Graduate Capstones and Terminal Projects

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Open Access
SCENES! FROM THE PHENOMENOMICON!
(University of Oregon, 2024) Alvarado, Christian
This paper is divided into two sections, each composed of three parts. Section one discusses five artworks that feature in the terminal exhibition titled SCENES! FROM THE PHENOMENOMICON!. This research writing, titled in ALL CAPS to reflect the overarching voice throughout this practice, will note concepts, intentions, and symbols present in the visual artwork, and will draw connections to its formal decisions and references. Section two is composed of an introduction and three short creative writing vignettes – stories developed while working on the visual artwork which serve as open ended lore. The creative writing, written and titled in lowercase to reflect a contemplative subjectivity, plays speculatively with the themes presented in the visual artwork: colonial contact, migration, and mutation.
Open Access
Louise Thái Thị Lang’s Fêtes du Têt: a musical representation of Vietnamese culture
(University of Oregon, 2024-08) Nguyễn, Tùng Anh;
Louise Thái Thị Lang was the first Vietnamese composer-performer to achieve an international reputation with the premiere of her piece Fêtes du Têt in Salle Pleyel, Paris, 1953. Even though she performed extensively in the 1950s and 1960s, Louise Thái Thị Lang’s works are virtually unknown to international and Vietnamese audiences, scholars, and musicians. My research will focus on the composer’s most significant piece - Fêtes du Têt – in terms of analytical, ethnomusicological, and anthropological study to offer a better picture of the composer’s biography, to prove the importance of her works in the Vietnamese classical music scene, and to realize the composer’s effort as a cultural ambassador representing Vietnam through her music. I hypothesize that the absence of her works after the 1950s was a direct consequence of the Vietnam War from 1954 to 1975 and partly because of the misinterpretation from Western critics and audiences about Vietnamese culture. I envision my research will prompt further studies about Vietnamese classical music in general and this composer in particular. Consequently, pianists will start to include her works in their repertoire.
Open Access
Preservation Perspectives: Cultural Resource Meaning, Memory, and Management at Casa Grande Ruins and Hohokam Pima National Monuments, Arizona
(University of Oregon, 2024) Beesley, Caitlin R.
Managing cultural resources in our modern world can be a delicate balance, where cultural resource managers bridge the past and the future amid the omnipresent atmosphere of contemporary financial, societal, and political pressure. Adding to this pressure is a demand from professionals or the public for unfettered access to tangible resources. Preservationists generally view tangible resources, the physical pieces of history, as the best way to interpret cultural and historical significance to an unfamiliar audience, who aren’t always able to grasp the intangible value of these resources—non-material experiences or traditions—absent a physical object to envelope them. The methods with which CR managers preserve and display tangible pieces of history is informed by their cultural perspectives; these methods say as much about how managers define cultural resources as it does the role of preservation in cultural heritage. This paper will explore cultural resource management using two sites to discuss larger themes of cultural resource definition and value. The sites in question: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, managed by the National Park Service (NPS), and Hohokam Pima National Monument, overseen by the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC). Both preserve landscapes and infrastructure from a period of civilization in the Sonoran Desert of Southern Arizona known as Hohokam Culture. Each agency approaches management and preservation from different perspectives, leading to the paper’s general question: What can the different preservation efforts at Casa Grande Ruins and Hohokam Pima National Monuments tell us about cultural resource management?
Open Access
Cody Kiesling Processfolio
(University of Oregon, 2024) Kiesling, Cody;
This master’s program has altered my perceptions and approaches of music education by showing me that to succeed as a music educator one must be able to adapt and change. With adaptation comes failing, being open to new aspects of teaching, knowing how to make music meaningful to students, and being aware of the past, current, and future status of music education. With this acquired knowledge, I can improve the music education experience of my students and provide an inclusive and expansive music making environment that fosters effective relationships. Through this program I have learned how to be an effective educator that cares about the student experience and seeks to enlighten students perception of the importance of music and its transferability to daily life. My goal as an educator is to empower my future students, provide them with experiences in music that they can transfer to their future lives, and immerse them in a music environment that fosters creativity and a! esthetic experiences.
Open Access
G Choi Processfolio
(University of Oregon, 2024) Choi, G;
This processfolio project is a culmination of my graduate studies at UO. A processfolio is a process-centered portfolio that “demonstrate synthesis of the multiple facets” (Silveira, Beauregard, & Bull, 2017, p. 18) of learning. It allows me to reflect on my growth and journey as a graduate student in music education. Additionally, it motivated me and will continue to motivate me to “take charge of my own learning” (Paulson, Paulson, & Meyer, 1991, p. 61). The following core question guided my thought process: How has this master's program enhanced or altered my perceptions and approaches toward music teaching and learning? Reflecting on this question led me to consider the three components of teaching and the relationships between them: student-educator, educator-materials, and materials-student. It allowed me to think about the how, what, and why of music teaching and learning. As I explore the three components and their relationships, I provide artifacts to support these relationships, followed by knowledge transfers from the classroom to my teachings.
Open Access
Seeds Sense Place: Reconciling Access and Cultivation at Howard Buford Recreation Area
(University of Oregon, 2024-06) Cummings, Tressa
This project investigates the potential impact of universal access infrastructure on stewardship and the cultivation of native plant material at Howard Buford Recreation Area (HBRA). The Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah, a non - profit organization, manages a native plant nursery within the park . This nursery sources seeds from the park and nurtures them to increase the availability of native seeds for restoration efforts. With ongoing universal access trail improvements scheduled for summer 2024 in the landscape surrounding the nursery , this project explores how the form and materiality of th at trail can delineate area s of heightened stewardship . These areas function as wild sources of desired plants and as traditional landscape design which f rames visitor experience , bring an experience of greater ecological richness to visitors of all abilities.
Open Access
Rural Flush: Harnessing Multifunctional Constructed Wetlands to Play a Winning Hand in Blue River, OR.
(University of Oregon, 2024-06) Meyer, Ted
This project applies a new model for rural wastewater treatment in Blue River, an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon. Blue River’s destruction in the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire created both a legal imperative to modernize the community’s sanitation and an opportunity to rethink rural wastewater treatment. The model combines basic mechanical primary treatment with extensive secondary treatment by constructed wetlands. Replacing mechanical secondary treatment processes with constructed wetlands considerably reduces the operating costs of centralized sanitation, lowering a critical barrier to treating wastewater offsite in low-population areas of the United States. Constructed wetlands additionally restore threatened habitats and provide recreational opportunities, making them dynamic community assets. The efficacy of treatment wetlands have been widely demonstrated in research and practice worldwide, and are beginning to be adapted in the United States. Landscape architects are uniquely suited to act as ‘aesthetic ambassadors’ for this intervention, which can provide a sustainable and affordable model for rural wastewater treatment.
Open Access
Par Bee: From Harmful to Helpful. Guidelines for a Sustainable Golf Course Through the Promotion of Biodiversity.
(University of Oregon, 2024) Goldstein, Sarah
The ecological reality of a golf course is not quite as beautiful as its intriguing aesthetic. Similarities to note here include turfed green open space marked by the red hexagon pattern. Canopies of trees that appear to lack a progression of ecological communities, marked here by the yellow dots, and patches of bunch grasses - arguably rather uninteresting - can be spotted and marked by the vertical purple stripes. The scenery is often repetitive from course to course and appears to lack biodiversity. All of this is not to disparage golf courses, or a call to swear them off, but rather to open discussion about the opportunities available for enhancing an underutilized landscape to support wildlife. While golf courses are in fact highly engineered landscapes, their lack of built structures combined with acres of open space provides a place for more diverse habitat. By providing more land for pollinators to thrive in a space that does not currently provide much ecological value, the pairing has the potential to create a functional landscape for human and non-human species to cohabitate.
Open Access
Beyond the Glow: Embracing Darkness & Reconciling Nocturnality in More-than-human Cities
(University of Oregon, 2024) Chuang, Phoebe
"Beyond the Glow" explores the pervasive issue of light pollution, particularly its impact on the environment and nocturnal migratory birds. It highlights how urban areas contribute significantly to light pollution, and emphasizes the cultural shift caused by excess artificial light at night, which disrupts our connection to natural darkness and its therapeutic benefits. By focusing on Washington Park in Portland, Oregon, the project showcases design strategies to mitigate light pollution, enhance nighttime experiences, and create habitats for nocturnal wildlife. The implementation of dark infrastructure, including a migration night trail and Mirror Stone installations, represents nocturnal bird migration and reflect natural lights for visitors. The project's ultimate goal is to reconnect people with natural darkness and improve urban environments for both humans and wildlife, demonstrating how design can address the root causes of light pollution, the lack of connection to natural darkness.
Open Access
The New Suburban Dream: The Intersection of Aesthetics & Ecology in Residential Planting Design
(University of Oregon, 2024) Harrison, Katherine
This project investigates the intersection of ecology and aesthetics in residential planting design, with the aim of developing a new suburban aesthetic that inspires homeowners to embrace ecological initiatives in their front yards. In particular, this project looks at planting design for the Lucas Valley Neighborhood in Marin County, California, which affords many unique opportunities for ecological connectivity at the neighborhood scale. Best practices for biodiversity, fire-smart landscapes, and water- wise landscapes are discussed and evaluated for synergies and trade-offs. Three unique planting plans are presented, each showcasing a different opportunity to be found in ecologically minded residential design initiatives.
Open Access
Extended Engagement: A Novel Approach to Sustained Relationships with Designed Landscapes
(University of Oregon, 2024-06) Phares, Holly H.
Most landscape architects rarely continue to engage with sites after the formal completion of a project, and thus are typically unaware of the long-term outcomes that result from natural and human-centric processes of change. Because of this, they forfeit their ability to guide those changes, as well as valuable feedback on the design and management decisions that were made. While others in the field have previously advocated for designers to expand their relationships with completed sites, few if any sources address the systemic barriers that make this difficult or offer actionable suggestions on how such barriers could be overcome. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many in the field are already interested in the long-term outcome of projects, but that efforts to “keep in touch” often become unpaid work on the part of designers. This paper introduces “extended engagement” as a new conceptual framework that advocates for a holistic approach to the relationship between designers and designed spaces over the lifespan of the project. It details a study that used interviews and surveys to explore landscape designers’ interest in tracking long-term site outcomes, as well as their current and desired levels of participation in extended engagement activities. Finally, it suggests actions that individuals and organizations could take to make extended engagement a more meaningful part of professional practice in contemporary landscape architecture.
Open Access
Following Hobbit Trails: A Stakeholder Driven Approach to School Yard Design
(University of Oregon, 2024) Glastonbury, Griffin G.
Hi there, thanks for reading this document! My project is about some hobbit trails I followed over the course of 6 months. My name is Giffin and this is a stakeholder driven approach to school yard design. This booklet includes, background context, my design process, my proposed design and some reflection and discussion.
Open Access
A Trail for the Masses: Trails to Educate, Celebrate, and Inspire
(University of Oregon, 2024) Coronado, Cameron
A trail for the masses demonstrates how a trail system can re - connect people with the land, appreciate the value of timber products, and better understand how sustainable sourcing can improve forest health, lower carbon emissions, and bring economic prosperity to local communities. Newly developed methods using GIS, R hino , and Grasshopper w ere used to spatial ly analyze stand - level data in the Elliot Forest . Th is de sign project explored how 3D modeling softwa re can aid in forest ste wa rdship practices , specifically focusing on souring small - diameter trees to produce mass timber products. Through mass timber demonstrations, hiking paths that weave visitors through forest stands in different phases of treatment, and interpretive signage, these trails can educate, celebrate, and inspire the masses.
Open Access
Jewish Culture and Religion in the Wake of the Holocaust as Reflected in Jorge Grundman Isla's Shoah for Solo Violin and Sacred Temple
(University of Oregon, 2024) Jett, Ian McKenzie;
The Shoah for Solo Violin and Sacred Temple by Spanish composer, Jorge Grundman Isla, is a six-movement work that commemorates the atrocities of the Holocaust. Composed in 2017, this piece is massive in scope and takes 90 minutes to perform. It is informed by historical events and is inspired by the Jewish people's celebration of the Arts and humanity, in the midst of their genocide. In this document, I will analyze Grundman’s work and discuss its commemorative elements. I will approach the Shoah in three areas: historical breakdown, thematic analysis through the inspiration from J.S. Bach’s “Chaconne” from his Partita no. 2 in D minor and Philip Glass Violin Concerto no. 1, and Grundman’s inspiration from Holocaust Museums. A deep dive into the background of this large-scale work enhances a better understanding of the work by performer and listener alike. Elements such as the Shoah songbook, wartime sound effects, and harmonic chaos cultivate the listening experience.
Open Access
The Garden Hospital: Reinventing the Healthcare Landscape using Principles of Gardens and Sustainability to Create a Visual Guidebook for Human Design
(University of Oregon, 2024) Jeffs, Caitlin
Healthcare landscapes, such as hospitals, medical complexes, and clinics, are not known for being pleasant spaces for the human user to engage with. Often, these spaces are associated with sickness, loss, and death, and are sources of significant stress for their users. The western concept of medical spaces is in need of a redesign, with the increased incorporation of nature and community showing great promise in reducing stress and improving health outcomes. This project seeks to explore this concept further through design, investigating the role of Landscape Architecture in developing the Garden Hospital: medical landscapes that are designed for multi-functionality, biophilia, and community. The site for this design project is the Kaiser Permanente Medical Office Building in Santa Cruz, Ca. The full hospital landscape will be transformed, including facades, rooftops, interior and outdoor spaces to explore the Garden Hospital typology and demonstrate theoretical ways in which it could be accomplished. In doing so, the Kaiser Permanente site will go beyond a medical space, becoming a central point in the lives of the local community. This shift in healthcare, backed by research into human health and wellbeing, could not only improve our experiences within and relationship to medical landscapes, but help to improve the health outcomes of the community.
Open Access
Field Goals: A Framework for Integrating Sustainable Design Methods to Retrofit Existing Sports Park Infrastructure
(University of Oregon, 2024) Khalid, Basil
As climate change and its impact on heat island effects, water scarcity, and loss of biodiversity all become increasingly more pressing from year to year, designers and planners play an integral role in managing the effects of these impacts to provide a more sustainable way forward for future generations. One of the ways in which designers and planners can contribute to more sustainable design solutions is through improved land use management practices. While occupying large footprints in regard to land use, sports parks and fields have long been considered an essential feature for communities. Sports parks can be defined as public outdoor spaces that serve the primary function of providing organized physical activity and sports opportunities to a wide variety of users1. Ranging from rural to urban centers, sports parks promote health and wellness through exercise and physical activity, stimulating economic development and benefits, as well as supporting social inclusion and cohesion. Although the health, economic, and social benefits may be apparent through sports parks and fields, what is often a challenge to incorporate into the design of these spaces is an environmental and multifunctional benefit to the land they encompass. This project seeks to integrate sustainable design principles and practices into the planning of sports parks and fields. Incorporating a multifunctional landscape approach to the design of sports parks and fields can allow planners and designers to employ innovative methods to addressing specific sustainability challenges related to land use efficiency, along with storm water management, renewable energy sources, and habitat restoration, while promoting social and health benefits for communities.
Open Access
From Mines to Miles: Revitalizing Communities from a Post-Industrial Landscape to a Recreation Area
(University of Oregon, 2024-06-08) Phillips, Sarah
This project looks at the possibility of mined landscapes remediated into adaptive reuse spaces to provide equitable recreation opportunities for growing communities. These sites are a relic of time, and we can deploy placemaking and placekeeping practices to ensure the history of the site is not forgotten, and the character of these spaces are transformed for future generations. As a case study for one of those communities, Central Oregon should take into consideration its recreation economy and revitalize a previously strip - mined site as a new recreation park for its diametrically growing communities. This method of remediation of the Lower Bridge Mine will be broken into three phases: first, remediation through traditional ecological knowledge practices i ncluding crescent berms, branching on - contour swales, and trinchera dry stone masonry check dams. Second, creating a phyto - stabilization high desert planting plan and activation of a seedbank on the site will reduce the harmful effects of the mining indust ry. Finally, a monitoring program to ensure placemaking and placekeeping techniques are deployed for a successful project. By transforming a wasteland into an enjoyable and habitable site there could be a perceived illusion that the past has been erased, b ut through signage and other remnant relics the history of the site and the lessons learned in remediation will not be forgotten. In conclusion, the site can become a case study for placemaking and placekeeping practices for future mine remediation to crea te adaptable landscapes.
Open Access
The Power of Oregon Prison Gardens: Agrivoltaics at Warner Creek Correctional Facility
(University of Oregon, 2024) McKone, Mikayla
Research has shown that there are many physical and mental benefits from having gardens in prison. Gardens provide Adults in Custody (AICs) the opportunity to connect with nature, learn new skills, build relationships, and access fresh healthy food, among many other benefits. With the introduction of renewable energy to an existing prison garden, this project explores how solar panels can expand the current benefits of the existing prison garden at Warner Creek Correctional Facility. Through a literature review, case study analysis, and site visits, this research proposes a new site for agrivoltaic implementation which overlaps with Oregon Department of Corrections Sustainability Plan. Although landscape architects cannot solve issues of mass incarceration or climate change alone, they can help promote renewable energy to maximize mutual benefits to increase land use efficiency, improve the human experience of incarceration, and address food security inside prison.
Open Access
Wings of Change: Zoo Design Strategies for Raptor Rehabilitation Centers
(University of Oregon, 2024) Brotsis, Jake
This master’s project explores the adaptation of zoo design principles to wildlife rehabilitation centers, specifically focusing on the Cascades Raptor Center in Eugene, Oregon. The aim is to create speculative design solutions that prioritize animal wellness, visitor education, and environmental stewardship. Through extensive research, expert collaboration, and design development, this project presents a comprehensive vision for the Cascades Raptor Center’s future expansion, demonstrating the potential for integrating zoo design principles into a wildlife rehabilitation setting. The project includes a comprehensive analysis of the raptor center’s expansion plans and site conditions, proposing innovative approaches to designing new aviary habitats and human-occupied spaces. Using the award-winning Eagle Passage aviary at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park as a design precedent, the project explores alternative ways to meet the principles of landscape immersion and animal husbandry requirements while providing an educational experience for visitors through interpretive programs. The concept of “flex enclosures” is introduced, offering adaptable spaces that allow for controlled movement and rotation of raptors between enclosures, enhancing the immersive appeal and reinforcing educational interactives. Guided by a conceptual framework centered on Integrated Habitat Design and Interpretive Engagement, the project emphasizes the synergistic relationship between enclosure design and education. By replicating natural habitats and providing immersive educational experiences, the design aims to foster emotional connections and a deeper understanding of raptor conservation among visitors. This project provides valuable insights for landscape architects and students on designing species-appropriate habitats and educational programs within the parameters and goals set by the client, exemplified by the Cascades Raptor Center.
Open Access
#Insta-Structure: Designing for Instagram to Protect Local Ecologies on the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
(University of Oregon, 2024) Sinclair, Katie
In the age of increased use of social media and Instagram comes the increased urge to replicate photos seen. Many of these photos are outdoor lifestyle photos, and many of those photos are, or could be located in sensitive ecological areas. That could mean the landscape itself or the way the photo is framed by stepping off trail. In the case of the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, it’s both. This project also looks to the problem for the solution. By designing with Instagram in mind the narrative can be driven in a positive direction. Designing six site-specific landscape interventions is a way of keeping Instagram influencers, other visitors using the space, and local ecologies happy. These interventions enable influencers to create amazing content without having to step off trail to frame the view. One specific intervention is the “Scope”, which is designed to frame a photo with a kaleidoscope border. When the Scope is mounted to a permanent footing it forces people to stand and walk where it is desirable. In other words, they stay on the trail. The Scope also provides a way for people to view the surrounding landscape and take in its beauty, not just look at it. With the completion of this project, hopefully it will spark interest in other designers to spread this concept and use it in other landscapes. #Insta-Structure.

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