More than 100 landscape architecture students packed into the first floor of the Architecture Building on Monday night to work on their department's annual design week project. Sheets of trace paper, maps of Muncie, rulers and lead pencils were scattered across rectangular tables as students brainstormed and sketched out their ideas.
John Motloch, interim chairman of the landscape architecture department, said this year's project is to rework the industrial Eastside of Muncie into something more welcoming and usable. The area, near the intersection of Jackson Street and White River Boulevard, has been in a bit of disrepair and recently saw the demolition of the Indiana Steel and Wire factory, which had been idle since 2002.
Students' work is also being critiqued by internationally known landscape architect Fumiaki Takano, who Motloch said is also design week's keynote speaker. Takano owns his own landscape planning company in Japan and Taiwan. He has won awards for his designs from the Japanese government and his work has been featured in New York Times magazine.
"It gives the students not only the opportunity to continue their studies, not only through landscape architecture, but from an international leader who sees things differently," Motloch said.
Students' projects are looking "really good," he said.
Ed Dean, a fifth-year landscape architecture student, said he liked this year's design week project because it's different from what he usually works on in his classes. Participants were placed in teams of students from all years - second through graduate school - of the program, he said.
"I enjoy doing stuff like this because I get to meet people I don't normally get the chance to," Dean said.
He said landscape architecture is often criticized for doing too many "whimsical" projects. That's why it's good that the East Muncie gateway project has real issues, such as a budget and legal issues, he said.
Dean said some of the community leaders that came to critique the students' projects said their work was "one of the best things to happen to the community" in many years.
"This is something that is for the community, and it feels good," he said.
Fourth-year R.C. Duffy said the goal of the East Muncie gateway project is reuse the industrial and natural areas in creative and recreational ways and then combine the recreational uses with future economic possibilities.
Matt Lievertz, also a fourth-year, said the two-day workshop is called a charette.
"The point of a charette is not to find the answer, but to find many answers or just a lot of ideas," he said.
The students' architecture classes were canceled for the week, and they will not be graded on their projects.
Thomas Fraley said he is glad he and his classmates are getting feedback from an expert like Takano, who visited Ball State last year as part of the department's guest lecture series.
"I think having someone of prominence like Mr. Takano here allows us to see a different perspective of design," Fraley said. "It allows us to engage in a collaborative environment and allows us to generate big ideas quickly."
Motloch said students will be sharing their work with Muncie community leaders — including John Craddock, founder of Indiana's Bureau of Water Quality, and Barry Banks, executive director of the Red-tail Conservancy — this afternoon. Those leaders can choose use students' ideas or develop them further for future improvements, he said.
"This is a very real project," Motloch said. " ... It's very exciting and rewarding to our students. The community interaction is extremely important to our students."
Cindy McHone, a landscape architecture instructor who helped students with their projects Monday night, said it was nice to see students so engaged in their work, despite it being so close to Thanksgiving Break.
Takano's visit is being sponsored by the College of Architecture and Planning and local design firm Rundell Ernstberger Associates.
Read More
IPR: Indiana Michigan Power extends Tillotson Avenue road construction project
By Indiana Public Radio / 2 days agoOriginally, the project had a November completion date. In a statement Thursday, the company says it has found more damage to “the existing underground infrastructure.”
Indiana Capital Chronicle: New revenue eaten up by Medicaid budget forecast
By Indiana Capital Chronicle / 3 days agoActuaries defend $1B ‘mistake’
Ball State holds 200th Commencement ceremony
By Trinity Rea / December 14, 2024Ball State University held its 200th commencement ceremony Dec. 14, celebrating over 1,200 Cardinal graduates.
