the Connecticut

Landscape Architect A publication of The Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects

Summer 1999

the Connecticut

Landscape Architect The Connecticut Landscape Architect is published by the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Editor Sarah W. Middeleer Evans Associates Environmental Consulting, Inc. 88 Bradley Road Woodbridge, CT 06525 Phone: (203) 397-3737 Fax: (203) 397-0118 Email: smiddeleer@ snet.net

From the Editor Looking back 100 years, landscape architects have much to be proud of. Our profession has grown steadily in strength and stature and now appears to be heading into its next century with unprecedented momentum and success. As we examine our history, we might also ask ourselves what we want to accomplish both individually and collectively in the future. It is an exciting time for us all.

Editorial Board Channing Harris Sarah Middeleer Norma Williams

A recent goal for the Executive Board has been to develop a new graphic design for The Connecticut Landscape Architect, which we introduce with this issue. Kerry Tufts, of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, worked on this project with us, fielding numerous requests from committee members who often had conflicting views. Somehow she created a design that not only met with unanimous approval but with excitement as well. We hope our readers will agree that our new look favorably represents Connecticut landscape architects and reflects not only the accomplishments of the profession but our continuing efforts to meet the demands of the future.

Graphic Design and Advertising Jeffrey H. Mills J.M. Communications Coventry, CT 06238 Phone: (860) 742-7234 Fax: (860) 742-7349

The winners of the 1998 CTASLA Design Awards are spokespeople for the present state of our profession in Connecticut; in this issue we have photographs and descriptions of their winning projects. Congratulations to all of you, and thank you for sharing your work with us. I hope that seeing the winning projects will inspire many others to enter the contest this year — particularly if you have not done so before.

To contact CTASLA: Voice mail: (800) 878-1474 Email: [email protected] Web site: http://people.mags.net/ctasla Cover: Eastern view of the New Haven Green, 1851 (engraving by John Warner Barber)

Many members have been busy preparing for our chapter’s participation in the national centennial celebration. Kudos to Sarah McCracken and Norma Williams for their diligent work as centennial committee chairs; they have put in many, many hours on behalf of these efforts. In this issue we present these centennial projects: five sites chosen to be honored with medallions, and the “One Hundred Parks, One Hundred Years” site, Old North Cemetery. Our next issue, featuring “One Hundred Years of Landscape Architecture in Connecticut,” promises to be fascinating and information-packed; for our state has a rich history in landscape architecture. We will also present highlights of the ASLA annual convention from September 11-16 in Boston. Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer.

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S ARAH W. M IDDELEER

INSIDE CTASLA Design Awards The 1998 Winning Projects 3

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ASLA Centennial Medallions Five Connecticut Sites Honored by CTASLA 6 CTASLA Names Old North Cemetery A Centennial Park Chapter Spearheads Efforts to Restore This Historic Graveyard 10

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CTASLA Design Awards The 1998 Winning Projects By Sarah W. Middeleer, Associate ASLA

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he 1998 Design Award winners were announced at the Connecticut chapter’s annual meeting in December. Although we listed the winners in our last issue, here we present brief descriptions of their projects, as well as a few of the graphics that accompanied each entry. ■ Category 1: Landscape Architectural Design – Built Work/Residential Honor Award: Peter Miniutti, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Connecticut Project: Cantin Residence

The site for this project is an older housing subdivision on the western end of Hartford. For the front of the house, the client desired a stronger presence in the neighborhood, with unique but restrained aesthetic qualities, and added privacy. He also wanted visitors to be more inclined to enter through the front door. For the rear yard, he wanted “something different, fun, and somewhat shocking.” The resulting design has several unusual elements. In the front, for example, the brick wall contains a regular pattern of apertures and ends in a spiral curve. Complementing the grid pattern in the wall is a lawn area inside it with small square stones set into the grass (illus. 1). The new driveway cuts a bold swath across the front yard (apparently without causing any of the existing mature trees to be

removed), allowing guests to be dropped off at the front door (illus. 2). Yet the design’s biggest bang is reserved for the back yard, where a custom-made corten steel fountain forms the centerpiece to a space that contains a birch grove planted on a grid, a deck, and a gazebo. The fountain is described in the project statement: “In plan view, the steel plates are organized in a spiral pattern. In elevation, however, the spiral configuration is subservient to the jarring array of bent and warped metal plates.” This design, Miniutti states, is meant “…to provoke an image of discontinuity and breakage,” in the vein of architectural fragments often employed in picturesque English gardens of the 1700s. Miniutti has been at UConn for five years as a tenure-track assistant professor, having taught as an adjunct instructor for two years prior to attaining his current position. He has a B.S. in landscape architecture from the University of Massachusetts and a MLA from Harvard. Before coming to UConn he worked at SWA Group, Johnson and Richter, and Sasaki Associates.

Merit Award: Wesley Stout Associates, New Canaan Project: Private Residence in Fairfield County

The existing house on this site was renovated in a French Provençal style, and Wesley Stout Associates handled the site planning and landscape design. The project description states, “The solution was to discard the American tradition of front, rear and two side yards in order to maximize the impact, extent, and qualities of this square two-acre site with a high central ridge. Thus, while siting the residence on the mount, the front door was set to the north (side yard), which created an opportunity to stretch the arrival sequence.” From the entry foyer there is an axial view across the lawn and perimeter gardens to the south. A cross-axis leads to a swimming pool ( continued next page )

CANTIN R ESIDENCE : Illus. 1 (left): Brick wall and complementing stonework in the front yard. Illus. 2 (above): Plan view.

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and pavilion west of the lawn, while a tennis court is terraced into the slope below (see site plan, illus. 3). An existing wetland was preserved and the setback enhanced with mitigation plantings. A striking feature of this project is the crushed-stone French drains and limestone slabs around the base of the house. These details eliminated the need for downspouts and gutters, as well as typical foundation plantings, and they enhance the Continental flavor of the architecture (illus. 4). Traditional materials and styles were also employed elsewhere: lengthy stretches of fieldstone walls delineate the classical composition and are punctuated with wrought iron gates. Paths are stabilized gravel, and gutters LEGEND: are cobbled. The house was finished in true stucco. The planting plan is simple and elegant as well. The plants “…were chosen to match the objectives of simplicity, color and reasonable maintenance within the coastal setting (illus. 5).” Project Manager on this job was Bruce G. Eckerson, ASLA. The house was designed by Austin Patterson Disston Architects. L. Wesley Stout, ASLA, AICP, founded the firm in 1992. They have commercial, institutional, and residential projects throughout the metropolitan New York region and the nation. Stout has a B.S. in landscape architecture from the College of Engineering at Ohio State University and a MBA from the University of Connecticut. He is currently serving on the national ASLA Task Force for professional public relations, and also teaches site

F AIRFIELD C OUNTY RESIDENCE (clockwise from lower left): Illus. 4: Plan view. Illus. 5: Crushedstone French drains. Illus. 6: Exterior view showing stone walls, walkways, and plantings.

Merit Award: Peter Miniutti, Storrs Project: Cooksville Housing Subdivision

Miniutti was hired for this project by

1 - Arrival Court; 2 - Residence; 3 - Tapis Vert; 4 - Pool Pavillion; 5 - Pool; 6 - Tennis Court

planning and design to architects preparing for their licensing exam. In 1997, Wesley Stout Associates won a CTASLA merit award for their Master Plan for Thomas Place, in Rowayton. Illus. 6: Cooksville Housing Subdivision Master Plan

a developer who had recently purchased a 95-acre farm in Somers, from which he planned to create a residential subdivision. The client asked Miniutti “…to develop alternative attitudes to the typical suburb subdivisions,” which resulted in a master plan “…that deemphasized the role of the automobile and in its place focused the community on common open space.” (illus. 6) The project statement elaborates on this philosophy, explaining that many of Village area at old homestead site with internal views to village common.

Upper hillside with views to north. Old field growth cleared. Lower area with housing within woods.

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the original features were retained, including hedgerows of native shrubs, mature sugar maples, cart paths, stone walls, and pastures. (illus. 7) New roads followed existing pathways “…or were sited to reduce the amount of disturbance to existing conditions.” (illus. 8) Miniutti’s first step was to identify and analyze the natural resources, which included a spring, stream, and numerous level areas with excellent soil. Second, he identified the “salient cultural features…indicative of the New England farming experience.” Finally, Miniutti applied these findings to a site plan that retained as many of these features as possible while meeting the program requirements. He also provided input on mass grading and on the character of the new architecture. Municipal and Public Space Merit Award: Johnson Land Design, Collinsville Project: Farmington Canal Greenway Dean Johnson, FASLA, was landscape architectural consultant for this collaborative project, with Fuss & O’Neill, Inc. as engineering consultant.

F ARMINGTON C ANAL G REENWAY : Illus. 9 (left): One of the goals of the Farmington Canal Greenway project was to preserve as many of the original bridges, aqueducts and canal locks as possible. Illus. 10 (above): Controversial at first, the greenway has become a source of pride for area residents.

The client was the Town of Hamden, but funding came from the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, (ISTEA). The project site is a 2.7-mile segment in Hamden of a historic canal line, originally in use 1828-48. The Farmington Canal is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its historic character soon became a driving force in the project’s conception. In the entry statement, Johnson writes, “As interesting information was uncovered from many sources, it became the goal of the landscape architect to try and incorporate the history in the signage and in the creation of information plaques. Displaying this historic information has proved to be one of the most successful parts of the trail.” In fact, the trail’s popularity has been so strong that the Connecticut DOT has given high priority to funding the remainder of the Farmington Canal Trail, which extends from New Haven to the Massachusetts

COOKSVILLE HOUSING S UBDIVISION : Illus. 7 (right): Many natural features were preserved in planning the Cooksville Housing Subdivision. Illus. 8 (above): New roads used existing pathways and treelines.

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border (a section in Cheshire was completed in 1997). The approach to forming a recreation corridor from the abandoned canal involved using or at least saving as many of the existing bridges, aqueducts, and canal locks as possible (illus. 9). Overgrown vegetation was cleared out to help reveal the remnant canal, which still contains water. Where new bridges were necessary, their design retained the use of metal trusses. Graphic design of signs and interpretive panels were based on historic documents and photos, although they were constructed of modern materials that are virtually indestructible and have extremely low maintenance requirements. These signs and plaques have been so well received that other towns developing sections of the trail have adopted their style as well. One fortunate (and, for some, unexpected) outcome has been a complete lack of vandalism to the new and restored structures, including signage. Johnson states, “What began as a very controversial and divisive project for the neighborhood has been completely reversed” to the point where it has become a unifying element in the community and a source of “town pride” (illus. 10). Dean Johnson has a MLA from the University of Michigan and won the Prix de Rome in 1964. He has been partner in several Connecticut firms ( continued on page 12 )

ASLA Centennial Medallions Five Connecticut Sites Honored by CTASLA By Sarah W. McCracken, ASLA

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he year is 1899. Eleven landscape architects gathered in New York City to form a professional organization they would call the American Society of Landscape Architects. They were committed to developing an organization that would represent landscape architectural professionals, encourage the development of new theories and practices in the field, and plan for the education of future generations of landscape architects. The founders included not only apprentices of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, but civil engineers and a residential design specialist, establishing the idea of a profession that reached out to a wide range of practitioners and relatedTprofessionals. A ING FastCforward E L E BtoR1999. The American Society of Landscape Architects is still representing landscape architects; encouraging new theories and practices; educating members, students, and the public; and reaching out to related professionals. Having grown to a membership of over 12,000 from the original eleven founders, ASLA has planned a series of activities and events to celebrate its 100 years of growth and all that landscape architects have contributed to American life. State chapters are participating in the centennial celebration with the “Medallion” and “100 Parks” programs.

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country will be honored with these plaques. The Executive Board of the Connecticut chapter selected five sites from nearly 30 nominations to be so honored, as excellent examples of Connecticut public landscapes designed or influenced by landscape architects. Not only are these places well known, but they have also contributed significantly to the quality of life in their communities and to the history of landscape architecture in Connecticut. Our goal is to increase public awareness of these landscapes and thereby enhance public understanding about the profession of landscape architecture. It

is our hope that this effort will also encourage public support for similar projects in the 21st century.

■ NEW HAVEN GREEN City Founders In 1638, the founders of New Haven established one of the first city plans in America. The nine squares with the central square reserved as open space are still the focal point of New Haven. With its beautiful trees and with three historic churches equidistantly spaced along its central axis, the Green is undoubtedly the city’s greatest single asset. It is the principal

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Medallion Program Each chapter has selected for national recognition several well-loved landscapes evoking local history and culture. The medallions, which are bronze plaques, will be presented and displayed at each site to explain its contribution to the American landscape and how landscape architects designed or influenced it. Hundreds of outstanding landscapes across the

New Haven Green, Plan of Proposed Improvements, prepared by Parisky Associates and Quennell Rothschild Associates, from New Haven Green – A Restoration Plan , published circa 1985.

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organizing element of downtown New Haven, and its spaciousness is the perfect counterbalance to the intensive development that now surrounds it. The land for the original New Haven colony was purchased by individuals known as “The Proprietors,” who set aside the central square as common land. In 1806, descendents of the original proprietors voted to transfer their rights and interests to a self-perpetuating committee of five, which persists to this day. The square, known then as the Market Place, was an uneven woodland plain. As trees were cut for firewood, it was used for grazing and military drills and became the site of numerous public buildings. Growing prosperity in the mid-18th century consolidated the Green and its surrounding streets into the town’s institutional and functional center. Over time, the field was graded, drained, fenced, and cleared of old buildings and roads, which transformed it into a public square and civic center. Unique as a planning effort, three separate religious congregations coordinated a design program for their individual churches placed in a monumental composition down the center of the space. During this period the surrounding streets were also developed, with retail shops along the southern boundary, residences to the north, and civic buildings along the eastern edge of the Green. With Yale University occupying the western boundary, the Green’s strategic position as the psychological, as well as geographical, center of town life was firmly established. Throughout the rest of the 19th century there were few changes to the Green. During the twentieth century there have been several efforts to improve it, starting with a master plan by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1910 and a similar plan in the 1960s by the landscape architectural firm of Sasaki, Walker and Demay. Incremental changes in the 1970s had numerous negative impacts on the Green. In 1985 the New Haven Green Restora-

Above: View of Bushnell Park looking east. Left: Corning Fountain (painting by James Massey Rhind).

tion Task Force was created, charged with bringing rapid and comprehensive improvement of the Green and restoring it to a useful and beautiful state. The New Haven Green is unusual among New England cities, due in large part to its ownership. It is also one of the few examples of a typical city green that still retains much of its original character and functions as a public gathering space. In 1971 the New Haven Green was named to the National Register of Historic Places.

■ BUSHNELL PARK, Hartford Jacob J. Weidenmann, landscape architect Bushnell Park represents the first instance in the United States where a community voted to spend municipal funds for a public park that did not yet exist in any form. The original tract, 35 acres along the Little River, consisted of some of the most unappealing land in Hartford. The first plan for the park was a drawing by Horace Bushnell, pastor of North Church, which was presented to the Common Council in 1853 in an effort to persuade the city to create the park. 7

The newly created park commission sought a professional designer for this important task. Jacob Weidenmann’s plan had a distinct style and pleasing form, with ground that was smoothly sculpted and undulating. Paths gracefully followed land forms and led the visitors to several focal points including a pond, fountain and the existing river. The plan also included informal clusters of evergreen and deciduous trees, which screened the sights and sounds of the city, a striking departure from the New England square or central green. Besides helping to define several large lawns, these plantings also offered variety and seasonal interest. A carriage concourse was designed, as well as a stone terrace from which visitors could observe street and railroad activity. A final, notable feature was the Mall adjacent to Elm Street. This formal promenade helped to foster interaction among members of different social groups, an important feature to Bushnell. Over the years, various monuments have been added to the park, and the river was routed underground as part of of flood control project by the Army Corps of Engineers. The firm of Olmsted ( continued next page )

Seaside Park, Bridgeport

and Olmsted (sons of Frederick Law Olmsted) was retained to assist the city in redesigning the park after the burial of the river, including designs for two park entries. Bushnell Park has also benefited from recent work by landscape architects, including an analysis of changes to the park from its inception to the present, guidelines for development and restoration plans. Bushnell Park continues to be well used more than a century after its inception, with an active programming schedule. Through the efforts of Jacob Weidenmann and later landscape architects, the park has fulfilled the ideals of its founder by providing a lively open space within the heart of Hartford for public education and cultural and recreational opportunities.

■ SEASIDE PARK, Bridgeport Frederick Law Olmsted, landscape architect Many facts surrounding the development of Seaside Park in Bridgeport are unclear, although it is clearly noted in the city’s historic park commission records that Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux were the designers. There is also evidence that the park commissioner paid for the plans, apparently out of his own funds. In an 1867 map of the city, the park plan clearly shows continuous curvilinear paths connecting points throughout the site, providing views of Long Island Sound, the shoreline, meadows, and

Above: Merritt Parkway in Greenwich, 1939, with trees planted at the road’s edge. Right: Merritt Parkway today.

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woods. Clearly separated carriageways and walkways, a hallmark of Olmsted park plans, allowed for safe and relaxing use of the open space. Early photographs of the park show how grading and plantings were used both to accommodate drainage and reinforce the design concept of curvilinear paths that provided a wide variety of sequenced views. At the turn of the century, over 100,000 people would come to the park for Fourth of July picnics or to hear bands play on the green. It is evident that this plan addressed the needs of masses of people long before urban planning recognized the problems of crowded cities. In recent years, the park has seen the development of more athletic fields at the expense of passive recreation areas. Hurricanes, time, and vandalism have taken their toll on the mature plant materials and built structures. However, the Friends of Seaside Park was founded in 1982, dedicated to promoting the awareness, appreciation and restoration of the park. Their continued work, along with a restoration master plan by landscape archi-

tects, will keep this important part of the city’s legacy in the public eye and help return it to its original splendor.

■ MERRITT PARKWAY, Fairfield and New Haven Counties Weld Thayer Chase, landscape architect The Merritt Parkway is one of the earliest successful limited-access regional highways in the country. The opening of the 38-mile parkway on June 29, 1938 was greeted with enthusiastic popular approval. Although it had been conceived as a solution to traffic congestion, it was designed for pleasurable driving. Due to the fact that the route of the parkway was to be at right angles to the ridges and rivers of Connecticut, its profile was intentionally designed to be hilly, rather than flat, which would have required massive cuts and fills. Its design was thus intended to keep speeding to a minimum while enhancing the aesthetic experience of the motorist. If the landscape seemed to play a secondary role to the engineering and bridges, it was because the goal of the landscape architect, Thayer Chase, was to make it look as though the road had always been there. Chase insisted on using only native species, many transplanted from the road-building process itself, and on responding to the other existing features. The design team also placed a high priority on conservation, helping to preserve the parkway’s appearance for future motorists. For the first 20 years, changes to the parkway were minimal. However, by the mid-1960s landscape maintenance procedures had become more mechanized, with the result that plantings deteriorated in appearance. The old wood beam guard rails were replaced with the sort used on interstate highways and, during the 1970s, new high-speed interchanges deviated from the highway’s historic character. The pleasurable experience of driving on the parkway had gradually become

President’s Message

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thank you all for the opportunity to serve as president and am especially excited to be in office during the year of the ASLA Centennial. The Chapter is very well positioned as our profession moves into its second century, due to the work of many members. I hope that we can build on these accomplishments, and I see highlights for the next year to be the following: Centennial Celebrations Both the 100 Parks and Medallion programs initiated by ASLA are wonderful opportunities for us to celebrate the past and future of landscape architecture and to demonstrate the role of landscape architects in Connecticut. As can be seen in this issue, we are actively planning events throughout the state and will continue to keep you informed of our plans. Many members have already volunteered, and we invite you all to get involved. Updating the Public on Licensure Changes Now that we have succeeded in changing the legislation expanding the definition of a landscape architect, we need to get the word out to the public, especially to municipal officials and policy makers. The Executive Board is developing a brochure explaining this legislation for distribution to every town in the state. Continuing Education Units The new requirement for CEUs is going to have a big impact on all of us, with many benefits beyond the main intent to keep us informed of innovations in our profession. The Chapter is hoping to organize meetings for credit, but more importantly, it will provide a conduit of information about offerings within our area. Communications: Publications and Web Site The Chapter is expanding our web site to include information about CEU offerings and information about the centennial programs. Our site currently gets “hits” from all over the country and abroad, and we want it to have timely information. We are also developing a “new face” for our publications, including this one, and updating or developing new informational brochures that can be distributed to the public as a result of calls to our 800 number or at statewide conferences or trade shows involving landscape architects. Chapter Programs Besides offering some programs for credit, we will continue to offer informal programs such as the holiday party. Planning for the second annual Golf Outing is well under way. This is a remarkable profession, with wide-ranging interests and specialties. I believe that the Chapter should represent all of its members and should clearly and actively promote all of our interests to the public. I wish I had the time to contact each of you, but I welcome and encourage your comments, suggestions, or criticisms.

N ORMA E. W ILLIAMS like using any high-speed utilitarian highway. Concerned citizens and design professionals moved to have the Merritt Parkway named to the National Register of Historic Places, which occurred in April 1991. In 1993, the parkway 9

was designated a state Scenic Highway. These designations helped to protect the parkway and led to the development of the 1994 Merritt Parkway Master Landscape Plan, by landscape architects, which guides the ( continued page 11)

CTASLA Names Old North Cemetery A Centennial Park Chapter Spearheads Efforts to Restore This Historic Graveyard By Norma E. Williams, ASLA

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cemetery is perhaps a strange place in which to celebrate life, but helping to turn the Old North Cemetery into a positive place for the local community and the state is the Connecticut chapter’s focus for the ASLA’s centennial campaign called “100 Parks, 100 Years.” This national program includes diverse efforts by many state chapters in celebration of the ASLA centennial. Old North Cemetery was located in one of Hartford’s most fashionable sections in the early 19th century but, as the fortunes of Hartford’s north end shifted, it became an eyesore marked by litter and vandalism. Home to the grave of Frederick Law Olmsted, a Hartford native known as the father of American landscape architecture, the irony of the cemetery’s current condition was keenly felt by the chapter and by others in the community. Early in his career, Olmsted designed a cemetery in California that he described as “a place of our common grief, our common hopes and our common faith; a place wherein we may see and feel our sympathy with one another.” The same can be said of Old North Cemetery, for it represents a cross-section of 19th-century Hartford society. Containing the graves of Jewish and Italian immigrants, Civil War soldiers, and prominent residents such as Horace Bushnell, the cemetery represents many significant themes in the state’s history. It is also part of Connecticut’s “Freedom Trail,” as it contains the graves of six men who served in the state’s all-black TwentyNinth Regiment during the Civil War. Old North Cemetery was established before the period of “rural” cemeteries, intended to be pastoral

refuges, with open lawns and curving roads. Its simple design consists mostly of brownstone or granite monuments laid out in a grid pattern. However, the cemetery offers a tranquil retreat with many mature trees and long prospects. With Sand Elementary School across the street, Spring Grove Cemetery directly north, and the Isham-Terry House of the Antiquarian and Landmarks Society a few blocks to the south, the cemetery is located in the midst of an area rich in history and culture. To celebrate the centennial, chapter members are spearheading an effort to revitalize Old North Cemetery and to help it gain new recognition. Last year the chapter initiated the process of getting the cemetery listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which was accomplished with assistance from the Connecticut Historical Commission. An interpretive sign, designed by Dean Johnson, FASLA, will be given to the city by CTASLA and will be located at the entrance to the cemetery. Besides information on the cemetery’s

Old North Cemetery, Hartford.

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history and cultural significance, the sign will incorporate the plaques for the Freedom Trail and National Register of Historic Places. A ceremony is planned for September. In order to ensure the long-term advocacy and support necessary to maintain the cemetery, CTASLA is also seeking to establish a group of “friends,” consisting of state and local organizations and individuals. With this goal in mind, the chapter is developing a brochure to broaden public understanding about the cemetery and to encourage involvement in such a group. Revitalizing Old North Cemetery will take the efforts of many people, which is in keeping with Olmsted’s belief in creating public spaces open to all, to provide relief from the stresses of everyday life and to foster a sense of community. As our gift to the state in honor of the ASLA centennial, the Connecticut chapter looks forward to helping Old North Cemetery once again play a significant role in the cultural life of Hartford and the state.

Centennial Medallions, cont’d Connecticut Department of Transportation in design and maintenance standards and practices.

■ HARKNESS STATE PARK, Waterford Franklin Brett and George D. Hall; Beatrix Jones Farrand, landscape architects Eolia, the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Harkness on a promontory southwest of New London, was named after the island home of King Aeolus, keeper of the winds. This was a fitting name, for the wind influenced the design of both the house and garden. It is an excellent example of “country palace” residential design prevalent at the beginning of this century.

Landscape architects Brett and Hall drew up plans for the garden, which were architectural and axial near the house but included curved, irregularly-planted shrub borders where the formal garden met the wider landscape. Central to their plan was a broad grass terrace along the south side of the house, providing a view to Long Island Sound from the house and the courtyard. Broad steps ran from the courtyard down to the lawn. The west garden formed a long rectangle with the end nearest the water curved in a semi-circle and a stone pergola at the opposite end. Steps and gentle terracing adapted the garden to changes in grade. When the Brett and Hall firm was no longer available, the Harknesses turned to Beatrix Farrand, one of the original founders of

Harkness State Park, Waterford.

Mid-Year Trustee’s Report

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s ASLA marks its 100th year as a professional organization the words that our national leaders echo are “excitement, opportunity,” and “a critical time in the profession’s history.” (These words are often spoken in reference to landscape architecture, and throughout my experience in the field it seems that I’ve heard them constantly.) Yet despite the familiar tone, they seem to ring true more than ever now, even in Connecticut. Our region is full of new projects and initiatives at all scales — urban, suburban and rural — that promise to advance our profession’s stature into the next century. Why, just next door in Rhode Island, Landscape Architect Bob Weygand is running for U.S. Senate. As we savor the present, please remember that ASLA started out 100 years ago as a small group of volunteers with a passion for the profession. That spirit of volunteerism and participation is what sustains us still. Celebrate it.

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the ASLA. Although she accepted the formal layout of Brett and Hall’s West Garden, Farrand incorporated a sinuous planting style in which groupings of plants flow into one another seamlessly. Another important difference was in Farrand’s more subtle use of color. Upon the death of Mrs. Harkness in 1950, the entire property was left to the state of Connecticut. The house, grounds, greenhouses, and gardens deteriorated for several decades before a restoration movement gained momentum in the 1990s. Renovations are intended to restore the mansion and grounds to their condition in the early 1930s. The artistry of the original designs is still evident in the Harkness gardens, especially since their restoration. The subtle gradations of texture; carefully designed contrasts between light and dark; the thoughtful planning of space, distances, and progression through the garden; the fragrances and color successions — all these principles guiding the landscape architects are evident in the Harkness gardens. Their tranquillity and composition are a pleasure to experience again and again. The gardens and park are now open year round and are a popular spot for picnics and family gatherings. Additionally, the mansion is available to the public for private functions, including weddings, meetings, and seminars. The Summer Music Series attracts artists from around the world each year to perform in the open air within view of Long Island Sound.

CTASLA Design Awards, cont’d and in 1992 established Johnson Land Design. He has served as president of CTASLA and as vice president of ASLA, and in 1971 founded The Connecticut Landscape Architect with Richard Dee. Recently Johnson has assisted the chapter in its efforts to increase public awareness of Old North Cemetery in Hartford. Merit Award: Selbert Design Associates, Fairfield Project: Branford Town Center Revitalization

This project dealt with the physical revitalization of a decaying town center and the resolution of numerous circulation and parking problems (illus. 11). Selbert Design Associates served as consultant to the Town Center Revitalization Committee and the Town Center Revitalization Review Board, developing a master plan for the future growth of the town center

(illus. 12). As described in the project statement, “the goal was to eventually transform the Center into an active and commercially viable district that would integrate commerce, housing, offices, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, parking, and open space.” The first phase involved rectifying traffic, parking, and safety problems. Local property owners contributed vacant land behind the Main Street commercial buildings for a new municipal parking lot, and existing parking areas were reorganized. A “comprehensive streetscape system” was designed, which utilized distinct and consistent materials, colors, paving materials, furnishings, plantings, and signage. Landscaped plazas and sitting areas were included, and utility lines were relocated underground. The constructed Phase I site improvements include concrete paver sidewalks, handicapped ramps and roadway crosswalks with colorful paving patterns, new granite curbs and bollards, and woody plantings providing year-round interest (illus. 13). As described in the statement, “Today, the Town Center is a vibrant, thriving, and lively district and tourist destination…in a safe,

B RANFORD T OWN C ENTER R EVITALIZATION : Illus. 11 (near right): “Before” view of Branford streetscape. Illus. 12 (above): Master Plan for Branford Town Center Revitalization. Illus. 13 (far right): Improved streetscape.

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comfortable, appealing, and visually unified setting.” Arthur Selbert has a BS in landscape architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MLA from the University of Pennsylvania. His main office is in Fairfield, with an adjunct office in Cambridge, Mass. Selbert Design Associates does primarily municipal projects; the firm won a CTASLA merit award in 1997 for Roodner Court Public Housing, in South Norwalk. Corporate/Industrial Merit Award: Diversified Technology Consultants, North Haven Project: Groton Plant Master Plan Implementation

The project statement submitted by DTC chronicles the history of this site, owned by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, as well as the 10 years of work by the design team in renovating the plant and in planning for the future. The infrastructure dates to World War I, when a Victory shipyard for concrete-hulled Liberty Ships occupied the site. Between the wars it was a fish processing plant, and in World War II, it was used by the U.S. Navy for a submarine yard. In 1946 the plant was purchased by Pfizer, which converted the site to production of proprietary chemicals and food additives. Although the plant grew steadily, the aging infrastructure was becoming progressively less adequate for modern manufacturing. Meanwhile, Pfizer had shifted focus from chemicals to pharmaceuticals, which required a more exacting manufacturing process. Rather than abandon the site in favor of “offshore greenfield facilities” (open areas of noncontaminated land earmarked for future development), Pfizer opted to reconstruct the existing facilities. To accomplish this feat, they hired Centerbrook Architects and DTC (for civil engineering and landscape architecture). Thomas R. Tavella, group manager of landscape architec-

G ROTON PLANT M ASTER PLAN I MPLEMENTATION :

Photos © Jeff Goldberg/Esto

Illus. 14 (near left): Site plan of Groton industrial plant/campus as proposed for the year 2004. Illus. 15 (far left): Streetscape details. Illus. 16 (bottom): Bold plantings complement the site plan and architecture.

ture and planning at DTC, was project manager and the landscape architect of record. The team’s plan calls for a 12year, phased urban design strategy that acknowledges the site’s role in a populous urban district (illus. 14). By treating the site as an urban design problem (as opposed to an industrial complex), the design team was able to improve physical connections between the plant and the city, improve safety for residential neighbors, enhance the plant’s appearance both from outside and inside its boundaries, and ease circulation problems throughout. The resulting plan organized the plant in terms of an urban grid, complete with streetscape details like shade trees and attractive lamps (illus. 15); reduced the density of structures by two-thirds; and removed much existing pavement in favor of lawn and other landscaped areas. Views were opened through the site to the water, and landscape buffers were established between residential neighbors and the plant. Whereas the old plant consisted of a patchwork quilt of buildings in different colors and materials, the new plant is unified by consistent colors (warm beige for rectilinear buildings and white for circular structures) and materials, as well as a simple, bold planting plan (illus. 16).

Diversified Technology Consultants was established about 20 years ago by Dr. Murali Atluru, P.E. Besides the firm’s headquarters in North Haven, branch offices exist in Virginia Beach and Salt Lake City, with a combined staff of approximately 110. Services offered by DTC include planning, engineering, surveying, landscape architecture, and construction management. ■ Category II: Landscape Planning and Analysis Merit Award: Peter Miniutti, Storrs Project: Preston City – Village in Crisis

mendations as to how to preserve and expand these resources, conveyed by illustrative examples. According to the project statement, these materials will be used in revising the town’s Plan of Development and to reformulate zoning regulations. The analysis booklet is comprised of a series of color maps showing traffic patterns, current land use, historic structures, water resources, soil types, existing and proposed open space (illus. 17), and proposed zones for development or preservation. The design booklet contains several kinds of drawings to illustrate proposed improvements. Diagrams with notes explain major concepts, and vignettes show existing and proposed views (illus. 18). Cross-sections show

Preston City is a village within the town of Preston in rural southeastern Connecticut. In recent years vehicular traffic has increased substantially due to the presence of Mohegan and Foxwoods casinos nearby, and a town subcommittee, assisted by the town planner (Joseph Lombardo), retained Miniutti to develop strategies for managing growth. A major program element was a pedestrian-oriented retail area in the village, but Miniutti suggested that they also consider the creation of greenways in order to guarantee the preservation of open space. The process was twofold: first, analysis, to identify natural and cultural resources; and, second, recom13

Illus. 17: Open space plan for Preston City study.

( continued next page )

Illus. 18: Existing conditions and proposed treatment for Preston City streetscape.

proposed streetscapes with dimensioned setbacks, walkways, planting strips, and roads; and plans and isometric drawings exhibit the effect of proposed zoning regulations (illus. 19). ■ Category III: Landscape Architectural Communications Merit Award: Johnson Land Design, Collinsville Project: Design Guidelines for the Town of Litchfield The town of Litchfield is located in northwestern Connecticut, in an area known as the Litchfield Hills. Although Litchfield boasts mature trees, attractive open areas, and historic architecture, its commercial districts were developed without heed to the style of older town areas. The project statement describes how Johnson helped determine the job’s scope: “As the project developed, the landscape architect felt that the Guidelines should be more than just specific suggestions for specific problems; they should set greater goals by trying to preserve the overall feeling that is uniquely Litchfield.” In

addition, Johnson determined that the guidelines should not only address private property but also should apply to the extensive municipal and state properties within the town boundaries. Both of these conclusions were agreed to by the advisory committee. Examples of improvements recommended by Johnson for the commercial zones are: planting more shade trees; avoiding the orientation of buildings away from the street; downsizing signage; and screening parking lots. He also recommends avoiding flatroofed buildings, as they are inconsistent with the historic styles in the town center, and moving parking areas to the rear or side of buildings rather than allowing them in front. If they must remain in front, he suggests lowering their grade in relation to the road. Relocating utility lines underground is also recommended. For residential lots, Johnson advises avoiding shrubbery to screen front yards, as the historic precedent in Litchfield and Bantam involves a simpler planting of lawn and shade trees. To

DESIGN G UIDELINES FOR THE TOWN OF LITCHFIELD: Illus. 20 (right): Line drawings convey the effect of various plantings. Illus. 21: Fencing detail. 14

help convey different textures of various shade trees, Johnson provides simple line drawings (illus. 20). Discussing architectural guidelines, Johnson writes, “The guidelines are not intended to encourage only buildings which replicate a specific historical style, but rather to encourage buildings…that enrich and complement the area’s character.” He urges new development to be in scale with older buildings and to make renovations and additions conform with original character. He also points out what not to do: “Avoid, for example, putting a roof line on the front elevation only, adding dormers to a low pitched roof, or having Palladian windows on a Colonial façade.” With respect to site components such as benches, trash receptacles, fences, etc., Johnson recommends traditional detailing and materials (illus. 21). But he also suggests taking advantage of new products or techniques when they do not clash with the overall feeling of historic Litchfield. He suggests unifying the signage throughout; yet, “The graphic guidelines should not be so restrictive that there is no room allowed for creativity or individualism. At the same time, signs which are inappropriate due to style, size, color, quantity, etc., should be controlled.”

CTASLA Chapter Awards At its December holiday meeting each year, CTASLA recognizes not only its Design Awards winners, but also those members whose outstanding volunteer efforts sustain chapter programs and services. The Yarwood Award is given each year to an individual who has unselfishly given their time and dedication to the chapter. This year the Yarwood Award went to Keith Simpson (top right, receiving his award from Tom Tavella) for the many years he dedicated to the executive board, including serving as President in 1992, and trustee, until 1997. Karen Shopis (left) received a service award for serving as vice president for three years. Karen coordinated many chapter meetings and events, as well as the first annual chapter golf outing. Thomas Tavella (left) received a service award for his chapter presidency, 1997-1998. He has also administered the annual CTASLA Design Awards program since its inception.

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Thayer Chase Donates Magazine Collection to UConn By Rob Clapper, President-Elect

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t the 90th Birthday Jubilee for W. Thayer Chase last spring, Chase expressed his desire to find a home for his collection of Landscape Architecture magazines. (To have some appreciation of his collection, the current issue is Volume 89 and Thayer’s collection starts at Volume 15.) Negotiations were soon initiated with UConn for the transfer, and the chapter executive board voted to buy a locking glass-front bookcase to contain the collection. In January the case was delivered to the new Landscape Architecture design lab. A plaque (now affixed to the case) was presented by Chase to John Alexopoulos, program director, at the accreditation celebration in March. Below is the plaque’s text:

CORNUCOPIA FEST ‘99

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he University of Connecticut College of Agriculture and Natural Resources holds its fifth annual Cornucopia Fest on Sunday, September 26, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, on the green at the intersection of Route 195 and North Eagleville Road in Storrs. Take a hayride…bring your ailing plants to be diagnosed by the Plant Doctor…see Amy, the first cloned calf in the country… take a guided wildlife walk in UConn’s own forest…ask the Vet why your pet does that strange thing…see the tomato plants that went into space with John Glenn…visit the LERIS lab and see how Connecticut looks from space…bring a soil sample and get a free pH test…learn how to fertilize your lawn correctly… see a police K-9 demonstration… visit a Virtual Classroom…talk to our faculty and learn about our “Education With A View”…come to an auction to benefit the College…come to the official opening of the new Dairy Bar for an ice cream cone! Admission is FREE and EVERYONE is invited!

THIS COLLECTION OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE MAGAZINES WAS DONATED BY W. THAYER CHASE IN HONOR OF THE 1998 ACCREDITATION OF THE L ANDSCAPE A RCHITECTURE PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT, STORRS. CASE DONATED BY CTASLA.

I ntimate, Elegant, Affordable CONNECTICUT STONE SUPPLIES SHOWROOM: 138 Woodmont Road Milford, CT 06460 • 203-882-1000 Hours: Monday - Friday 8-5, Saturday 8-3 Presentation of book case plaque by W. Thayer Chase (left) to John Alexopoulos, UConn Landscape Architecture program director, at the ASLA Accreditation Celebration, March 3, 1999, Storrs, CT.

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