Studio Projects

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. 

Designing publicly accessible green spaces in Boston’s West End can be a powerful way to restore community after decades of displacement due to urban renewal efforts in the late 20th century. 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.