| Experiential learning has always been at the heart of landscape architectural curriculum; design studios, plant taxonomy courses, graphics workshops -- all these give students a set of hands-on experiences invaluable to their development as a designer. When it comes to construction technologies, materials and their relationship to the design process however, experimental opportunities for learning at the most basic of levels regarding the connections between detail, material, budget and design are often overlooked in most LA educational experiences.
The Design/Build offerings at the University of Oregon facilitate a higher level of understanding regarding the myriad complexities of site design and construction on small and medium scale, site-specific projects. In this, and in many other ways, the program has been an unqualified success. Through the course of one or two 10-week terms, students engage in a design project that begins with site analysis and conceptual design, and quickly moves on to design development and into construction drawings.
Once construction drawings have been developed, students move on-site and begin the process of site preparation and layout. By the beginning of the third week, preliminary excavation is underway, details are being reworked and finalized, if necessary, and materials are being scheduled for delivery -- all of which students, working together with the faculty supervisor, take primary responsibility for.
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From that point on, construction takes place at a furious pace, with the understanding that elements must be built 'as drawn'. When things appear as if they are not going to work out as planned on paper, a powerful educational 'moment' occurs wherein students are required to resolve the problem in the field and 'on the boards'. Ultimately, the project is finished, and students come away from the experience with a much deeper awareness of materials and their capabilities, the need for clarity and comprehensiveness in the creation of designs and construction drawings, and with a better understanding of the design process and the important relationship between concept and detail -- a connection often overlooked and/or under-appreciated by students graduating from programs in landscape architecture and environmental design.
The program is one of only a few nationwide that offers students a hands-on learning experience involving the actual construction of a student-designed project as the primary vehicle for learning about design, detailing, project execution and management -- and it does so year after year. The program offers students an opportunity to explore construction methods and materials that may increase their understanding of, for example, environmentally-friendly construction techniques, or of the impact that certain materials exert on the accessibility, or on the cost, of a project. Design/Build at the University of Oregon also serves as both an outreach tool for the school, and as a significant service to the community outside of the university -- projects that would have otherwise never been built have been realized through the work of the program. The Springfield Project, for example, brought together the University, the City of Springfield, the Willamalane Park and Recreation District, the National Park Service, the local utility board, and many other members of the neighborhood and the local business community as supporters and participants in the project. The project would never have been able to happen, however, if not for the Design/Build studio, due to the costs inherent in the design and development of that particular site. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the studios have offered students from landscape architecture, architecture, interior architecture and planning a chance to work together as peers and share expertise in a manner that has promoted a great deal of interdisciplinary understanding and post-studio cross-over in the classes that students take, the studios that they participate in, and the extracurricular projects that students within the school undertake. Ultimately, the Design/Build program offers students many critical lessons that will impact their own understanding of the field and of their niche within it well into their professional future.
By bridging the gap between idea and reality, the Design/Build program accomplishes many things. In addition to its pedagogical role within the curriculum, it informs others both within and outside of the environmental design professions as to what landscape architects and environmental designers do. It also highlights in a positive light what many consider to be of increasing importance -- that the profession of LA has a long-standing commitment to community service and the improvement of our local environments.
The Projects
1994 - Springfield Millrace Park- The site was a historic dump, overgrown with blackberries, located adjacent to the hidden Springfield Millrace, and to the historic Springfield Depot, which currently houses both the Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the Visitor's Bureau. Over the summer, it was transformed into a park with picnic tables, benches, native plantings and interpretive signage regarding the Millrace and the history of Springfield. A kiosk reminiscent of the depot building's architecture, a 70-foot arbor, and an overlook extending over the regraded and newly restored bank provide structure, beauty, and function to this highly used and visible open space. During a February, 1996 visit to the Springfield Millrace Park, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt praised the project as an excellent example of a cooperative venture that effectively addresses the issues of environmental quality, ecological health, and urban quality of life. Following a brief presentation by representatives of the Springfield city council and the Willamalane Park and Recreation District, Babbitt was treated to a tour of the Millrace and a presentation by a studio participant that focused upon the project's history, process, and results. The project was a joint effort by the National Park Service's Rivers and Trails Assistance Program, the City of Springfield, Willamalane Park and District, the Springfield Utility Board, and the University.
1995 - University of Oregon Pedestrian Bridge and Millrace Park Improvements - The site was a badly damaged public space along the historic Eugene Millrace, adjacent to the University of Oregon. While the bank had eroded back nearly fifteen feet from its historic spot, an additional issue confronting the studio was the need to address pedestrian safety along a well-traveled route connecting the main campus to one of its largest parking lots, and to the offices of the University's Physical Plant. Prior to the project, pedestrian access was facilitated by having pedestrians share the roadway over an existing bridge with cars, delivery trucks and other vehicles used by the Physical Plant. This joint effort between two departments led to the design and construction of a new pedestrian bridge over the Eugene Millrace, along with the restoration of nearly 200 linear feet of bank, stabilized with low-cost/low-tech experimental methods that are being monitored over time. The project also improved pedestrian access along the Millrace, offering universal access while simultaneously encouraging the re-emergence of habitat along the waterway, ultimately serving to restore the landscape of one of the most heavily used parks in the area.
1996 - Le Marais: Fox Hollow French School Environmental Education Facility - This project involved the conversion of an abandoned playground into a facility that included a universally accessible kiosk and boardwalk adjacent to a newly created wetland in the south hills of Eugene. Upland wetlands were used as design analogs, and participants worked with teachers and staff on both the design and curriculum development for the facility. The wetland has already played host to waterfowl, tree frogs, deer, and other animals, and has also become a popular stop for neighborhood residents on their walks through the area. Students at the school have used the facility for science projects, and also for language lessons, creative writing, drawing, and also as a place to explore during non-school hours.
1997 - The Shire, West Meadow Bank Stabilization - The site, located on the northern bank of the Columbia River across from Multnomah Falls, was experiencing serious erosion following the floods of 1996 -- in the West Meadow alone, over 3 acres of land had been lost. Because this area of The Shire had been in agricultural production during its history, it was ineligible for funding from FEMA for repairs; therefore, participants researched, designed and installed four experimental 'low-cost/low-tech' bank stabilization techniques along the river's edge. The goal of this project, in addition to stemming erosion in the West Meadow during normal flow years along the Columbia, is to monitor the project over several years to determine the applicability of any or all of these methods to various Pacific Northwest landscapes such as farms, where bank stability along creeks could be enhanced through the use of methods easily installed by landholders with machinery and materials that they either have on hand or that they could easily acquire.
1999 - The University of Oregon Millrace; North Bank Restoration and Stormwater Management Project - More details to come
2001 - The Big Backyard; A Reggio-Emilia Inspired Play Yard for the Co-Op Family Center - More details to come
2003 - The University of Oregon Millrace; Stormwater Bioswale Sculpture - More details to come
2004 - The Campus Heart; A New Urban Space for the Center of Campus - More details to come
2006 - Lawrence Hall Courtyard; A New Community Space for A&AA - More details to come
