Boston Flora

Tag: Eliza Pennypacker

  • Wednesday, November 2, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm – Not in My Front Yard: Social-Aesthetic Barriers to Green Infrastructure in the Public Realm, Online

    Landscape designers nationwide believe in the many benefits of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI); but, for this strategy to succeed, the public must want these installations in their yards, parks, schools, and neighborhood streets. This Ecological Landscape Alliance online session on November 2 presents a study of public reactions to the appearance of GSI, focusing on rain garden installation within the municipal streetscape – technically a “public” space, but perceived by homeowners as part of their front yards. Public resistance to streetscape rain gardens can be found across the U.S. Some residents regard these rain gardens as “ugly pits,” while others think they “look great.” A community’s appreciation for rain gardens is critical to their cultural sustainability: negative reactions can stall and prevent implementation. The study interviews designers and municipal program managers of green streets projects in Kansas City, Missouri, and Montgomery County, Maryland, and builds upon existing research and theory transecting the fields of landscape architecture and environmental behavior. Data analysis reveals the drivers of public concern regarding appearance and potential design and participatory strategies. Register HERE.

    Presenter Kate Cholakis is conducting research examining the intersections of sustainable stormwater management, landscape perception, and environmental behavior through the MSLA program at Penn State University. She teaches ecological design and planning within the Conway School’s graduate program, and her professional practice experience involves green infrastructure planning and design and ecological approaches to land management. Ms. Cholakis earned her BA in Architecture from Smith College and MA from the Conway School. She is a LEED Green Associate. Presenter Eliza Pennypacker is a Professor of Landscape Architecture at Penn State University. Since 2005 she has conducted research with Stuart Echols on “Artful Rainwater Design”: sustainable stormwater management that celebrates the rain in a way that is entertaining and enlightening. She and Echols have presented and published extensively on the subject, including their 2015 book, Artful Rainwater Design: Creative Ways to Manage Stormwater (Island Press).

  • Monday, October 9, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm – Artful Rainwater Design: Stormwater Designs that Enhance Aesthetics

    The concept of Artful Rainwater Design, a term coined by Dr. Sturart Echols and Ms. Eliza Pennypacker, is based on the premise that stormwater management can be designed such that new site amenities are created. These amenities result in greater user satisfaction and perceived value. Looking at rainwater-focused projects nationwide, the presenters  in this October 9 webinar will discuss how these designs transformed the treatment of stormwater into attractive landscapes with educational and recreational components. They will look at specific examples of built designs, explain the principles behind the idea, and discuss the barriers and challenges that need to be addressed for Artful Rainwater Design to become a typical approach to stormwater management. They will look at the work of other designers and offer ideas for future possibilities utilizing their creative, place-making approach to stormwater management.

    Dr. Stuart Echols, is an Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at Penn State University. His interests focus on integrating two aspects of stormwater design: utility and amenity. Through his research, Dr. Echols has developed a method of stormwater design that integrates the landscape and stormwater and that seeks to restore and preserve natural hydrology. He received his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in environmental design and planning. He coauthored the book Artful Rainwater Design: Creative Ways to Manage Stormwater.

    Eliza Pennypacker has been a faculty member in Penn State University’s Department of Landscape Architecture since 1982 and is currently the Head of the Department. She has taught a wide range of courses, including the History of Landscape Architecture and all levels of design studio. Professor Pennypacker’s research focuses on what she refers to as Artful Rainwater Design: stormwater management that not only mitigates quality and quantity of runoff, but that also celebrates rainwater in a way that educates or entertains visitors. She has written and presented on this topic extensively, and in collaboration with Stuart Echols, recently published a book, Artful Rainwater Design: Creative Ways to Manage Stormwater.

    The webinar is sponsored by the Ecological Landscape Alliance and is free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-artful-rainwater-design-stormwater-designs-enhance-aesthetics/