| Greensboro, NC: Combining history, site analysis
and concept development, students in North Carolina A&T State University's
Landscape Architecture Program are offering plans for the future of locations
in the Greensboro area.
The work being done by the graduating seniors is part of Peter Callahan's
Landscape Architecture Design II class, and a requirement for graduation
from A&T's Landscape Architecture Program.
"The senior project is a fairly accurate imitation of what a landscape
architect's work will be like after graduation," said Callahan, an
assistant professor of landscape architecture. "Using a specific area,
students are required to develop and present a plan which considers all
of the factors in landscape architecture."
According to Callahan, prime considerations in the plans developed by landscape
architects are the site's topography, natural resources and current relationship
to the community around it, as well as its history and culture.
All of these factors were part of Paul Fidishun's plan for the portion
of Elm Street immediately south of Market Street in downtown Greensboro.
Fidishun, a May 1998 A&T graduate from Greensboro, spent numerous hours
researching the details of his plan.
"The history of Greensboro is strongly tied to the history of downtown
Greensboro," said Fidishun. "In drawing my plans, I tried to
learn as much about the history and culture of South Elm Street as I could,
then incorporate that history into my plans by accentuating some of the
historical and architectural elements already there."
To gather background information for his plan, Fidishun consulted city
offices and Downtown Greensboro Incorporated, an independent, non-profit
agency that works closely with the private sector and local government
to strengthen the downtown area.
In the coming days, between interviewing for landscape architecture jobs
around the state, Fidishun hopes to share his plan with some of the agencies
which helped him gather information.
Preserving history and culture was also a goal of Deborah Brown and Tony
Goad, who focused efforts for their projects on Battleground National Military
Park in northwest Greensboro.
Brown, from Greensboro, studied the park's history and used this information
to write a cultural landscape report for the park and its battlefield.
"A cultural landscape report guides decision makers by helping them
assess current cultural resources and making them aware of the significance
of historical events within our landscapes," said Brown. "With
this information, they are better positioned to make decisions which preserve
and protect the area in question."
In writing her report, Brown researched such historical factors as settlement
patterns, land use and past vegetation patterns. Brown then used computer-aided
design software to digitize existing maps and to overlay battle lines from
the 1781 confrontation between British troops led by General George Cornwallis
and the American Revolutionary Army led by General Nathaniel Green.
Brown has submitted her report to park authorities and will soon present
her research to this group. "In light of declining funding for national
parks, leaders must have all of the facts before them to help them make
appropriate and efficient decisions," said Brown.
Goad, from Winston-Salem, studied problems related to the road system and
traffic flow in and around Battleground National Military Park.
"Battleground National Military Park is located in one of the fastest
growing areas in Guilford County," said Goad. "Because of its
location and the structure of the road system, the park must contend with
residential and industrial encroachment and high traffic volume."
Goad studied a number of different possibilities to alleviate some of the
park's problems, before outlining five concepts and the positive and negative
consequences of each. His recommended approach was employing two traffic
tunnels to minimize traffic intersections.
"Because roads bisect the park, the continuous circulation of traffic
in the area combined with pedestrian flow causes some safety concerns,"
said Goad. "The plan that I recommend would reduce traffic in the
park and near pedestrians, without tampering with the park's historical
significance and representation."
In formulating his plan, Goad worked with the park's historian and superintendent,
and with the National Park Service in Atlanta. The plan is being shared
with both agencies, and Goad is hopeful that it will be used as a basis
for further plans and in obtaining funds to improve the park.
Other projects undertaken by the students in Callahan's class focused on
areas ranging from blighted urban neighborhoods to suburban golf course
communities.
"The work of landscape architects is diverse," said Callahan.
"By giving students a chance to apply the skills they learned through
the Landscape Architecture Program to an area of interest to them, the
senior project allows students to explore and develop foci for their careers."
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For more information, please contact Peter Callahan, NC A&T Landscape
Architecture Program, (336) 334-7520.
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