Devil's Lake State Park Gateway Interpretive Center
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DEVIL’S LAKE STATE PARK GATEWAY INTERPRETIVE CENTER Author Sarah Kotnik A SENIOR CAPSTONE PROPOSAL Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture Department of Landscape Architecture College of Agricultural and Life Sciences University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI May 2016 Approved by Eric J. Schuchardt, MLAUD, ASLA Capstone Coordinator & Instructor 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABSTRACT Thank you to my client, Ken Keeley, of the Wisconsin DNR - This project investigates the design of an interpretive center Bureau of Parks for providing me with the initial vision and and supporting facilities at Devil’s Lake State Park located for continuing guidance throughout the capstone process. I in Baraboo, Wisconsin. As the largest and most visited am grateful for the opportunity to join this project and for the resources that brought me up to speed. Thank you for giving park in the Wisconsin State Park System, Devil’s Lake has a me the liberty to explore creative design solutions and for all rich geologic history and cultural resources that make it a the encouragement along the way. unique destination in the Midwest. The park would be much improved with a new interpretive center that would better Thank you to Jeff Prey, Sue Johansen, and Steve Schmelzer accommodate its many visitors and serve as a gateway to who were generous to meet with me and answer my the park. questions during the project. A big thank you goes out to my instructors, classmates, family, While the interpretive center project has been in discussion for and friends who provided support from the beginning. I am several years, development is in an early phase. This proposal forever grateful. seeks to synthesize prior conclusions and existing material in order to create a cohesive vision for the phases ahead. 2 Sarah Kotnik BS in Landscape Architecture 3 CONTENTSPart I Introduction 6-7 THE AUTHOR Project Workflow 8-9 For me, falling into landscape architecture was an accident PART II that was meant to happen. I love the systems-thinking Context 10-17 mentality of the profession and strive for a holistic approach to design. I get to synthesize my love of the outdoors, creativity, Goals 18-19 and analytic tendencies to solve problems we encounter in our everyday lives. As landscape architects we are designers Research Topic & Literature Review 20-21 of places, but at the end of the day we are designers for Type of Project 22-23 people. And it’s people who truly bring design to life. Precedent Review 24-31 Sarah Kotnik Regional Analysis 32-41 Department of Landscape Architecture Community Analysis 42-45 Fall 2015 Site Analysis 46-63 Programmatic Elements 64-65 Design Strategy 66-67 PART III Master Plan 68-73 Site Design 74-87 Intended Results & Reflection 88-89 Appendix 90-95 4 Sarah Kotnik BS in Landscape Architecture 5 To fulfill the requirements of the Senior Capstone Program in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison I will investigate how the ideas of environmental education may inform the design of a state park interpretive center. This investigation will be given context and focus by the concerns and goals of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources – Bureau of Parks, which include landscape preservation. Devil’s Lake State Park located in Baraboo, Wisconsin, will be the site for this study. TYPE OF PROJECT –– STATE PARK INTERPRETIVE CENTER Founded in 1911, Devil’s Lake State Park is the largest and most visited park in the Wisconsin State Park System. It has a Figure 1.01 - Current nature center at Devil’s Lake rich cultural history along with unique geologic and natural resources that make it a popular destination for education and recreation in south central Wisconsin. The current PROFESSIONAL FOCUS –– LANDSCAPE nature center at Devil’s Lake has inadequate space and PRESERVATION amenities for best serving its many visitors. This project will seek out oppotunities for broadening the scope of existing Visitors come to Devil’s Lake for many reasons, whether to programs and for making environmental education more recreate or simply enjoy the beauty of the park. The facilities accessible and interactive. The proposed interpretive center and programming which welcome these visitors ultimately will emphasize Ice Age interpretation while providing visitors exist to preserve the land itself, by inspiring visitors to care with high quality recreational experiences and preserving the for the natural world around them. For visitors to continue unique cultural, geologic, and natural features of the park. enjoying all the park has to offer, landscape preservation must be a priority in future plans for the park. Education plays RESEARCH TOPIC –– ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION an important role in achieving ecological sustainability, and low impact forms of recreation create a place for humans An interpretive center should inform visitors about what they while protecting the natural features of the park. see before them, then draw them back outdoors to explore the landscape with better understanding and appreciation of The products of this capstone will include a set of design it. Place-based environmental education will engage visitors documents and recommendations for Devil’s Lake State in learning about the glacial history of Devil’s Lake, cause of Park, which will be submitted to the Wisconsin DNR – Bureau the unique and iconic geologic features of the park. Through of Parks, and a capstone document, which will be submitted education it is possible to foster a sense of environmental to the Department of Landscape Architecture in partial stewardship by creating connections between citizens and fulfillment of the degree of Bachelor of Science in Landscape INTRODUCTION the natural world in which they live and recreate. Architecture. 6 Sarah Kotnik BS in Landscape Architecture Introduction 7 OCTOBER SEPTEMBER RESEARCH PROJECT SELECTION prepare GIS database NOVEMBER perform inventory/analysis determine project & goals review literature ANALYSIS meet with client research precedents DECEMBER visit site develop design program plan funding strategy collect base materials draft proposal PROPOSAL develop research topic present proposal submit written document MAY FINAL PROPOSAL defend final proposal complete & submit report JANUARY DESIGN DEVELOPMENT APRIL adjust scope & goals REVISION create phasing strategy review design ethics finalize design assemble graphics FEBRUARY MASTER PLANNING MARCH PROJECT WORKFLOW develop design concept design master plan DETAILING Semester 1 is about the development of an initial design Semester 2 is about creating a design based on the initial design site scale plan proposal based on extensive research and analysis. Project proposal. The design will include plant selection, grading establish branding concept prepare drawings/visuals goals are determined by making site visits and meeting with and drainage plans, construction details, and open space resolve grading & drainage the client to better understand current conditions and the concepts. Drawings are produced and assembled to create construction details client’s needs. The proposal uses evidence based in literature effectively convey the design concept to both the client and select plant material reviews, precedent studies, and digital mapping to address the public in a final presentation. issues from regional to site scale. Findings are synthesized in a final presentation at the end of the semester. 8 Sarah Kotnik BS in Landscape Architecture Project Workflow 9 HISTORY THE ICE AGE Holocene Epoch The contrasting geology of Devil’s Lake is rather striking– some of southern Wisconsin’s oldest exposed rock lies next to some 10,000 – Wisconsin glaciation of the youngest. The ridges of the Devil’s Lake gorge are only 30,000 – about 16 thousand years old, while the Baraboo quartzite in Pleistocene Epoch the walls of the gorge dates back over 1.7 billion years, about THE ICE AGE 100 thousand times older. 1,700,000 – Pliocene In the last 2.5 million years the movement of glaciers in the NEOGENE PERIOD Epoch upper Midwest has transformed the landscape. Periods of 5,300,000 – CENOZOIC ERA cold climate caused the glaciers to advance, when more Miocene ice flowed toward their edges than melted. And conversely, Epoch 24,000,000 – periods of mild climate caused the glaciers to retreat, as more Paleogene ice melted than flowed to the edges. This activity created a Period Sand and mud eroded, variety of landforms that remain today, by eroding the land, 65,000,000 – uncovering Baraboo Hills and Devil’s Lake gorge depositing debris, and leaving lakes (like Devil’s Lake) where Cretaceous glacial meltwater collected at the edges. Period 110,000,000 – These past 2.5 million years mark the most recent glacial Jurassic activity in the Midwest, ending about 10 thousand years Period ago– this period is refered to as the Ice Age. 210,000,000 – MESOZOIC ERA Triassic Period 250,000,000 – Permian YEARS BEFORE PRESENT Period 290,000,000 – Pennsylvanian Period 320,000,000 – Mississippian Period 360,000,000 – Devonian Period 410,000,000 – Silurian PALEOZOIC ERA Period 440,000,000 – Sand and mud Ordovician Period bury Baraboo Hills 500,000,000 – and fill gorge Cambrian Period 570,000,000 – Devil’s Lake gorge cut Precambrian Baraboo quartzite Eras 4,000,000,000 – CONTEXT Figure 2.01 - Glacier over North America during the Ice Age Figure 2.02 - Geologic timeline of Devil’s Lake State Park 10 Sarah Kotnik BS in Landscape Architecture