MICHIGAN ASLA 2005 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Twentieth Annual Michigan Chapter ASLA Awards Program

Congratulations to our six award winners!

Honor Award Winner:

     O'Boyle, Cowell, Blalock and Associates -- The Recreation Core, Millennium Park

Merit Award Winners:

     Beckett & Raeder -- Marquette Lower Harbour Study

     Grissim Metz Andriese -- The Henry Ford (Greenfield Village) Project

     JJR -- Craig Mawr Cottage

     JJR -- Oden Fish Hatchery and Watershed Walk

     Michael J. Dul and Associates -- Fire Station Garden

Student Award Winners:

    Under Construction

Honor Award Winner:

Firm: O'Boyle, Cowell, Blalock and Associates

Client: Kent County Parks

Project Title: The Recreation Core, Millennium Park

Project Location: Kent County, Michigan

In 1998, Kent County’s Board of Commissioners instituted a plan to purchase additional properties and dramatically increase publicly held parkland in Kent County.  As part of that plan, the Kent County Road & Park Commission began looking at ways to expand Johnson Park located along the Grand River.  By 1999, this idea had grown to include a reclamation plan for 1,600 acres of previously mined industrial land with over five miles of river frontage.  This was the beginning of Kent County’s Millennium Park.  Located in the cities of Grand Rapids, Walker, Wyoming and Grandville, the park development effort has been led by the Kent County Parks Department, with support from the State of Michigan and Kent County community leaders who have been instrumental in raising private donations.  Total development costs are estimated at over $30 million.

The first phase of Millennium Park, the Recreation Core, has transformed approximately 200 acres of exhausted gravel pits into a park for active recreation.  The Recreation Core is designed to accommodate 10,000 visitors per day and has become a major regional destination.  The design focuses around a six-acre swimming beach with opportunities for fishing and non-motorized boating in 100-acres of spring fed lakes created during the mining process.  A beach house provides locker rooms, showers, restrooms, and concessions.  A large veranda overlooks the beach and an 800-foot long promenade provides physical and visual access to the waterfront.  The promenade links the veranda with the water spray park, the adventure play area and accommodates special events and festivals.  It also separates the beach from the adjacent lawn and picnic areas and allows visitors to be a part of the beach “scene” without walking in the sand

The history and culture of the Kent County community has been incorporated in the Recreation Core by: 

• The use of stone and ornamental iron in the park to reflect the craftsmanship of the Grand Rapids furniture industry and the mining history of the site.
• An ambitious soil restoration and planting plan that required importing 40,000 cubic yards of topsoil to begin the process.   
• The use of tensil fabric structures on the veranda overlooking the beach to evoke a nautical feel and enhance the waterfront experience. 
• A custom designed clock tower to recall the area’s clock building heritage, and provide a focal point for the beach area.

Active use areas within the Recreation Core are planted in lawn to maximize their functionality.  Other areas have been restored with native prairie and wetland seed mixes to minimize maintenance, cleanse storm water runoff and establish wildlife habitat.  The once bleak landscape, drilled for oil and mined for gypsum, gravel and sand has been planted with over 1,100 trees, 900 shrubs and 9,000 ground covers and perennials.  Eventually, hundreds of acres of Millennium Park outside the Recreation Core will be restored to provide visitors with 20 miles of walking paths and eight miles of canoe trails.

The Recreation Core has been highly visible during its transformation from industrial mining site to major public park.  The magnitude of the project has made it a focus of media attention and allowed residents to view the reclamation and restoration first hand.  The community has developed an understanding that degraded land can be improved and re-used to serve a better purpose.  Future phases of Millennium Park will incorporate interpretive signage to explain the history of the land and tell the story of the park’s inception and development.

Merit Award Winners:

Firm: Beckett & Raeder

Client: The City of Marquette

Project Title: Marquette Lower Harbour Study

Project Location: Marquette, Michigan

The Marquette Lower Harbor has transformed over the years from a bustling center of industrial and shipping activity to one of low use, abandonment and decay.  The ore docks and rail yards were vacated as the national economy shifted its raw material needs elsewhere.  Water related activities such as fishing, bulk commodity transshipment, boat building and repair, and recreational boating have traditionally dominated the harbor. 

The Lower Harbor plays a major role in the identity of Marquette.  The community recognizes the importance of its history in Marquette’s development as a successful community in the Upper Peninsula.  The property is part of Marquette’s rich maritime and mining heritage with several portions of the site used in the 1800’s for waterfront docks and warehousing.  The property has approximately a quarter-mile of Lake Superior waterfront, which is used by the public for numerous activities.  It was the responsibility of the landscape architect to identify the key features that held sway with the public’s vision of the harbor’s influence on their heritage and to balance the differing views for the harbor’s future development. 

In recent years, varying groups have shown an interest in reclaiming the harbor and making it a vital part of the community once again.  As is often the case, however, these groups differed in their opinion as to the best use of the harbor.  Some preferred private development and revenue generating uses, while others proposed public recreation and environmental restoration.  In response to the under use of these facilities and to the varying interest groups, the Lower Harbor Study was commissioned by the City of Marquette Planning Commission to review existing and proposed land uses along the Lake Superior waterfront and to prepare a coordinated plan which would guide future development in this dynamic area.

The City of Marquette commissioned a review of opportunities in the harbor and how best to maximize development opportunities without impairing historic, recreational, scenic, and environmental elements. Since the public is very involved in decision making in the community, a series of workshops were held throughout the planning process to provide a forum for sharing concerns and priorities related to the future of the waterfront.. Information gained in the visioning process helped to form the foundation of the Framework Plan, the long-range master plan for the Lower Harbor.

The Framework Plan embodies a number of varying land uses, which are organized to provide an integrated, mixed use development which strengthens the downtown, protects and enhances sensitive natural features, and provides economic development opportunities for the community.   An Illustrative Plan was developed to graphically illustrate how the Lower Harbor could be developed over time based on implementation of the Framework Plan. The ideas exhibited in the Illustrative Plan reveal an interactive mixture of land uses, depicting how economic development potentials can be accommodated in harmony with environmental attributes.  To guide the long-range development of the harbor, a new zoning district was proposed known as the “Waterfront District”.  This zoning district created an opportunity to focus clearly on the waterfront and its unique issues.  This divided the harbor into five sub-areas, which regulated future development based on the guidelines delineated in the Framework and Illustrative plan.

The landscape architect and planner worked with the community and various interest groups, holding visioning sessions by way of a guided forum to voice desires, possibilities and opportunities.  There was intensive community involvement at all levels that lead to consensus on issues that ranged from daylighting the Whetstone Brook to retaining the ore docks to allowing a through road that acted as a development boundary as well as a connecting link all along the shoreline.  In terms of site work, it was proposed that the invasive species be removed in favor of a reintroduction of native plants; that linkages be made—through a Tea-21 grant—so bicycles and pedestrians have a continuous path along the entire shoreline; that the Whetstone Brook be daylighted; that Gaines Rock, a distinct geologic feature, be preserved and its prominence enhanced; that a brownfield site be restored; and generally to provide public access to a popular stretch of community shoreline.  The landscape architect developed the Framework and Illustrative Plans that made the community desires clear.

Firm: Grissim Metz Andriese

Client: The Henry Ford

Project Title: The Henry Ford (Greenfield Village) Project

Project Location: Detroit, Michigan

Developed by Henry Ford to capture a piece of American History, Greenfield Village, comprised of more than 85 acres, is a collection of turn of the century artifacts and one of the largest outdoor historic museums in the United States. 

In an effort to improve the existing 70 year-old infrastructure and to guide the development for future enhancements, the Village retained Northville based Landscape Architects and Civil Engineers, Grissim Metz Andriese Associates, to embark upon a comprehensive Master Plan. The Master Plan addressed an array of issues, from overall identity and site organization to retail, theme recognition, with a primary focus on improving the visitor experience.

The new Master Plan for Greenfield Village creates an exciting and entertaining, world-class destination place dedicated to its mission of historical education. New wayfinding and orientation, infrastructure and zoning improvements, and engaging experiences with outdoor exhibits are integrated in the Master Plan to strengthen the significance and identity of this historical landmark, increase the awareness of its educational value, and sustain Henry Ford’s original vision to preserve a collection of Americana for future generations to enjoy.

The Master Planning and Village Reconstruction Team consisted of Grissim Metz Andriese Associates (GMA), Landscape Architects/Site Master Planners; JGA, Inc., Consulting Design Architects; Arcadis, Civil/Electrical Engineers and Associate Architects; Wade Trim, Construction Manager; W.H. Canon, Landscape Contractor and Walbridge Aldinger, Infrastructure Contractor. GMA led the design team efforts through the master planning and site development process.  During an eight-week period, GMA undertook site inventory/analysis and intensive interview sessions with user groups and representatives of the Village. The firm established an office right in the heart of Greenfield Village, immersing the design and planning team in the site and its activities. Collectively, the team addressed issues in a comprehensive way – from transportation, security and maintenance, to marketing, retail components and visitor experience. One result of this effort is the incorporation of best management practices for storm water management by designing ponds and streams for the collection and utilization of storm runoff.  Storm water will be used for operating a grist mill and to irrigate landscaped areas.

A key challenge of the design and reconstruction effort was the separation of the various types of traffic and uses throughout the Village. Transportation routes were devised throughout the Village for horse drawn carriages and historic cars and service vehicles, as well as, pedestrians.  Since the sight of service and maintenance vehicles diminishes the historical authenticity of the visitor’s experience, a routing network accommodated both needs. Pedestrian visitors follow defined and safe paths. Motorized vehicles are eliminated in certain areas and service routes are out of view from visitors.

Firm: JJR

Client:

Project Title: Craig Mawr Cottage

Project Location: Mackinac Island, Michigan

Scenic Mackinac Island, overlooking the Great Lakes of Michigan and Huron, is the setting for a newly restored island vacation residence and Victorian era garden.  Known as the Craig Mawr Cottage, it was originally built in 1890-91 on the east bluff of Mackinac Island.  With a rich history of 114 years Craig Mawr was owned by one family for nearly 95 years.  Purchased in 2000 its current owners were keen to restore the house and grounds to its original design, but with the addition of modern indoor and outdoor twenty-first century amenities. 

The Craig Mawr Cottage was built after the park service began leasing lots for private residences in 1884.  Built on Lot 26 the parcel is approximately 110’ x 350’ and is oriented with southern exposure one hundred feet above the Straits of Mackinac. The second owner was an avid gardener, and created the site’s gardens from 1905 into the 1920’s.  Her original design included four primary zones: the front yard and arrival garden; the side yard and service area, the rear formal gardens; and the carriage house and vegetable gardens.  Planting designs were very formal with many elaborate beds, garden structures including sheds, trellises, pergolas, a wading pool, small fountains, fences, planters, and urns. 

JJR created a site plan and illustrative design sketch incorporating the owner’s desire for a swimming pool and more active outdoor spaces that fit within the formal, axial layout and terraces of the original design.  The concept for the pool design was for it to appear as a fountain.  The new pool becomes the focal point for the rear gardens, its dimension and design in careful symmetry with the proportion of the space.  Bluestone was used for the pool terrace surround, hand selected for color to match the local limestone of the walls.  The side yard trellises and the pergola at the upper terrace were rebuilt and planted, and the limestone walls and steps were restored. The perennial borders and cutting gardens were planted based on the historic photographs, site conditions, and the new owners’ tastes.  Many existing perennials were salvaged and re-used, temporarily stored in an on-site nursery during construction.

For the front yard, the Victorian character of the 1905 arrival garden and front façade had been greatly altered in subsequent additions to the house.  Restoration to the façade included rebuilding the upper story dormers, turret and front porch.  The team re-established the arrival garden with new walks, planters and perennial beds sensitive to the original design and preserving the dramatic views from the home. 

The original carriage house and vegetable gardens carried many of the same details of the main house and gardens.  Restoration on the carriage house included rebuilding its entrance pergola, rebuilding the raised vegetable beds, and constructing a new horse paddock.  Traces of the old gravel drive were uncovered, rebuilt, and interplanted with wild flowers for an ‘aged’ look.

The long pergola at the upper terrace and its supporting stone walls had been a favorite part of the gardens, but had suffered from time and neglect.  Local craftsmen restored the stone wall, and repaired the historic wall fountain of Bacchus, an important visual terminus on the main axis from the house.  Gravel walks, perennials, and new vines planted along the rebuilt pergola restore it to its original charm.

JJR had primary responsibility for the design and restoration of all of the site work, and collaborated with the homeowners and the preservation architects in coordinating the site design with the restoration of the buildings. JJR also coordinated a larger design and implementation team that included civil engineers, structural engineers, a forester and horticulturalist, contractors, and local artisans.

Firm: JJR

Client: Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Project Title: Oden Fish Hatchery and Watershed Walk

Project Location: Northern Michigan

Renovation of the Oden State Fish Hatchery and Watershed Walk has been integral to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.  Visitation to Michigan's state fish hatcheries is remarkably popular.  Visitors come because they are interested in fish and are interested in observing fish in their natural habitat.  The MDNR recognized that the restoration of the trout stream within a larger, interpretive environmental design would help its efforts to reach and captivate visitors.  The Oden Fish Hatchery and Watershed Walk is a creative example of engaging and educating the public, and is a strong vehicle for delivering stewardship messages.

Prior to the design and construction of the Oden State Fish Hatchery and Watershed Walk, the education and information facilities at the existing Oden State Hatchery was fragmented, uncoordinated, outdated and inadequate. The visitor was greeted by an environment unable to support a comprehensive hatchery and environmental interpretation effort, with dirt parking lots, chain link fences, and “Keep Out” signs along dilapidated concrete raceways.  In 2003, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources built a new state-of-the-art fish hatchery, turning the original 100-acre hatchery site into a nature center that offers interpretive trails and interactive displays focusing on Michigan’s world-class trout streams and their importance to the Great Lakes ecosystem.  

Taking the most unappealing element of the site, the crumbling concrete lined raceways, the restored a coldwater trout stream as the thread that binds together all of the amenities at the nature center.  The original hatchery was constructed on this site in the early 1920s centered on two beautiful; three-acre spring ponds nestled at the base of steep slopes in a beech maple forest.  Transforming these raceways into a natural trout stream provided an opportunity for visitors to physically interact with a healthy trout stream. 

At the turn of the 20th century the State of Michigan was producing fish to plant in coldwater streams, as part of its effort to re-establish a healthy fishery previously decimated by logging practices.  The Wolverine Fish Car played a vital role in delivering millions of fish to area streams.  The JJR team realized that a recreation of the Wolverine Fish Car was an excellent opportunity to teach visitors about Michigan’s historic and cultural connection to the state’s fishery program.  A 1920 Pullman train car was purchased and completely renovated into a reproduction of the Wolverine Fish Car.   The Fish Car also serves as a new Welcome Center with interactive exhibits and a computer kiosk. 

Recognizing that the site was rather large, the team realized the need for additional destinations that would encourage visitors to explore the site.  Two concepts emerged: an underwater viewing chamber, and the Big Fish Pond.  The underwater viewing chamber is located approximately 1,000 feet upstream from the Fish Car.  There, visitors get an ‘eye-to-eye’ experience with big trout in their natural habitat.  The chamber was constructed with two separate, six-by-eight foot windows set below grade.  One window displays a riffle with water rushing over large cobble and gravel, extending below the soil substrate to display aquatic macro invertebrates, or as the kids describe them “icky bugs and worms”.  The other window shows a deep plunge pool where larger fish lurk behind woody debris, and ducks or mink occasionally swim by.  Further along, the Big Fish Pond was developed, to provide an opportunity to see large coldwater fish in their native habitat.  Visitors try to match the fish they see in the water with the full color displays on the nearby interpretive signs.  The excitement of seeing trout explode from the water to feed on the pellets the visitor throws in leaves an everlasting memory of their experience.

JJR was the project manager and lead designer in its planning, design and construction implementation.  Technical support was provided by civil and structural engineers, wetland and stream ecologists, fishery biologists, media production specialists, and regulatory specialists.  However, JJR utilized these specialists to allow the vision to become reality.  A most important service the role in the field, working hand in hand with the contractor to construct the trout stream, develop the in-stream habitats and properly install the landscape planting. 

The Oden State Fish Hatchery and Watershed Walk is an excellent example of a private/public partnership.  Funding was provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and a grant from the Great Lakes Fishery Trust (a private, non-profit organization) for the ecological park and its coldwater stream restoration, new visitor center, underwater viewing chamber, interpretive trails, and interactive exhibits.  Wider resources that supplemented the design team included technical and scientific consultants, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff, and the Michigan State University Museum.

Firm: Michael J. Dul & Associates, Inc.

Client: The City of Birmingham

Project Title: Fire Station Garden

Project Location: Birmingham, Michigan

Birmingham is a progressive community located just north of the City of Detroit; a model of how retail, entertainment, office and housing have blended together to form a vibrant community. Esthetics is a core value in weaving the community’s future construction; whether it is architecture, parks or streetscape. In the late 1990’s the City completed construction of its flagship Fire Station located at the edge of its Central Business District. The station structure, and related vehicular pavements, filled all but a small parcel of land measuring 45’ x 60’ at the very corner of the intersection. The city wanted to create an esthetic usable space for the community along with a Memorial to the community’s Fallen Fire Fighters. Since this intersection serves as one of the several gateways into this district, the City sought out a Landscape Architect to transform the highly visible, flat lawn area into a pocket park. A low maintenance planting scheme was required so the firemen could manage the work, and the design would not interfere with the fire fighter’s visibility of ongoing vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

The small plot of land was transformed into a sculpture garden to soften the highly traveled intersection and make a memorable focal point entry to the Central Business District. The sensuous landforms and flowing lines of the pavement create visual movement as people view the garden from a moving vehicle. There are two main features located in the new garden; an iron bell, used in the original station and a flagpole to salute the United States of America. The two features are unified by a sculptural wall which holds a plaque commemorating the community’s fallen firefighters and show a strong symbolic correlation between community and country; service and sacrifice.

The plaza garden is designed for the community’s pedestrians. Sensuous score lines are crafted into flowing lines of concrete and contrasting exposed aggregate materials. The pavement reaches out to the community and invites one to enter and experience the space. The flagpole is mounted on a custom pedestal with a cast concrete base whose material directly relates to the detailing on the fire station building. An exposed aggregate concrete band grows from the plaza surface and travels concentrically in a clockwise movement to meet and touch the historic fire station bell. From the opposite direction of the plaza the unifying wall gracefully warps and grows in width until it embraces the bell pedestal. The wall exudes grace and simplicity fitting to display the plaque that has honored the fallen and the brave. Functionally the element acts as a retaining wall to secure the buffering landform. Children cannot resist its alluring quality as they often interact with its form.

The new plaza design takes into account the safety requirements required by emergency vehicles and respects the community’s challenging budget by minimizing costly maintenance requirements. A big part of the garden is its seasonal display of perennials.  A variety of plant materials were chosen to create a unique statement for each of the four seasons. In spring, the tulip display creates anticipation for the upcoming season and the garden comes alive with anticipation; various sedums, fountain grass and roses begin to wake up. Late summer foliage creates a foreground for the fire station structure, while the winter season finds drama with the dormant perennial flowers and grasses. Texture and color provide relief for the spirit and habitat for urban wildlife and do a remarkable job of softening the heavily traveled urban intersection.

Michael J. Dul & Associates played a prominent role in delivering a sophisticated urban space that serves many purposes. The space is not without a place to rest, reflect or have lunch on a nice afternoon.  The new garden design is well received by the surrounding residents and business owners, and the Birmingham community appreciates what impact it has for its guests. Michael J. Dul & Associates, Inc. is proud to have had the opportunity to lead the design development, community acceptance process, and final construction management to make this space a success. It is amazing how a tiny flat site measuring 45’ x 60’ can speak so loud.

AWARDS OPPORTUNITIES

Submit Awards Opportunities by e-mailing chapterinfo@michiganasla.org.