories per hour simply by working in your vegetable garden.

This is my Capstone project done by me and two other individuals. This project received high recognition and we presented the project in front of the Fairfax county members to show how a gridded, high dense development could work in the area.

METRO STATION

A E B

G I

F The final master plan provides idealogical solutions to environmental, social, and economical needs of Tysons Corner. The plan highlights a dense core directly adjacent to the Central 123 Metro station(M). In this core area the design features building footprints for three signature high rise office buildings, relative mixed use buildings, and key connections from the Metro to the design as well as existing features. One of the most important concerns and solutions in this core area is providing a pedestrian safe and efficient access to the existing first and second floor entrances to the Tysons II Mall. The design features elevated walks, stair plazas, elevators, sheltered walks, and large outdoor sidewalks radiating from an iconic Metro plaza space. This also allows for a unique experience for visitors to move through out the site and promotes pedestrian walkability in an exciting way.

These graphics shown are conceptual renderings depicting the common green which is vital to the urban growth and success of the area.

These graphics are some analysis work me and my team did on the area.

The overall scope of the project is to develop a master plan that addresses and relieves existing issues as well as satisfying the future needs of Tysons Corner. The design will be focused on the Central 123 Metro station which has potential to become the central core for Tysons. The solution will embrace landscape architecture methodologies by use of careful planning, integration of sustainability, and providing a central green core. One of the biggest challenges that must be satisfied is to establish a sense of place, identity, and character to Tysons Corner. In order to achieve this goal careful planning will identify itself as the backbone by creating pedestrian friendly block sizes, efficient vehicular routes, and ample urban oasies that function with proposed densities. Many sustainable techniques will be implemented into the design with a focus on stormwater, water re-use, and energy production/conservation. A central green core has an incredible amount of potential at the Central 123 location because of its undeveloped landscape and location to core amenities Tysons Corner offers such as the two iconic shopping malls, Tysons I and II. A green core will bring a sense of place and a place of destination on the environmental front to Tysons by weaving nature into the urban fabric.

The diagram below breaks down the common green, which is built on top of a parking garage. The parking garage is broken down into three areas which will be color coded on the inside. This will help visitors to better understand where they are and how to get there desired destination. The parking garage will be equipped with elevators and stairs to get pedestrians to their destinations.

The two graphics on the left are showing the interaction of the common green. The top illustrates how a splash pad can be used as an ice skating rink in the winter time. The bottom graphic is showing a water filtration system for grey water that is also used as a water feature.

I recommend you visit are book for more in depth information, graphics, and explanation on this project: www.issuu.com/gogreen12/docs/tysonscornercentral123 Also visit the video we designed for this project on YouTube. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq0hc_tVrxo

The rendering shows the main pedestrian entrance to the common green. The entrance welcomes visitors with vibrant foliage and various paths. At the location of the main entrance there is a designated area to display local art pieces. The area offers high end residential buildings, small shops and restaurants that also provide night life destinations. Also shown in this graphic is a general idea for vegetation. Planters will be planted with specimen trees and colorful shrubs. The common greenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open field is lined with canopy trees as well as prime walk ways and the street scape.

*These are more examples of the overall city development me and my team designed. The computer renderings on the last two pages are credited to my project partner Kevin Kurdziolek.

This illustrates the main entrance to the parking garage located below the common green area. The plaza design comes from the curvilinear forms of the common green and the consistency of the grid. This location is a key threshold from the east portion of the site to the common green. The design features terraced lawns and water features. The tiered forms of the design provide passive seating areas for people to congregate and relax.

F G

The constructed wetland is an integral part of the design environmentally as it provides a place for aquatic life, birds, and other species to flourish. This area is also designed to store and treat all of the runoff from the grid.

This is a typical view of what one would see when looking out of one of the office windows looking down towards the Metro plaza. The Metro plaza uses linear and curvlinear paths to bring together the forms and signficance of the plaza.

This view is taken from the south east of the site looking across Rt. 123 towards Tysons II Mall. This rendering gives a scale to the overall development giving light to the three proposed signature office buildings with one being in the forefront of this image. All of the buildings on the master plan were conceptually built by us and a lot of thought was put into the size, style, and F.A.R for each building.

THANK YOU FOR LOOKING