Professor Samantha Solano and UMass Amherst landscape architecture students, Lilly Etlinger and Michael Nevins, attended the opening night of the "Envision Resilience: Designs for Living in a Changing Climate" Exhibition. Opening events gathered students, over 100 community members, and regional leaders to share visions and stories about resilience and design in Bath, Maine.
Last fall, Solano's MLA studio participated in the 2025 Midcoast Maine Envision Resilience Challenge alongside university partners - Northeastern University, University of Virginia, University of Maine, Augusta, and Maine College of Art and Design. UMass Amherst students focused on downtown Bath, where they collaborated with communities and local professionals to design innovative solutions to coastal flooding and stormwater issues.
"What stood out to me about UMass Amherst's work in Bath was how deeply students engaged with the city’s changing waterfront and urban landscape during their site visits. They translated those observations into thoughtful design responses that balance creativity and innovation with the real challenges the community faces. That kind of grounded, forward-thinking approach is exactly what the Envision Resilience Challenge is meant to foster. Thank you to UMass Amherst, Professor Samantha Solano, and her students for their participation and contributions to this year's program in Midcoast Maine."
- Wendell Joseph, Envision Resilience Design Studio Manager
See UMass Amherst student work on display at the Patten Free Library in Bath today until August. Learn more.
UMass Amherst Student Designs
"Embracing the New Coastline: Green Corridor for Bath, ME," by Nick Dombrowski
"The Island Effect," by Lia Potter
"If Wishes Were Fishes," by Nina Fritsch
