The ways we choose to modify and manage the landscapes around us have enormous local and global consequences. Single-family houses now dominate the suburban landscapes of Washington, D.C., including Columbia, MD. These planned housing developments typically have a clean, tidy appearance with mown grass and trimmed shrubs. Unfortunately, this ordered presentation does not provide the […]
Read More… from Tidy or Tangled: How People Perceive Landscapes
The Elkhorn Promenade project revitalizes the Owen Brown Village Center in Columbia, Maryland into a competitive and locally sourced mixed use residential and retail destination. The Elkhorn Promenade will give residents a strong desire to walk, bike or even take a short drive to a destination with a tailored experience. Don’t go downtown; go next […]
Our aim with this project was to enhance the synergy and connectivity of this site, while increasing previous surfaces to catch and filter site runoff before entering the lake. Increasing the seating for event spaces/ social gatherings was also a critical aspect of the design. We used a geometric site layout to carry out our […]
Read More… from Reflect & Connect: Lake Kittamaqundi, Columbia
Sitting along the edge of Lake Kittamaqundi, the Columbia Lakefront serves as one of the much broader open spaces in Columbia Town Center. The site sits to the East of the Columbia Mall and has served for the town of Columbia for outdoor events since the 1990s. Each year Columbia Lakefront holds events such as […]
We aim to create a waterfront destination park that: introduces opportunities for economic growth as Downtown Columbia becomes increasingly urbanized and developed; connects to the greater plan for Columbia; restores Jim Rouse’s original vision for Columbia by incorporating historical elements; increases pedestrian access; introduces greater handicap access; allows for social gathering on many different scales, […]
The Guilford Gateway Trail project presented here proposes to transform 3.5 miles of unused CSX railroad right-of-way into a shared use path system to serve the Southeast Howard County area. The section of right-of-way extends from Washington Boulevard (Route 1) in Jessup northwest to the intersection of Broken Land Parkway and Snowden Parkway passing residential, […]
This document aims to address the topics involved in the creation and management of meadows as well as provide informational supplementary sources. In this case, we are examining the potential of meadows to be used as alternatives to open grass spaces that require frequent mowing. These mowed open spaces are maintained as a buffers that […]
In the urban landscape, ecosystems are being fragmented into smaller and smaller pieces that lack the connectivity and resources to function properly. Riparian zones are ecosystems that act as an ecotone, or interface, between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. A properly functioning riparian ecosystem provides a multitude of ecosystem services that help keep the surrounding area […]
Students in the Master of Architecture program worked with representatives from the Howard County Department of Planning, the Columbia Association, and the Owen Brown Village board to come up with redevelopment schemes for Owen Brown Village Center. The semester began with the production of a series of base maps, which analyzed demographics, issues hydrology and […]
This feasibility report is submitted for completion of the Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) degree program in the Capstone course, RDEV 688I, Spring 2016 at the Colvin Institute, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, University of Maryland College Park. MRED candidate Kevin A. Fitzgerald, RA authored this report under the mentorship of Tim Pula, […]
Read More… from Elkhorn Channelside Columbia, Maryland, A Mixed-Use Sustainable Village Center