Jessica King landscape architecture portfolio a compilation of planning + design + construction + photography
Mar 29, 2016
Jessica Kinglandscape architecture portfolio a compilation of planning + design + construction + photography
Forest in Heidelberg, Germany. Photograph by Jessica King.
My design philosophy seeks to integrate art into the re-created natural environment through recognizing natural processes and abstracting them to engage the community through artistic and social experiments. The motivation behind my work seeks to bridge the two concepts of art’s impact on the social environment and the natural environment.
design philosophy
‘Umschreibung’, Munich, Germany. Photograph by Jessica King.
Basel Train Station, Switzerland.Photograph by Jessica King.
ecological footprint, jackson county
contents
urban planning 1
7
13
17
3
5
15
19
23
9
11
critical mapping
regional nexus
kokkedal, denmark
qianjiang gorge park, china
mennonite community
anneberg park wetland
master planning
site design
design details
Axis from the Charles Bridge to St. Nicholas, Prague, Czech Republic. Photograph by Jessica King.
urban planning
park success
downtown core
downtown mixed use
industrial
mixed use neighborhood
Success and failure of parks based on land use
Kansas City has an underutilized Parks and Boulevard System designed in the 1890s by George Kessler. The mapping exercises define strategies to connect these parks through the street systems and draw in more user groups through proposed high-density residential and mixed use developments centered within the downtown area. This exercise was completed in small research groups with individual mapping results.
residential
park failure
Mapping the land uses surrounding Kansas City’s parks shows the linkage between diversity of user groups and land uses to the successes or failure of the park.
critical mappingcity ecologies studio 2011
3
park
node street connection
private park ownership
high use parks
lacking connections
Mosaic park connections
Mapping the connections between parks based on usage, ownership, and street access exposes those parks that have no connections to each other. These connections were vital to park success. 4
Kansas City is planning an inner-city light rail network that links major downtown commercial areas, residential areas, and districts. With the implementation of new transit, transit oriented development in the form of pedestrian pockets will facilitate new growth in the downtown area and promote higher density residential in the urban core. The pockets contain a variety of land use in order to create live, work, and play spaces within a quarter-mile, five-minute walking radius. This project was designed within a team of three: Benjamin Wagner, Samantha Jarquio, and I.
regional nexuscity ecologies studio 2011
Kansas City is illustrated as a regional nexus through a transit network that links major cities. This tier of the overall idea of Kansas City as a multi-modal hub promotes the city as a destination.5
The East Crossroads district in Kansas City currently lacks development to relate it to the rest of downtown Kansas City. These images show the potential of the area to develop into a transit pocket. The transformation is shown to understand the increased density in the area and its surrounding effects.
The yellow nodes on this diagram indicate current and potential areas of development. These areas are proposed lightrail and streetcar stations in order to link the nodes of the city to the suburbs outside the city.
6
master planning
Zurich Open Space, Switzerland.Photograph by Jessica King.
Kokkedal is a suburb outside of Copehnagen in Denmark. The project began with a prequalificaiton document laying out the group dynamics and an understanding of roles within a holistic planning process. The second round included planning and design, an adaptation to the existing suburb. These adaptations needed to shift the way water was dealt with. The plans aimed to connect the people of Kokkedal to nature. The team goals were to promote community living and connection to nature.
The competition was composed of Atelier Dreiseitl, Gehl Architects, and NIRAS Engineering. The team strategy and goals were used to establish the leadership role for ever facet of design and ecology. The competency matrix illustrates each firm’s strengths and leadership roles.
kokkedal, denmarkAtelier Dreiseitl internship 2012
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Kokkedal has many flooding problems. The design solution seeks to solve these flooding issues by bringing people to the water to celebrate the rainfall. The site provides public access to the major drainage paths around the site, increasing public awareness of where the water is going. 10
Using ArcGIS software to expand upon site inventory and analysis, the studio prepared a number of inventory and analysis maps for Jackson County, Missouri. The class as a whole read about the ecological footprint method and adapted the information for a series of county-specific research questions. Methodology used to calculate demand and capacity was adapted from research on topics of land-cover, carbon footprint and sequestration, renewable water, solid and organic material outflows, and energy demand.
ecological footprint for jackson countyenvironmental planning studio 2012
Based on a series of stream buffers, areas of conservation were established and a cost estimate conducted based on the acquisition value for the area. To re-vegetate the inner stream buffer, protect the floodplains, and to reconnect habitat patches through acquiring these buffers created would cost billions of dollars.11
alluvium
Soil cover
Landsat tree cover
Generalized zoning Basemap
Water systemsPopulation
agriculture
mixed use wetlands
industry
1 dot = 28.5 peoplewells
commercial
single-family
residential
multi-family
cities road hierarchy railroadsmixed use
low density residential waterbodies
cropother
grass/ herbaceous
barren land treeswater
The inventory maps above are analyzed to understand the footprint and magnitude of human impacts. 12
site design
Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany. Photograph by Jessica King.
The gorge park sits in the middle of two developing cities. To the north there is the old city and to the south, the new city is developing. Both cities contribute to poor water quality that cuts through the mountains of the gorge park. Slopes in the gorge park are steep, attributing to previous engineering efforts. The project sought to connect the two cities without impacting the quality of pristine nature and water. Improvements were suggested for the previous engineering efforts to increase tourism.
qianjiang gorge park, chinaAtelier Dreiseitl internship 2012
The engineered wall was previously designed to stabilize the slope, but has not used a sustainable approach. The sketch shows a bioengineering approach. Planted gabion steps provide a more naturalistic experience.
The gorge park, between two cities, is connected with a river. The two cities join with the gorge at strategic entry points.
The image shows an approach that uses the existing structural wall. Curb cuts and plantings will allow for better infiltration from road runoff.
Terraced agriculture provides a new experience within the gorge park. Near the entrance to the park, the area will give visitors seating, shade, and picnic areas.
16
Installation at Insel Hombroich, Neuss, Germany. Photograph by Jessica King.
design details
Manhattan’s growing Mennonite community needed a new church facility. The program included a church, parking, an edible garden, contemplative space, a gathering area, a recreational lawn, play areas, and an outdoor kitchen as well as incorporating sustainable plantings. Planting choices were to be sustainable and adaptable. Border plantings were chosen to buffer the noise from the main arterial, frame views into the agricultural land, and to provide fresh produce. Interior plantings were used to naturalize, as specimens on either side of the church, and for runoff absorption. In choosing plants for the congregation, experiential qualities, seasonality, and bird and butterfly habitat promoting species were considered.
mennonite communityplanting design studio 2010
Prunus americana
Wild Plum
Malus ‘Spring Snow
Spring Snow C
rabapple
Quercus bicolor
Swamp W
hite OakAmelanchier arborea
Serviceberry
Betula nigraRiver Birch
Diospyros virginianaPersimmon
Amsina triloba
Pawpaw
Platan
us oc
ciden
talis
Sycam
ore
Gym
nocl
adus
dio
ica
Ken
tuck
y C
offe
e Tr
ee
Taxo
dium
dis
tichu
mB
ald
Cyp
ress
Acer G
riseum
Paperbark M
aple
Koelreuteria paniculata
Golden Rain TreeQuercus imbricaria
Shingle Oak
Liquidambar styracifluaSweet Gum
Gleditsia triacanthos
Honey Locust
Tilia heterophylia
White BasswoodMac
lura p
omife
ra
Osage
Oran
ge
Aesc
ulus
gla
bra
Ohi
o B
ucke
ye
Celtis occidentalis
Hackberry
fall
summer
spring
Plant selection was based on native plant species, seasonal interest, and habitat.
spring summer fall winter
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rain garden
contemplative area
recreational lawn
garden
naturalized area
wildflower meadow
playgroundThe site plan for the Manhattan Mennonite Community shows the variety of plantings used for different emotive qualities.
The Manhattan Mennonite Community project included the construction documents for implementation. Grading plans were created to show the functionality of site drainage and how the native plantings are paired with drainage. Details and dimensioning plans were valuable for understanding precision and integrating construction with design. The average end area method provides an understanding of the balance of earthwork for the site. Irrigation and lighting were also part of this project.
mennonite communitydesign implementation studio 2010
This detail is showing the anchor for an overlook deck located in the northeast corner.21
welded anchor
concrete pier
6”x6” post
Taking end area sections provided an understanding of the balance of cut and fill.
The dimensioning plan provides an integration of construction and design.
22
The Anneberg Park wetlands project sought to engage park users in the natural processes of the wetlands. My partner, Anne Hundley, and I designed informative signage, an ephemeral wetland to mitigate flooding, overlooks for observation, and provided a learning landscape for the community.
anneberg park wetlandplanting design studio 2010
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The concept of an ephemeral wetland is illustrated to show the paths that water will take.
Three different wetland species zones enable maximum infiltration in the wetland.
lower wetland species
upper wetland species
upland prairie species
low moisture tolerance direct sunlight
low moisture tolerance direct sunlight
high moisture tolerance direct sunlight