Matching Items (3)
Filtering by
- Creators: The Design School
Description
Now dry and broken, the Salt River once supplied a great legacy of Riparian vegetation through the Sonoran desert. This verdant landscape flourished from perennial flows of a river fed by high mountain snowmelt. However, multiple dams within those mountain canyons and channelization for the purpose of flood protection have nearly dried up the Salt. Through the process of design I examined the potential to repair, restore, and redevelop the river, choosing a site within the reach of the Salt River that currently includes an artificial retention area called Tempe Town Lake. Since 1999 a two mile portion of the river channel has contained the reservoir for the purpose of recreation and development within the city of Tempe. As I investigated the viability of restoring an urban desert river to a more natural riparian condition, I developed a master plan that merges ecological river restoration with sustainable urban development. Research into the vegetative communities historically occurring along the river's edge guided me to create a project based in ecological principles. Expanding the concrete channel to a wider river presence followed examples set by case studies and the historic character of the Salt River. A new braided low flow channel, allowed to meander with the natural currents of the river, is terraced upwards in a gentle slope that maintains current 500-year flow plains. The vegetation communities I propose to establish along the new terraced elevations are adapted from Charles H. Lowe's profile of a foothill canyon and archival research specific to this portion of the Salt River. As a way to support the reintroduction of Arizona's lost riparian plant communities, the master plan incorporates the use of greywater and A/C condensate collection from proposed developments along the river's edge. These new water systems would be substantial enough to sustain riparian vegetation creation and in addition, provide for ground water recharge. Additional developments continue the City of Tempe's goal to expand development along the river and adjacent to the downtown core. Providing for increased recreational opportunity in a river setting improves the quality of life in Tempe and sets the community apart from surrounding desert cities. By applying ecological and sustainable design and planning principles, the Salt River Diaries master plan repairs the river's flow, restores the riparian vegetation, and redevelops the edge between the city and river.
ContributorsBruckner, Coby Ryan (Author) / Fish Ewan, Rebecca (Thesis director) / Cook, Edward (Committee member) / Sykes, Astrid (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2014-05
Description
The intent of this study is to develop a new eco-cultural design model of development for the Salt River watershed and surrounding areas with renewed respect for the land in modern society. It includes both conceptual and practical community guides to facilitate and catalyze a new community-driven typology of planning prepared for rapid community change and climate challenges. This study includes the review of prominent existing projects, both regionally and globally, with expertise in the areas of urban development, culture and place keeping/making, ecology and water management. This study aims to exhibit the diverse components of urbanism and its effects on the Salt River corridor, surrounding urban ecosystems and climate. This thesis argues for simultaneous and codependent cultural and ecological growth and healing, and its necessity for sustainable urban development. Lastly, an urban revitalization framework is manifested in a community-oriented handbook based on key findings to produce a unified vision executed by watershed community co-design of the Phoenix metropolitan area.
ContributorsBascom, Erin Elizabeth (Author) / Coseo, Paul (Thesis director) / Underwood, Max (Thesis director) / Weisz, Claire (Committee member) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor, Contributor, Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
This project focuses on providing a series of Sensory Design Guidelines (SDG) for the creation of restorative environments for people and nature promoting cognitive health, motor skill development, and outdoor therapy for urban society’s most vulnerable. Although the project framework is structured around guidelines for the creation of spaces specifically designed for children with Sensory Processing Disorder, it is not restricted to that specific application. Guidelines are further developed structured around inclusive and universal design approaches.
The project is divided into four sections. The first section explores what Sensory Processing Disorder is, how Occupational Therapy with Sensory Integration positively impacts healing processes, and how designers can expand this processing into the natural healing environment of the great outdoors in a toxic and urbanized world. The second section discusses the vision, goals and objectives for implementation of Sensory Design Guidelines as discussed in the third section. And finally, the fourth section provides a conceptual example of what SDG would look like when applied to a physical site along a natural corridor in a densely urbanized landscape.
The final example of SDG implementation is applied to a site along the Salt River (Rio Salado) Corridor in Phoenix, Arizona. The Corridor is the subject of a coordinated inter-agency public/private restoration initiative spanning more than fifty-five miles along the Salt River that has been strongly supported by former U.S. Senator John McCain and greatly influenced by active involvement from Arizona State University students. The designated example site is designed as one site to be utilized in a larger network of easily accessible Sensory sites, each to be designed with a different approach to sensory development, as well as variation in challenges based on age and sensory abilities. Guidelines are intended to work in conjunction with future local projects promoting social and ecological growth and wellbeing, such as the Phoenix site is intended to work in conjunction with future Rio Re-imagined projects.
The findings, guidelines, and examples provided throughout the paper are focused on re-inventing the relationship between the built and natural environments in the urbanized landscape into one of daily nature-engagement and can be applied to any group living within an urban setting. By designing for society’s most vulnerable populations, design application benefits not only the individual, but creates a resilient, healthy environment for the entire urban population today, and for future generations.
The project is divided into four sections. The first section explores what Sensory Processing Disorder is, how Occupational Therapy with Sensory Integration positively impacts healing processes, and how designers can expand this processing into the natural healing environment of the great outdoors in a toxic and urbanized world. The second section discusses the vision, goals and objectives for implementation of Sensory Design Guidelines as discussed in the third section. And finally, the fourth section provides a conceptual example of what SDG would look like when applied to a physical site along a natural corridor in a densely urbanized landscape.
The final example of SDG implementation is applied to a site along the Salt River (Rio Salado) Corridor in Phoenix, Arizona. The Corridor is the subject of a coordinated inter-agency public/private restoration initiative spanning more than fifty-five miles along the Salt River that has been strongly supported by former U.S. Senator John McCain and greatly influenced by active involvement from Arizona State University students. The designated example site is designed as one site to be utilized in a larger network of easily accessible Sensory sites, each to be designed with a different approach to sensory development, as well as variation in challenges based on age and sensory abilities. Guidelines are intended to work in conjunction with future local projects promoting social and ecological growth and wellbeing, such as the Phoenix site is intended to work in conjunction with future Rio Re-imagined projects.
The findings, guidelines, and examples provided throughout the paper are focused on re-inventing the relationship between the built and natural environments in the urbanized landscape into one of daily nature-engagement and can be applied to any group living within an urban setting. By designing for society’s most vulnerable populations, design application benefits not only the individual, but creates a resilient, healthy environment for the entire urban population today, and for future generations.
ContributorsSquyres, Katryn O (Author) / Coseo, Paul (Thesis director) / Hargrove, Allyce (Committee member) / The Design School (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05