Concerns surrounding climate change have motivated numerous adaptation and mitigation efforts around the world (IPCC, 2014, p.17). The aesthetic appearance of green structures, as well as their technical and environmental benefits, have turned vertical gardens into a developing trend in sustainable building efforts. Our Sustainable Solutions team chose to investigate the possibility of building a living wall on the northeast side of Acopian Engineering Center in the hopes of advancing Lafayette College’s efforts in sustainability and community development. Our choice to further expand our design into the surrounding space was inspired by the hope of developing a welcoming and inclusive space that will be accessible to all members of the college community. The final design of Lafayette Gardens is a unique display of environmental, artistic, and technological characteristics interacting to create a unified appearance. The proposed living wall, which will be produced by LiveWall using a planter system, has been carefully calculated and planned in order to create the column design that runs between every other set of windows. Many factors had to be considered when choosing the final plant selection for the wall including their orientation and placement since it “is important to understand these microclimatic conditions [associated with a particular placement] as well as the amount to light required for plant survival” (Loh, 2008, p.4), and their expected functionality once placed. Similar considerations were taken into account when developing the layout for the ground space, especially regarding how the space will perform as a habitat for native species. The spires and wires influenced the visual effect of the space and required special attention to their potential performance, impacting the selected design and placement in the space. Together, the living wall, garden space, and spire border, combined with the stone path and various seating areas, promises numerous benefits for the campus that makes the financial investment worthwhile.
What is the Value?
Now that we have covered the hard numbers surrounding what it takes to complete and implement this project, we can shift our focus to the tremendous value that this project is able to bring to the college. Our goal was initially to conduct a survey this semester within the Lafayette community in order to gain a pulse on the community’s feelings towards the implementation of the Lafayette Gardens. Due to the recent world events with COVID-19, we were, unfortunately, unable to conduct such a survey. Instead, we have structured the survey and will include it in our final report to the administration for their discretion on whether or not they would like to see this survey used in the future. Even though we were not able to gauge what the community valued in the project, as a team we have determined there is significant opportunity within this project. By creating the Lafayette Gardens, the college is opening the door to educational, environmental, recreational, and reputational value. Each one of these four categories shares overlap and influence, creating a strong foundational reasoning for why this space is so important.
Environmental:
This project’s main focus is to incorporate the environment into a dull and utilitarian area on campus in order to bring the community together. The living wall and pollinator gardens stand to benefit the natural environment of College Hill in a positive manner. As mentioned in Chapter 4: Environmental, not only will the living wall utilize native plants to improve air quality and biodiversity on campus, but it will also combat endangered bat populations through the implementation of bat boxes to provide shelter and safety for their populations. Our goal with the pollinator gardens below is to create an active haven for pollinators, such as bees and birds, to increase the health of their populations here on campus. The environmental allure in this space is not only limited to nature but is also proven to benefit humans. Our usage of fresh plants on the wall and ground can create scents linked with improved memory and school performance as well as reduced stress levels (Barton, 2018). The environmental value of this project is also seen in its sustainable features aligning it with the goals of the Climate Action Plan 2.0 here at the college. Each LiveWall planter is made from recycled materials placing a focus on sustainability and reducing the new waste created by our project.
Educational:
The educational value that this project brings is directly connected with the environmental and reputational values as well. Below is a short excerpt on how students from different areas on campus may be able to work in this space.
“Many classes here at Lafayette are shaped and molded into a basic classroom learning experience. Rows of chairs all facing a set of chalkboards in a monotone utilitarian classroom. If students are lucky they may get the opportunity to change rooms and visit a laboratory setting once a week. With the addition of the Lafayette Gardens this monotony of learning is about to be changed for a handful of students taking courses within the Engineering Studies and Environmental Studies divisions. Instead their class will be a combination of traditional work in the classroom paired with field work on the northeast facade and surrounding area of Acopian Engineering Center, now known as Lafayette Gardens. Over the next 16 weeks these students will have the opportunity to study this sociotechnical system and evaluate its ever changing impacts on campus. For the environmental studies students they may look at a variety of different aspects such as biodiversity in the plants and animals on campus or they may evaluate the impacts of the new pollinator gardens and bat boxes on bee and bat populations. On the other hand the Engineering Studies students will be able to finally see a tangible representation of engineering and the world coming together to create a new experience apart from the blueprints and hard numbers of traditional engineering. These students will have an opportunity for hands-on research and work in areas that they previously could have only experienced through lectures or textbooks. The Lafayette Gardens has not only added a whole new aesthetic dimension to campus but also a new dimension to the Lafayette educational experience.”
In order to culminate the educational value of this project into a single streamlined experience, we have designed an exhibition trail guide that features all of the important information on the space in one location. A layout of the information on the guide can be found below. Note the guide features different areas on the wall, pollinator gardens, bat boxes, and even a section on the background to the meaning of “Cur Non”.
Recreational:
The original idea for this space was to provide an area away from the busiest parts of campus for students to relax and hangout. The space was also meant to be an escape from the intensity and draining seriousness of Acopian Engineering Center. The new gardens have created just this space for the community of Lafayette. No one person is more qualified than another to be in this space. If a viewer looks onto the mural on the triangle one of the statements they will notice is “Why not you.” This is a message explaining that anyone belongs here at Lafayette, and similarly, anyone has the right to be in the Lafayette Gardens. This space has been shaped as an area of collaboration, discovery and development, but most of all this is an area for everyone to enjoy. The beauty of the space is that it is not meant for one singular purpose but instead it can be used in a variety of ways to provide each person their own unique experience. Creative yet refined, busy yet relaxing, there is no one way to live in the Lafayette Gardens.
Reputational:
The gardens stand to bolster and solidify Lafayette College as on the forefront of design, sustainability, and experience when it comes to college campuses and public domains around the world. The project falls right into line with the sustainability aspects of the ongoing and public Climate Action Plan 2.0 passed by the school in 2019. This project could provide a tangible example for people to see the work the college is doing every day to help reach their goal of a better tomorrow. Already known for tremendous value, Lafayette Gardens can help admissions in selling prospective students in the College. The first sight that you currently see when you walk out of Markle Admissions and turn right is the barren landscape of the northeast facade of Acopian Engineering Center. The implementation of the gardens could change this into a focal point of tours. The mural painted onto the lower triangle sporting “Why not you? Why not here? Why not now?” will certainly leave prospective students and visitors thinking about and remembering all that this college has to offer.
Recommendations
Due to the fact that our team developed Lafayette Gardens over the course of a semester, we were able to complete the preliminary research into green spaces, as well as develop the proposed plan and associated report, but there are aspects that still need further investigation. We understand that the project will be unable to move forward until it has been reviewed and approved by Lafayette College’s administration but, in the hopes that the space receives approval, we leave this proposal and the following recommendations as a way to assist and guide the future development of this multifunctional space.
Design
From a design aspect, we recommend that, firstly, the college hires a landscape architect to further refine the current design proposal. Paul Deery, who has already provided some assistance, would be a strong candidate for the role since he is already familiar with the project and the motivations behind it. Additionally, the current design might benefit from the decision to extend the project’s scope by adding additional spires either within the space, to further define the area, or outside, to connect the space to the rest of campus. We were also unable to fully explore the use of hedges as a form of acoustic separation between the space and the neighboring road. Should this feature be of interest, we recommend that the architect consider placing them between the spires. The inclusion of hedges or additional spires could also assist with efforts in traffic calming, an important function to consider given the location of Lafayette Gardens. Traffic calming will promote Lafayette Gardens as a place for relaxation, conversation, and learning. Lastly, for safety and aesthetic purposes, the team suggests that Lafayette investigates the logistics involved in lighting the space. Although the lighting would not have to be on at all times, it will be an important safety feature during the night time when students are traveling between Markle Parking Deck and Acopian Engineering Center.
Structural
Our team’s communications with LiveWall proved to be incredibly helpful in developing the proposal for Lafayette Gardens, especially in the structural context. Yet, even with the assistance this resource provided with calculations and planning for the wall, there are still uncertainties associated with the entire space that the team could not determine within the semester. One of the biggest concerns the team has is the long-term performance and maintenance of the wall, particularly in terms of irrigation performance. We highly recommend further research into technical performance, especially if the school intends to maintain the space using its own staff. In regards to the spires and wires, careful basic calculations have been done by the team’s structural engineer to ensure that the extension into the garden space is structurally sound. Even so, we suggest that more consideration is given to the space’s performance in extreme weather, as well as the spire-wire and wire-wall attachments in order to ensure that they will not cause any significant damage to Acopian and can withstand potential loads (within reason) and time passing.
Environmental
Environmentally speaking, the largest concern has to do with maintenance as well. It will be important for Lafayette to fully understand the best way to care for the space such that the plant life thrives and the various living organisms inhabiting the space are not disturbed. While the current list of plants for the wall were planned to maximize the space during any season, decisions made by the school to change the proposed plant layout should be supported by research that ensures that there will be no negative effects. The college should also investigate how, specifically, the implementation of Lafayette Gardens will assist in its efforts to achieve net neutrality in the next fifteen years.
Economic
The economic context requires perhaps the most follow-up should the project be approved so that the school can get the most accurate estimate possible. As implied in earlier context recommendations, maintenance is perhaps the biggest unknown for the project. Therefore, it will be important for the school to fully consider the cost of a regular maintenance crew, as well as the long-term maintenance costs that are associated with keeping the wall and garden space performing at full capacity. The administration will also want to consider the costs of outside consulting, such as hiring a landscape architect or members from LiveWall, as well as obtaining the permits necessary for constructing and maintaining the space. Lastly, due to the inability to conduct our non-financial benefits survey during the semester, we recommend that Lafayette distributes our survey, or one of a similar function, at a later time to better gain a sense of how the space will perform.
Overall, the current design of Lafayette Gardens will not only have the impact of improving the atmosphere affiliated with Acopian Engineering Center, but it will further influence the campus community by embodying the school’s core values and inspiring sustainable, creative, and inclusive ways of thinking. As a team, we are hopeful that Lafayette College will give serious consideration to the establishment of Lafayette Gardens.
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