The Landscape Master Plan Committee at Smith College is currently in the “Vision” phase of its Landscape Master Plan (LMP). Based on community input from the initial phase of the LMP, the committee will be suggesting a variety of alternatives for Smith’s future landscape through the use of visual models. Students will have the opportunity to share their perspectives on these proposed ideas.
“It’s important that people realize that this is a vision for the future,” says Signe Nielsen ‘72, principal architect of Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects (MNLA).
In recent years, changes in climate, student priorities, and technology has prompted the committee to reassess the current landscape. Since last June, the committee has been working closely with Smith students, faculty, alumni, and Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects (MNLA) to develop a comprehensive 20-year Landscape Master Plan that will transform the campus landscape to address these changes.
As the plan develops over the course of the academic year, the committee wants to ensure that the future landscape of Smith College embodies the characteristics of education, inclusivity, and adaption. Signe Nielsen says that she would like to prioritize redesigning the landscape to improve navigation and mobility on campus as well.
Sustainability is another priority.
“I would like this to be truly a transformation of how the campus addresses climate change,” she said.
According to Nielsen, some examples would be to plant trees in the Quad that are able to withstand rising temperatures or adding more locations for where water can be cleaned before being discharged back into the river.
The LMP consists of three stages: “Discovery,” “Vision” (also known as “Alternative Frameworks”), and “Draft Master Plan.” A new issue of the LMP online magazine, Groundswell, will be released with each stage. The second issue was released online on Feb. 11.
The issue includes key findings from the “Discovery” phase which concluded in November 2019. During this stage, the committee focused on using methods of site analysis and community engagement to figure out what specific issues should be addressed by the master plan. This research allowed the committee to narrow down on five areas of concern which are the environment, human history, pedestrian experience, vehicular access, and campus spaces.
The “Vision” phase will evaluate each of the three proposed modifications to Smith’s landscape which are the “Light,” Intermediate,” and “Intensive” transformation models. These models focus on 12 specific campus areas including the Quad, pond area and main campus lawns.
Feedback sessions were held on the main level of the campus center. Students were provided the opportunity to converse with the design team, and complete activities to share their perspectives on these proposals and visualize what they wanted for the redesign plan.
“In the early stages when it was more about information gathering, it felt a little bit more abstract,” said Jamila DePeiza-Kern ’22, a minor in landscape studies, “It’s really exciting to see all of the possibilities of what might happen.”
There have been thoughts on the potential challenges that can arise with this plan. Whether the committee receives the proper funding and financial commitment from Smith is a concern, says Nielsen. But she remains hopeful. Nielsen suggests that if Smith does decide to take on this landscape project, a good way to appeal to donors is to offer dedication opportunities on certain aspects of the future landscape.
However, discussion about funding and other financial related topics will be discussed later in the final phase when the committee prepares a draft of the LMP. This third step will begin in March and will be accompanied by Issue 3 of the Groundswell. The main focus will be to consolidate the best ideas that resulted from this stage and work towards a final draft of the plan.
