LARC 160 Introduction to Landscape Architecture spring 2008 Due: Monday, April 21, 2008 in class Design Response 15% of grade To provide affordable faculty and staff housing on the University of Maryland campus, President Mote and the Board of Trustees plan to transform the academic buildings around Tawes Plaza into apartments for University faculty and their families. The current academic buildings are to be relocated to the administration building on McKeldin Mall. The transformation of the buildings for families requires a complete redesign of Tawes Plaza. As the design team s landscape architect, you have been asked to submit a design proposal to the Board of Trustees. The response must contain two parts: 1) An analysis of the current plaza, and; 2) A design concept for the new space. The Board of Trustees requires that the street and existing perimeter sidewalks remain, as well as the current entrance doors and stairs to existing buildings. The landscape may be completely redesigned. Any underground utilities may be relocated. The Board of Trustees and the Faculty/Staff have requested that the following items be included in the redesigned space: A play area for children (6-12 years old); A level area for group recreation (yoga, calisthenics, Tai Chi); A paved surface for half-court basketball; A picnic area with chairs and tables; A quiet study area for students; A bus shelter and area for bike parking; An ornamental fountain or pool; Beds for vegetable and flower gardens; Planting beds for shade trees, shrubs and groundcovers; To respond to President Mote s request, prepare a Design Response containing the following: 1-Prepare a written one-page site analysis of Tawes Plaza as it exists with a diagram that shows your observations. The analysis should address existing natural and man-made features, include observations on how the space is currently used, and summarize its strengths or weaknesses. The analysis should examine solar orientation (shade/shadow), views, drainage, vegetation, user patterns, circulation, and relationships between the surrounding architecture and the site. A diagram must accompany the site analysis. Refer to examples that follow as well as those in the course textbook by Simonds and Starke. 2- Develop a two-page design proposal for the new space that includes the following: a. State a design philosophy: the big idea behind the redesign of the plaza; b. Explain how the new design fits the site conditions itemized in Part 1. c. Explain how the design responds to the needs of the new residents; d. Describe how the design is organized. Refer to your notes from the lectures on design organizations. e. f. Describe the features of the design and how they contribute to the new spatial organization; Give a new name for the plaza that reflects the new design s attitude. 3-Prepare a concept diagram that explains your design proposal, using the plan view of the existing plaza as a guide. The diagram should show the general arrangement, location and relative sizes of spaces, the proposed pathways and walks, and the edges that define the proposed space. All features should be labeled. Examples of concept diagrams follow. You are not expected to draw a scaled design plan, although this is certainly welcome and will be considered for extra credit. The proposal will be evaluated according to the following criteria: 1) Site analysis and diagram of existing Tawes Plaza (20%); 2) Description of the proposed design and its spatial organization (30%); 3) Proposal s response to user needs (20%) 4) Clarity of proposed concept diagram (10%) 5) Organization and grammar of proposal (20%) The site map of the existing Tawes Plaza is attached to the assignment. A plan showing the plaza without its existing features is attached and may help in preparing the concept diagram. Deadlines and Format Requirements Design Responses are due at the beginning of class on Monday, November 19, 2007. Late work will not be accepted, unless student has obtained <a href="/keyword/prior-written-permission/" >prior written permission</a> from the instructor. The total written response sho...