Ada and Archibald MacLeish Field Station Pavilion Design
Seneca Gray ‘13 in collaboration with James Middlebrook, Art Department ; Reid Bertone-Johnson, Landscape Studies + C.E.E.D.S. ; Corey Eilhardt ’09
Introduction
Features: Aesthetic Quality
Smith College is in the process of building the Bechtel Environmental Classroom, a new State-of-the-art Living Building at MacLeish Field Station on the
satellite Whately Property. As a Living Building, it will be completely selfoperating, comprised of local materials and equipped with sustainable equipment. The Classroom aims to provide a wide range of opportunities- keeping
true to the liberal arts education Smith proudly exemplifies. The original
Bechtel proposal included funding for a pavilion design by then student Corey
Eilhardt (’09). Her design thoughtfully reflected the circular harmony of a balanced liberal arts experience.
Environmental sustainability is a large part of the design
morality. It was a goal to include as many local and natural materials into the pavilion. Large rocks found on site
during construction of the Bechtel Classroom will be
placed around the perimeter and stone dust from a local
company will form the floor. As much wood as possible
will be cultivated from the forests around the site to
supply material for the beams. As an addition to the pavilion, proposals for designing a rain water catchment
system may be implimented through the student organizaion Engineers for a Sustainable World.
However, designs are frequently forced to evolve over time to comply with the
fluid transformations often encountered during building projects. Aspects
previously devoted to the pavilion, such as storage, are now incorporated into
the Classroom. Therefore Eilhardt’s original pavilion required redesigning to
comply with it’s new function and, consequently, form.
Roof Metal Trim, Copper
Roof Lining, Rubber Sheet
By aesthetically incorporating the natural environment
through use of local materials, framing views of nature,
and providing a space for environmental learning, the pavilion brings together Smith’s fundamental values with
the purpose of the new Classroom through the Center for
the Environment, Ecological Design & Sustainability’s activism.
Just as the MacLeish Field Station offers its land to multidisciplinary research,
the collaboration between architecture and landscape studies’ students and
faculty further reflects Smith’s education philosophy to further educational
boundaries - a key part of the pavilion’s concept. I envision students of all disciplines enjoying this new space. Everyone from biologist, poets, artists,and
engineers to faculty, civilians, hikers, campers, and passers-by should feel the
pavilion is meant for their presence.
Ford SIP Panel, Plywood + Foam
Aesthetic Roof Panels, Wood
30 ft
13 ft
CAMPING AND
HIKING
INTERPRETING
ANIMAL
TRACKS
GUEST LECTURES,
SPECIAL EVENTS
ENGLISH
CLASSES
STUDYING
THE
LANDSCAPE
STUDIO ART
POSSIBLE
USES OF THE
PAVILION
GEOLOGY
STUDIES OF
SOIL AND
CLASSES
ASTRONOMY
STUDIES
WATER FLOW
STUDENT
ESCAPE FROM
CAMPUS LIFE
PLANT BIOLOGY
AND
IDENTIFICATION
CLASSES
Concept:
Structural Roof, Wood
To build upon Smith
College’s liberal arts
system by designing
a pavilion that attempts
to incorporate all areas
of study.
In addition to upholding these ideals, my objectives for the project were to
follow the Living Building’s lead in exploring methods to reduce construction
material consumption with an environmentally conscious design and in minimizing construction costs through local resources. Simultaneously, my design
should be an aesthetically stimulating piece and a quality addition of architecture to the Field Station.
Side Elevation
7 ft
Front Elevation
Scenic view of valley from within the pavilion
Structural Columns, Wood
24 ft
Features: Logistics
Our budget was a major factor in many of the decisions made while redesigning the pavilion. Costs of labor and material shipping
and purchasing consume a large chunk of the $20,000 allowance. The limitations of the budget influenced the size of the pavilion,
the materiality, and the quantity of special features. The evolution of the pavilion is as interesting as the separate designs themselves.
Site Orientation
MacLeish Field Station
Budget:
Shape:
Size:
Roof:
Storage:
Fireplace:
Tables/Chairs:
Forest
Original
Current
Future
Circular
Left undetermined
Entirely metal, circular
Present
Custom metal design, center
Custom design around fireplace
$20,000
Circular with octagonal framing
453 sq. ft (24 ft diameter)
Rubber with metal trim, oval
Relocated to Classroom
Brick pit, center
-
Reliance on future grants
Entirely metal
Custom metal design
Student design projects
Sonotubes, Cement
Pavilion Ground, Stone Dust
Fire pit, Bricks (temporary)
Pavilion
Compositional elements and their materials
12”
Trim Trim
12”Copper
Copper
Edible Forest Garden
foot pa
th
1/16”
SheetSheet
1/16”Rubber
Rubber
6”
Ford
PanalPanel
6”Structural
Structural
Ford
4”
Panels
4”Wood
Wood
Panels
10”
Beams
10”Wood
Wood
Beams
Smith College, Northampton
Bechtel
Classroom
Y
LE
L
VA
Proposed Custom Metal Fireplace
Current Proposed Fire pit
Detail Section of Roof
Scale : 1 to 1-1/2
Scale: 1 to 1-1/2
Student learning experince at the MacLeish Pavilion site
Apples in Academia: Integrating Agriculture and Ecological Design Into
Education at MacLeish Field Station
Tia Novak ’13 Adviser: Reid Bertone-Johnson
Orchard Goals
Proposed Design
Introduction
To enhance the curriculum of Smith horticulture
classes and the Summer Botanic Garden Internship
through hands -on training
The goal for MacLeish Field Station is “to foster fieldbased education and research that promotes
environmental study and experiential learning in a
forested and agricultural landscape.” Some of the many
opportunities that the field station offers include
environmental research, outdoor education, and lowimpact recreation. Construction of the Bechtel
Environmental Classroom under the guidelines of the
Living Building Challenge has spurred opportunity to
enhance the experience of the field station through
creating spaces for research and collaboration while
remaining in-tune with the environmentally sound
principles that govern the place.
Practicing environmentally sound principles includes
being able to sustain oneself. Unsurprisingly, to meet the
Living Building standards, a building must provide
productive agriculture. In an effort to meet these
requirements, I have designed an organic apple
installment using disease-resistant, cold-hardy varieties
that are able to meet the needs of the station while
providing productive agriculture for Smith College. Due
to the high demand for local produce by dining services,
a growing agricultural interest on campus, the
establishment of a Sustainable Food Concentration, and
the expanding need for agricultural education in the face
of social, economic, and environmental challenges, the
installment of an orchard would greatly benefit the Smith
Community and provide an opportunity for collaborative
learning.
To provide resources for scientific, artistic, and
academic exploration and collaboration
To serve as a source of student recreation; MacLeish
Field Station will be a future go-to location for Mountain
Day, a surprise break from classes during the fall
The orchard design includes fifty trees spread over a two
acre (87,120 ft2) rectangular piece of land northwest of the
field station. The land consists mostly of active pasture
and hayfield, as well as old pasture black birch forest long
the perimeter. A small driveway and two-car gravel
parking lot for handicapped access to the field station will
be located in the southeast end of the plot. A pollinator
garden of native perennials will surround the orchard.
Liberty trap trees
help control the
plum curculio
weevil
Smith Botanic Garden summer interns (left) and horticulture students
(right) will directly benefit from the practical, hands-on training a
student operated orchard would provide.
To supplement Dining Service’s high demand for local
fruit and introduce new, organic apple varieties to the
student community
To ultimately be a student-maintained and monitored
resource for all members of the Smith Community
passionate about sustainable food
To foster a connection between Smith and the
neighbors of MacLeish Field Station
Native perennial
flowering plants attract
local pollinators
Picnic areas for
visiting students
Nova Spy
Freedom
Liberty
Enterprise
Pristine
Redfree
Acknowledgments: I would like to thank Dr. Duane
Greene, Department of Plant, Soil & Insect Science at
UMASS Amherst, Dr. Jodi Lew-Smith (’89) of High
Mowing Organic Seeds, Cayte McDonough of NEWFS,
Steve and Jen Gougeon of Bear Swamp Orchard, Kate
Kerivan of Bug Hill Farm, Bashistas Orchards, Kathy
Zieja and Patrick Diggins of Dining Services, Gaby
Immerman of the Botanic Garden and Biology
Department, and my adviser Reid Bertone-Johnson for
their generous guidance and support.
Edible Forest Garden at the MacLeish Field Station:
A Permaculture Design Demonstration
Ellena Baum ‘14, Reid Bertone-Johnson, STRIDE research, Department of Landscape Studies, CEEDS
Introduction: What is an Edible Forest Garden?
“An edible forest garden is a perennial polyculture of multi-purpose plants” — many
species growing together (a polyculture), most plants re-growing every year without
needing to be re-planted (perennials), each plant contributing to the success of the
whole by fulfilling many functions. In other words, an edible ecosystem: a consciously
designed community of mutually beneficial plants and animals intended for human
food production.” (Dave Jacke, Edible Forest Gardens, 2005)
Current Goals
•
•
•
•
•
•
Preliminary Species Lists
Make use of a recently disturbed space in a productive and educational way that will both benefit nature and the people who
will interact within this space
Comply with the regulations of the Living Building Challenge with healthy and ecological food production
Create an educational garden space in conjunction with the Betchel Environmental Classroom that will integrate the
classroom with its surroundings
Demonstrate the coexistence of a wide range of species by mimicking natural processes of the environment
Select plant species that coexist with minimal human attention and maintenance
Beautify the disturbed habitat and encourage healthy human interaction with edible and medicinal plant species
Design Plan Sketch
Sample of Species Selections
Key: plant parts listed are edible, cul= culinary uses, DA= dynamic accumulator, N2=
Nitrogen fixer, GN= generalistic nectary, SN= specialist nectary
Herbaceous Perennials
Latin Name
Matricaria
recutita
Origanum
vulgare
Thymus vulgaris
Common
Name
Chamomile
Cul, DA
Main Functions Height
3-6”
Oregano
Cul
24”
Thyme
Cul
Cichorium
intybus
Chicory
Greens, DA,
GN
4’
Melissa
officinalis
Lemon
Balm
Cul, DA, GN,
3’
Pycnanthemum
muticum
Mountain
Mint
Cul
3’
Salvia
officianalis
Sage
Cul, GN
18”
Main
functions
Fruit, SN
Height
Lindera
Common
Name
Spice Bush
Ribes nigrum
Black currant
Fruit
3-6’
Groundcover
Latin Name
Image
Astragalus spp.
(robbinsii var jesupii
is native to the Connecticut River and
is on the federal endangered species
list)
Qualities of an Edible Forest Garden:
• soil fertility mostly maintained by plants
• several different vertical layers of species
• high diversity of species
• inter species interactions maximized
Height Image
6-12”
Dwarf
Comfrey
DA
4-5’
Fragaria spp
Strawberry
Fruit
6-9”
Trifolium pratense
Red clover
N2
8-30”
4-8”
Low Canopy for Fruiting Woodland
Common
Name
American
persimmon
Main
functions
Fruit, beauty,
selfpollinating
Height
Corylus
avellana
Hazel
Nuts
20’
Corylus
maxima
Filbert
Nuts
18-30’
Castanea spp.
Dwarf hybrid
chestnut
Nuts
10-20’
Asimina
Pawpaw
Fruit
6-40’
Chaenomeles
cathayensis
Flowering
Quince
Fruit
6’ (but usually
smaller)
Hamamelis
virginiana
Witch hazel
Flowers,
medicinal
10-25’
Rhus typhina
Staghorn
Sumac
fruit
12-30’
Diospyros
virginiana
30-80’
Fruiting Thicket
Latin Name
Inspiration
Since Fall 2009, when I completed a Permaculture Design Certification course at
Kibbutz Lotan Center for Creative Ecology, I have been eager to apply my
knowledge of Permaculture to a project that would be both useful and
educational. During spring semester ’12, I have collaborated with Reid
Bertone-Johnson, director of the Ada and Archibald MacLeish Field Station, to
explore the concepts of holistic ecological design. Smith College is currently
constructing the Betchel Environmental Classroom, BEC, an environmental
education and research facility, which will meet the requirements for the Living
Building Challenge. The Living Building Challenge is a rigorous building
certification program. Among other impressive demands, the Living Building
Challenge requires projects to be sources of sustainable food production. This is
where I get to make a contribution. The Edible Forest Garden at the MacLeish Field
Station offers both an educational demonstration garden for the BEC, as well as a
viable source of food. I have been designing this project in collaboration with
Seneca Gray ’13, who has worked on the design for the MacLeish Pavilion. We have
integrated the two designs for the garden and the pavilion into a cohesive plan for
the area.
Main
Functions
N2
Symphytum asperum
Latin Name
Patterns and Layout
Common
Name
Milk Vetch
Next Steps
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Research into specific plant varieties and availability
Finalization of species lists
Analysis of short term and long term water resources, and water maintenance plan
Total cost analysis
Site preparation and soil rehabilitation through sheet mulching, composting, and nutrient amendments
Planting of initial herbaceous groundcover to create a healthier soil habitat
Succession plantings of larger species
long term plan for overall maintenance of the garden
One of the purposes of creating an edible forest garden within direct proximity to the environmental classroom is that
eventually certain courses and programs will become involved with the garden, for example, to study and monitor
species growth and interactions. The garden will contribute to a healthy culture around food production. The Edible
Forest Garden at MacLeish Field Station can also have a place within age-old Smith traditions such as Mountain Day,
when students pick fall-ripened fruit, and enjoy spending time in nature.
Ribes rubrum
Red currant
Sambucus
canadensis
American
Elder
Vaccinium
corymbosum
Highbush
blueberry
Fruit
Fruit,
medicinal
Fruit
Vertical Climbers and Vines
Latin Name
Mahonia
aquifolium
Actinidia
arguta
Image
4-10’
3-5’
9’
12’
Common
Name
Oregon grape
Main functions
Height
Fruit
3-16’
Hardy Kiwi
Fruit
20’/season
Image
Site Analysis
Figure 1a. and Figure 1b.
Current conditions of site
The site is a recently cleared, rocky landscape,
approximately 8000 square feet in area. It was initially
cleared as the location for the solar panels for the BEC,
but then was rejected for a variety of reasons. The site is
downward sloping to the northwest. The eastern side is
adjacent to the wheat field, which a neighbor is
currently using for his cattle. The northeastern side of
the site gets the most sun exposure. Along the western
side of the site is a linear wetland. The southern side of
the clearing is closest to the classroom, ± 190 ft from the
northeast corner of the classroom.
Figure 2. explaining the project concepts with LSS 250
on site
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Reid Bertone-Johnson for advising and
mentoring my design process this semester
Gaby Immerman, Jesse Bellemare, Keith Zaltzberg for
their advice and support
References
Crawford, Martin. Creating a Forest Garden:
Working with Nature to Grow Edible Crops.
Totnes: Green, 2010.
Jacke, Dave, and Toensmeir, Eric. Edible Forest
Gardens. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea
Green Pub., 2005
Jacke, Dave and Zaltzberg, Keith. Final Design
Report and Implementation Plan: The Edible
Ecosystem Demonstration Garden. Wellesley
College. Greenfield MA. 2011