Studio Projects

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture students, taught by Professor Frank Sleegers and PhD in Regional Planning candidate Michael Amato, worked with the City of Hartford Neighborhood Planning Department to envision the recovery and revitalization of a former scrapyard in the Parkville neighborhood of Hartford, CT, as a place for living, working, and recreation.

The MRP second-year studio, instructed by Assistant Professor Camille Barchers, joined with the Windham Regional Commission to help the Deerfield River Valley adapt to climate-driven flooding risks by creating equitable and lasting tools that connect public concerns with meaningful analysis. The project—Deerfield River Valley RISE (Resilience in Shifting Environments)—focused on four southern Vermont towns: Wilmington, Dover, Whitingham, and Readsboro.

The BSLA Senior Urban Design Studio, taught by Michael DiPasquale and Joshua Burgel, envisioned strategies to transform a large brownfield swath of open parking lot, generic park, and recently redeveloped mill buildings into a vibrant community oriented space that welcomes new people to build lives in Lawrence, MA. Students worked on different time scales, from short-term tactical interventions in landscape architecture and public art; to mid-term transitional landscapes that serve people and the environment, and long-term cultural transformations capable of regenerating the region.  Meetings and interviews with community stakeholders and experts honed the studio's objectives into their final design and planning program.  The studio's goal was to create project visions that INSPIRE Lawrence City agencies to make change

Located within Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord, MA, Minute Man National Historical Park comprises 1,038 acres of preserved historic sites, structures, and landscapes associated with the opening battles of the American Revolution. UMass students, taught by Doug Serrill, were asked to develop conceptual designs for a new visitor center, parking area, and arrival experience to the park's Battle Road Unit that reduces the need for continual staff presence, yet continues to provide a high quality educational and interpretive experience for visitors.

Each year, MRP students worked together to carry out a planning project. The goal of the "RP 675: Impact 2045" studio, taught by Camille Barchers, was to produce core elements of the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) for the New Haven-Milford Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in Connecticut. The plan aims to help towns across the MSA chart their course of action for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2040.

This international project offered students the opportunity to enhance their global perspectives on landscape architecture. Working individually and in teams, students synthesized information on climate change mitigation strategies and developed innovative solutions for urban resilience in Bangkok, Thailand with a focus on the Chao Phraya River. The studio was taught by Dalin Janpathompong. 

Graphic: Photomontage depicted in the Concept Design and Site Analysis for Mahakan Fort Park, designed by Carrie Gotwals and Elise Rossell. The park is situated along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.

Studio LA301's project centered on Adirondack Farm, a historic farm adjacent to the North Watuppa Pond in Fall River, MA.  The site was acquired by the City of Fall River to serve as the location of a "Discovery Center" for the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve.  BSLA students in the class explored how to create a public landscape on the farm that will welcome visitors, build habitat, and help visitors better understand the value of the Bioreserve for regional biodiversity and climate resilience. The studio was instructed by Nate Burgess and LARP alumna Julia Slater.

Landscape architecture students explored the integration of renewable energy technologies, such as a geothermal heating system, into the village of South Deerfield, MA. Projects also propose expanded park spaces, bike lanes, and tree canopy, affordable senior housing, and an integrated municipal campus. This studio was instructed by Carolina Aragon.

MLA students in the Graduate Urban Design Studio engaged in a semester-long collaboration with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and community stakeholders in Springfield, MA to develop the Springfield Neighborhood Investment Plans (SNIP) for the city's North End, Metro Center and South End. This studio was instructed by UMass Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, Frank Sleegers.

40 UMass Landscape Architecture and Architecture juniors developed inventive ways to transform the 46-acre Hampshire Mall property, a major commercial center in Hadley, MA, to better suit the needs of the local community. The studio, taught by Adjunct Professors Erica DeWitt and Allyson Fairweather, was developed through a partnership between UMass and the Town of Hadley. In May, 2024, the eight student teams presented their plans to faculty, peers, clients, and community stakeholders. These plans re-envisioned the mall site as a mixed-use community with ​a ​significant ​amount of ​housing catering to young professionals, working families, and seniors.

BSLA Sophomores learned techniques for using plants as an important medium of landscape design. Under the instruction of Professor Patricia McGirr, students developed nature-based landscape designs for the UMass Commonwealth Honors College. From desk critiques to site assessments, sophomores took big steps forward in design exploration.

BSLA seniors in the "Beloved Places" studio, taught by UMass Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture Carolina Aragón and Lecturer Kate Cholakis, collaborated with community stakeholders and the Windham Regional Commission to develop design solutions for Vermont's Route 30/West River Valley corridor. The studio presented their designs to the public during a special forum at the Union Hall in Newfane Village, VT.

Ten regional planning graduate students in Professor Camille Barcher's "Impact 2045: A Priority Climate Action Plan for New Haven, CT" studio drafted a plan that will guide 27 cities and towns in New Haven County toward reducing greenhouse gases and other harmful air pollutants, while promoting environmental justice and a higher quality of life for all residents. 

BSLA seniors in Professor Carolina Aragón and Lecturer Kate Cholakis’ "Beloved Places" studio collaborated with the West End Civic Association, WOLA Landscape Architecture, and West End residents to prepare a design proposal for a "West End Green Corridor.” The West End Green Corridor initiative aims to create spaces of cultural memory and public gathering through a greenway connecting the West End with the Rose Kennedy Greenway and Charles River Esplanade.

One of the team's proposed green spaces was a plan to revitalize the "Greatest Neighborhood Park - This Side of Heaven's Gate."  The park is home to a historical treasure – the last tenement building – but the surrounding area is heavily trafficked by vehicles, posing many challenges to pedestrians. Students shared their ideas for reviving the park with LARP alumnae at WOLA, who used their expertise to create a cohesive concept design proposal for grant applications.