Ben Thurston Landscape Architecture Portfolio

Benjamin Thurston

2007 - 2012

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

University of Rhode Island

Email: [email protected]

Cell: (207) 650-6051

Biscuit City Historic Park • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 & 2Biscuit City Road, South Kingstown, RI is home to one of the oldest historical buildings in the town. The site once had a mill and many other features. Goals for this project were restoration and functionality. Through clean-up phases, clear signage, and the management of natural forces, the 2011 LAR Junior Studio Class won the American Planning Association Outstanding Undergraduate Student Project Award.

Hand-Drawn/R.I.D.O.T. Courtyard• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3Rhode Island Department of Transportation Courtyard is located in Providence, RI. With limited space and a concept of tying R.I.D.O.T. into the design, a courtyard for outdoor gatherings was created. The project illustrations were produced by hand and the final poster was put together on the computer.

Hand Sketches • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4This page consists of a perspective, section view, and tree sketches.

AutoCAD Work • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 5 & 6While working with AutoCAD, many different projects were produced and several features of the program have been used. Road alignment, grading plan, layout plan, and construction details are shown on these two pages.

Deck Project • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 7 & 8Located at an unknown address was a residential house with the need of a deck. The design had to include a deck, a pergola, and a fence. All features were to be designed and placed accordingly. Layout plans, cost estimate, Google Sketch-Up model, and 3D model were all produced for the client.

Sketch-Up Work • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 9Woodward Hall Courtyard was located in front of the new Pharmacy building and adjacent to Tyler Hall and Woodward Hall at the University of Rhode Island campus. The courtyard was designed for student-faculty interaction and to accommodate an immense amount of traffic. The final product was produced in Google Sketch-Up.

Westerly Park • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 10Professor Richard Sheridan’s LA Junior Studio class was given the opportunity to create a successful business proposal on a site in Westerly, Rhode Island. The site featured a large empty building near an airport with a large amount of space. With very few limitations of what could be done, many students proposed a wide variety of business ideas. The company in this design is a Stone Masonry Design-Build Firm with an outdoor display / gathering space in front of the building.

Table of Contents

Community Planning• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11 & 12The community planning designs on these two pages include a thirty-lot development with open space, man-made pond, and a trail system through the site. The second development includes attached housing, a clubhouse, tennis court, playground, pool and a trail system around the existing pond.

SKHS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 13 & 14The South Kingstown High School (SKHS) is the initial start of a sustainable movement through school systems in the surrounding area. Many students and faculty at SKHS are motivated to clean up, reuse, and save their school campus. Under the champion slogan of Re-visualizing the Rebels, LA students produced ideas of ecological connections and sustainable practices that could change the face of the SKHS forever.

Emporium Planting Design • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 15The emporium located at the University of Rhode Island has little to no vegetation and consists mostly of asphalt. The goal of this design was to break up the pavement and parking without taking away from the functionality of the area. The vegetation in this site helps with storm-water runoff, air quality, and aesthetic appeal.

Sustainable Homestead • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 16The site is located in West Kingston, RI. The homestead has minimal impact on the land and features many different sustainable practices. The property is designed for a home owner looking to live with a low carbon footprint.

URI Orchard • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 17The site is located at the University of Rhode Island campus. Due to invading development on the farmlands around the campus, LA students created purpose and function for these areas to ward off potential developers. The existing Gardner Agronomy farm will be transformed to accommodate vast food production, a storage barn, and a large apple orchard for all community members to enjoy.

San Mateo School • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 18Located in San Mateo, Ixatatan, Guatemala, a newly built school will hold a storm-water catchment system with an interaction space for the students. The design can be applied anywhere, but this page shows a model for the students to enjoy and cherish. A space that is unique to their culture and climate.

Flagpole Garden - Internship • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 19 - 22The flagpole garden is the focal point of the parking lot at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth, ME. Proper plant selection, daily watering and with the goal of making the garden pop at the time of Member-Guest (the biggest tournament of the summer for the Club) made this garden successful.

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Biscuit City Road

Remembering the historical significance of the site

Making sure the restoration process did not destroy any artifacts

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Major erosion problems onsite

Management of storm-water is crucial for the functionality of this site

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Walkways were eroded

Need to be elevated and material needed to fix them

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Conditions of existing structures

Existing pond affects the entire site

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• • • •Wet Pond Schematic BMP

Structures are renovated appropriately

Invasive vegetation is cleared out and natives are planted for soil stability

Proper material is used

Pathways are graded to push runoff to swales down the center of the site

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Pond edge is easily walkable and will serve as a perfect habitat for wildlife in the area

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Runoff is directed into swales and down into the sediment trap

Water flows into the pond where it sits and slowly filters out through a waterfall on the lower side

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Plan

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Pond EdgePerspective

Structure Perspective

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R.I.D.OT. courtyard

Master plan shows garden beds, sitting areas, stone walls, and an outline of the surrounding building

These spaces are designed for employees on a lunch break or anyone wanting to enjoy a beautiful day in this limited environment

Design consists of stonewalls to create separate spaces

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Section View Sketch

Black & White Perspective Sketch

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

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CAD Plan Views: -Layout Plan -Road Alignment -Grading Plan

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Dry-Laid Stonewall

Stone Steps w/ Hand RailConcrete Turf Pavers

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Finish grade

Steel railing 2” dia.

16” x 5 1/2” typ. Granite tread riser

1/2” expansion joint

4”x4” Concrete base for steel railingConcrete Footing

(Reinforced as required)

Aggregate Backfill

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Stones placed into groundbelow frost line

Wall has a slope of 6” rise over 1” run

6” Aggregate base

Prepared subgrade

Concrete cellular turfgrids

Filled turf grids with top soil, mix with lime, fertilizer, and top with seed

2” Sand setting bed.

Separator fabric

4” Aggregate base

Prepared subgrade

6” long wooden bench with steel framework

Finish grade

1’x1’ Concrete blocks for bench to be placed on

6” Aggregate backfill

Prepared subgrade

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Residential home with wrap-around deck

The deck is located in the back yard of this home

Design includes: -Grill -Sitting area with table -Pergola over side entrance -Fence blocking views into backyard from road

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-Models were built in teams of 3

-You had to buy materials within a budget

-Deck framework (Joists, Beams, Flooring, etc..) had to be shown

-Shrubs, doors, and deck amentities were extra credit for creativity

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Woodward Courtyard

Section cut line shows the topography change in thecourtyard

Sketch-Up perspectives show great eye-level views ofwhat it would be like to walk into this space

Design creates an inviting experience that ties the threesurrounding buildings into a pleasant, functional areafor student-faculty interactions

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Section view across the entire site shows the relatively flat topography

Beautiful perspectives show the open yet secure environment that the front of this complex can offer

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Development features: -Plenty of open Space -Retention pond at the lowest point -Trail System -Sidewalk for pedestrian travel -Two entrances to the development -Plenty of privacy

Thirty-Lot Development

Road Section Illustration

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Development features: -Plenty of open space -Retention pond for storm-water -Trail system -Sidewalk for pedestrian travel -Two entrances to the development -1 bedroom / 2 bedroom homes - 2 bedroom has garage -Clubhouse with pool -Tennis court -Playground

Attached Housing Development

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-South Kingstown High School site analysis was thorough and optimistic -Circulation and other built features as well as the natural environment were all included in the analysis -The class looked into history of the school, its surrounding community, and school programs that use the campus -A 2-hour workshop was held and many community members helped complete the research

Pedestrian CirculationLooked into how students andfaculty moved through the campus and pointed out areas to address

Vehicular Circulation Looked into how cars and buses

moved through the campus and pointed out areas to address

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-South Kingstown High School re-design had a theme of ecological connections between water system & woodland area -Circulation and other built features were a top priority when looking at functionality of the re-Design -Outdoor educational spaces, parking areas, trail systems, and storm-water control are all addressed at SKHS -The campus is greatly improved and becomes a center for sustainable iniatives in the surrounding areas

Plan

Outdoor spaces for a variety of purposes Safe pedestrian routes with plenty of vegetation

Rain gardens to deal with storm-water flow through the parking lots

Functionality around the school was vital for heavy traffic success

Rendering by: Matt Fountaine

Rendering by: Sean Condon Rendering by: Sean Condon

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Section views show the importance of curb heights for storm-water management In-depth illustration

of tree planting

Beautiful views down emporium corridors

Plenty of pedestrian movement and parking spots

Stonewall and shrub illustration shows the relation between the two features.

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Planting plan was created to fix storm-water problems and add plant life to an urban environment

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Turn-around with maple tree grove

Plenty of parking

Wrap-around deck for entertaining visitors

Solar panels and rain water systems are all included

Chicken coop next to back-yard greenhouse and vegetable garden

Shed behind house to store equipment and tools

Entire yard is fenced-in to keep out predators

Fence was built with wood created from cutting trees down in order to make room for the house

The entire house lot has a very low carbon-footprint

The land has minimal disturbance and the house uses many sustainable practices

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Vegetable gardens will be placed around the barn for easy maintenance and security from wildlife

Barn will provide necessary machinery storage and outdoor farmers market

Goals:To preserve a traditional style of agriculture on campus

To provide enough corn for a variety of uses

To tie the heritage of Rhode Island into the design

To provide enough apple picking and supply for the entire student body

Site Includes:

-Proposed Barn -Vegetable Gardens -Corn Fields-Large Apple Orchard -Pathways -Stonewall to separate turf farm and orchard

BarnAppleOrchard

Vegetable Gardens

Rendering by: Mike Doucette

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Storm-water CatchmentInteraction Space

The design consists of a small intimate space for all ages and abilities

With making use of the climate and amount of rain they get, the shallow pool will be emptied and refilled every few weeks to guarantee clean water

There are trees for shade and different gardens for water filtration

The different landings blend into the topography

3-dimensional model School

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The Flagpole Garden - Focal Feature of the Clubhouse Entrance / Drop-Off Area

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Existing Conditions: -Cleared out dead vegetation -Removed some of the ornamental grass -Fixed parts of the stone wall

-Brought in material made on course

-Material is a soil composition made of: -Replaced bunker sand -Grass clippings -Loam made from aerating the fairways

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The design process consisted of on-site layouts and computer-generated imagery There was some on-site drawings to visually show sections of the garden

When the garden was fully installed, there was vigorous up-keep and maintenance done to guarantee growth and establishment

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Final Product at the Beginning of August

The garden was fully established Colors popped, the tree design was full, and everyone was happy

Thank You!

Ben Thurston Landscape Architecture Portfolio

Documents

Transcript of Ben Thurston Landscape Architecture Portfolio