Date of Graduation

12-2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Landscape Architecture

Advisor/Mentor

Smith, Carl

Committee Member/Reader

Lickwar, Phoebe

Committee Member/Second Reader

Webb, Jennifer

Abstract

Post-Industrial sites are often un-utilized and deserted places that are an aesthetic, social, ecological, and physical hindrance to the realm of the cities in which they lie, however they possess enormous potential. With respectful and transformative design, these new public parks gain a variety of benefits that extend well beyond the typical benefits exhibited by public parks due to their rich history, fascinating existing structures, high levels of visual and sensorial stimulation, one-of-a-kind traits, and opportunity for impactful change. By evaluating these post-industrial public parks, knowledge can be gained about what specific elements in the landscape contribute to their overall success with regard to spatial, physical, social, and symbolic qualities.

The research of Abraham Maslow and Kaplan & Kaplan have been vital to general human-environment interaction studies in the field of environmental psychology. By melding environmental psychology theories with the public life/urban form studies of William Whyte, Jan Gehl, and the Project for Public Spaces, this study is able to apply these general innate human needs and preferences specifically to public spaces with unique historical features and significance.

The assimilation of theories informed the creation of a comprehensive set of evaluation criteria directed towards factors specific to post-industrial public parks. The established evaluation, communicated through a long-form narrative with example images and illustrations, analyzes various elements of three case study sites regarding the spatial, physical, social, and symbolic qualities they exemplify. Syntheses are compared to establish correlations between the case studies to further understand each element in the larger context of post-industrial landscapes.

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