Abstract
Rapid urbanization has forced communities to adapt, with many choosing to develop greenspaces to preserve what remains of the natural environment. Albemarle County has pursued this goal by building Biscuit Run Park, which aims to provide the entire community with access to its wealth of recreational facilities. The goal of this technical capstone is to redesign a portion of the park to better achieve a theme of “living with nature.” When completed, Biscuit Run Park aims to connect itself to a greater network of urban greenways in the area. Although their benefits are well-established, the design of urban greenways may have implications for their equitability and sociocultural impact, which will be investigated through the sociotechnical thesis. Combined, this thesis and capstone will aim to explore the complicated relationship between greenspace design and the people whom it affects. A greater understanding of human relationships with greenspaces will allow for design that is not only more environmentally sustainable, but also more enjoyable and empowering to the people who engage with them.
This capstone project addressed the goal of redesigning Biscuit Run Park to better balance environmental sustainability with recreation and practicality. A small portion of the park was selected to be redesigned, which originally contained two soccer fields and a few paved trails. Initial research was conducted to understand the history of the site and existing conditions. A proposed site design was created and VRRM analysis was conducted for stormwater BMP design. The trail system was designed to be fully accessible while minimizing the amount of impervious cover to decrease runoff. They were also graded to direct rainwater towards BMPs, which included a bioretention facility, tree planting BMPs, and modified athletic fields. The bioretention was designed to contribute to the aesthetic of the park, while the fields were designed to collect rainwater using a geocell drainage layer. The fields were also designed to meet NFHS standards to ensure that they are fully playable despite their modifications. An erosion and sediment control plan was developed based on this proposed design. The proposed design and the erosion and sediment control plan were then implemented in AutoCAD Civil3D. Finally, construction phasing, scheduling, and cost estimates were made in P6 software. The design aims for environmental sustainability efforts to contribute positively to the experience of visitors, allowing them to “live with nature.”
This sociotechnical thesis seeks to understand the effect of urban greenway design on their equitability and sociocultural impact. Although greenways have great potential to bring positive sociocultural changes to marginalized communities, poor design may result in a lack of use and the exacerbation of existing problems. A literature review and Actor Network Theory were used to better understand the influence of greenway design. Through the research, it became clear that the design of an urban greenway has significant implications on its equitability and sociocultural impact. Access to greenways is associated with benefits such as improved health and empowerment, which has led to the development of greenways in many communities. However, non-inclusive and inequitable design discourages use in marginalized groups and may result in sociocultural harm. Not only will benefits not be gained, but issues such as green gentrification may occur in surrounding neighborhoods. In contrast, successfully equitable design can create a lasting legacy of improved equity and sociocultural change. It is suggested that designs are often unintentionally inequitable, and that designers must prioritize protecting and engaging with marginalized communities.
This combination of applied park design and sociotechnical research on greenway design underscores the importance of intentionally empathetic and sustainable design, and the influence that design choices have on society.
