Landscape Architecture Studio Project Receives Awards
The effort and ideas generated in a K-State landscape architecture studio resulted in several awards for the participating students and faculty.
The fall 2006 LAR 744 Community Planning and Design studio received a merit award in the Prairie Gateway Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) design competition. The project also was the only student submission to be recognized with an honor award at the first annual Central States ASLA awards program. The prize was given at an awards banquet held in May in Des Moines, IA, in conjunction with a conference entitled, “People and Parks: From the Corner Lot to the Nation’s Playground.”
“Eight Visions for One Community,” the studio project, was a proposal for redevelopment of the defunct first-tier suburban Bannister Mall area in Kansas City, Missouri. The 3 Trails Community Improvement District (CID) sought the studio’s assistance as they considered options for the area’s future. Stephanie Rolley, FASLA, AICP, professor of landscape architecture, led the studio. Stephen Rhoades, ASLA, of Patti Banks Associates and the Mid-America Regional Council of Kansas City, assisted with the class. The students’ work was also informed by guest lectures presented by Lee Sobel, author of “Greyfields to Goldfields,” retail expert Robert Gibbs and traffic engineer Michael Wallwork.
According to Rolley, the project goals and objectives were grounded in the service learning opportunities for the studio and the client. “Students were provided the opportunity to explore the designer’s role in community decision making while working with community leaders to address the complex implications and opportunities of real constraints,” she said. “In exchange, the client was provided with design services that they would otherwise not have had access to and was able to engage a broader range of decision makers and stakeholders because of those groups’ willingness to explore new ideas with students.”
Rolley described the project as being accomplished in three separate phases: research, inventory and planning/design. She said, “The semester began with research to provide grounding in urbanism, greyfield redevelopment and the metropolitan context of the community improvement district (CID). That research provided a basis for the planning and design proposals for the project. The project continued with in-depth investigation and analysis of the community and mall. The class identified planning and design issues that would shape the design proposals prepared during the third phase of the semester. The semester concluded,” Rolley said, “with communication of the research and design proposals to the decision makers and stakeholders of the CID. Inspired by research into community design principles and examples of greyfield redevelopments around the country and informed by the in-depth inventory and analysis of the site conditions, eight teams of students prepared design proposals for the CID.”
Student participants were Zachary Borg, Lincoln, NE; Ellen Calhoun, Sparta, MO; Aaron Coleman, Marshall, MO; Jerod Eller, Gardner, KS; Bryan Elsey and Chris Elsey, Greenwood Village, CO; Kyle Fitzgerald, Meriden, KS; Judson Gladin, Oakley, KS; Ryan Halterman, Overbrook, KS; Anthony Howsden, Kearney, NE; Erin Hower, Overland Park, KS; Brad Hus, El Dorado, KS; John Iffrig, St. Louis, MO; Christopher Johnson, St. Louis, MO; Andrew Jordan, Wichita, KS; Gary Jueneman, Hanover, KS; Kyle Knecht, Kansas City, MO; Ryan Kutz, Perryville, MO; Rob Malone, Great Bend, KS; Katie Martin, Perryville, MO; Brandon McBride, Overland Park, KS; Patrick Moran, Humble, TX; Scott Nance, Olathe, KS; Andrew Pontius, St. Joseph, MO; Nathan Qualls, Mexico, MO; Jodi Reinholdt, Canon City, CO; Mike Rieger, Topeka, KS; Brandon Scott Roberts, Wichita, KS; Aaron Ross, Manhattan, KS; Alison Schmack, Spring Hill, KS; Wendy Seibel, McPherson, KS; Jeff Shoop, Vermillion, SD; Akin Smith, Manteca, CA; Stephanie Spencer, Walnut Grove, MO; Stephen Thole, New Baden, IL; Dennis Tonsor, Monroe City, MO; Luke Urie, Kansas City, MO; Michael Verseman, Perryville, MO; and Catherine Wisian, Amarillo, TX. All were fifth-year students during the 2005-2006 academic year and May 2006 recipients of the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture.
Amy Asher, Silver Spring, MD, was the graduate teaching assistant for the studio. Lou Austin is the district manager of the 3-Trails Community Improvement District.
For more information, contact:
Stephanie Rolley, 785.532.5961
Diane Potts, 785.532.1090