Instructor Emmanuel Didier’s Fall 2022 Landscape Architecture studio reimagined the Auraria Campus for CAP's Living Urban Campus Initiative (LUCI). The work featured here is by MLA students Kayla Hart, Emily Mesa, Emily Beeson, and Ella Reid. Their project titled “Camino Medio (Middle Path)” proposes the “reconnection and flow of people with place.” Their project uses the form and function of an arroyo, an intervention that aims to transform a series of linear concrete sidewalks into curvy, rolling pathways along the intermittent flow of drainage channels, swales, and ponds.

This research seeks to address this disconnect via semi-structured interviews of twenty-eight PWD stakeholders and nine government officials whose work intersects with the supply of infrastructure regulated under the ADA. One objective is to understand how attributes of transportation infrastructure impact the daily mobility of PWDs. A second is to understand how the programming and management of transportation assets impact navigation for PWDs.

Through a thematic and content analysis of interview data, we reveal the challenges faced by PWDs through hard infrastructure issues and the programming/management of transportation facilities, which act together to diminish the quality of mobility options for PWDs. When working to create a transportation network that is universally accessible, it is critical for planners and engineers to work with PWDs when attempting to consider the design needs of individuals with different types of disabilities.

Compared to car travel, the findings indicate high variability and uncertainty associated with paratransit trip times. For the same origin-destination pairs, mean paratransit trip time is almost twice that of mean car travel time with a standard deviation for paratransit trip time fourfold that of the standard deviation for car trip time. For perspective, traveling an average 10 miles during the 7-8 AM morning peak can take about 16 minutes by car with almost no variability, while that same trip can take on an average 25 minutes by paratransit, with 5% trips being outside the 95% confidence interval, and thus unpredictable.

Paratransit trip time inefficiency tends to be particularly worse for females; older adults; those making trips between 9-11 AM; cash-paying customers; those making shorter trips; and for those travelling during inclement weather, including cold temperatures. The findings suggest a need to re-assess using public transit as a benchmark for paratransit supply as regulated by the ADA.

Hemp is known as “wahupta” to the Sioux — for construction products, and other types of material manufacture. Hemp agriculture could remediate soil, as well as help to establish the premier, local regenerative building practice that produces sustainable materials as the new standard for the future housing of the Lakota tribe. The design of this house reflects a complete overlap of the cultural significance of a people who scatter this beautiful landscape and a plant rooted in their ancient rituals and history.

Native American culture will always run deep in this community’s blood and soul, but Pine Ridge Reservation is missing physical spaces for its rich culture to be celebrated. This building’s goal is to bring back their ways of making, creating, and displaying their work. It gives them an open, easily accessed for young and old, designated place to do so.

This design features an open-spaced workshop populated with desks for one-on-one craft work such as sewing and beading between elders and the youth, as well as a small-scale woodshop used to produce smaller wood carvings and instruments. An exterior courtyard allows a gathering space for historic storytelling within the tribe.

Passive strategies such as stone floors that act as heat sinks, earth tubes for natural air conditioning, and a solar chimney to exhaust the hot summer air are the main drivers for heating and cooling. Water is harvested from the roof and drains directly into a garden that can provide homegrown food.

The Bio-Truss SIP can be used as a floor, wall, or roof panel. Standard panel dimensions are 4’x8’. Warren trusses with verticals made of Bio-board provide the main supporting structure. The insulation is sheep wool and has an R-value of 3.5 per inch. 4’x8’ Bio-board sheets sandwich both faces of the panel.

Around 290 million tires are discarded in the U.S. every year; of these, only a fraction are recycled – a toxic process that causes health risks. Most discarded tires end up in landfills and take thousands of years to decompose due to their complex ingredients designed for durability. This project envisions a facility for removing, devulcanizing and repurposing the rubber from the world's largest discarded tire monofill (north of Denver) into a new building material.

Project Documentation

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Validation of a Socially Assistive Robot to Engage with, and Provide Augmented Clinical Therapy for, Young Children with Neuromotor Dysfunction as they Develop Gross Motor Skills

North Progress Redevelopment Opportunity Subarea Plan

Student Researcher: Emma Bangs

Client: Town of Parker
 
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The properties within the subarea were developed over 50 years ago in unincorporated Douglas County. Properties in the area are beginning to come on the market and many of the buildings are past their useful life and are operated as legal non-conforming uses. In addition, the connectivity and access are limited by Parker Road (CDOT) and existing infrastructure. The project will contemplate general redevelopment layout, urban design and transportation connectivity. The new plan will provide guidance to future buyers and developers on how the sites can be redeveloped in conformance with the Master Plan, the current zoning (a mix of commercial and industrial) and how the subarea can have better access/connectivity. 

Walkability in the Town of Lyons, CO

Student Researcher: Lilly Bell and Eli Berrier

Client: Town of Lyons
 
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The Town of Lyons needs more sidewalks that are accessible to pedestrians from all walks
of life. The purpose of this walkability project is to bring to light the issues of walking in
regards to accessibility and gaps in sidewalk infrastructure. ADA compliant sidewalks
make movement achievable for everyone. Safer, connected routes will support the
charming, small Town of Lyons. 

Analysis of Detached ADU Regulations in Denver

Student Researcher: Erik Braaten

Client: Office of Councilwoman Amanda P. Sandoval, Denver City Council, District 1
 
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Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) have been recognized by the City and County of Denver as a desirable housing type to address issues of housing availability and affordability. Despite this, ADUs are only allowed in certain parts of the city, and where they are allowed numerous buildings from regulations exist limiting their potential buildout in the city. This project examines some of the regulations found in the Denver Zoning Code as they apply to detached accessory dwelling units and inventories current opportunities and models future opportunities under different regulatory scenarios. It is found that there is a great potential for detached ADU development in Denver if more parts of the city were opened to ADU development and a handful of regulations are removed or liberalized. 

Mitigating Displacement: Infrastructure Investment Impacts and Community Capacity

Student Researcher: Evelyn Burr

Client: Office of Community and Business Engagement, Department of Transportation and Infrastructure
 
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This report proposes the use of a dashboard designed to anticipate areas of need through the overlay of planned projects on maps examining geographies of vulnerability across the city.  The GIS dashboard deliverable presents a high-level view of each neighborhood’s unique characteristics that could contribute to risk of displacement as well as the existing assets that could be leveraged in a capacity-building engagement process. It incorporates datasets that center existing community centers and their locations in built environment improvements. 

Fort Collins Missing Middle Core

Student Researcher: Bryan Conner

Client: Metta Urban Design
 
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The City of Fort Collins has a bright vision for the growth of the city outlined in the 2018 City Plan. However, the current land us code does not align with the values and vision of the City Plan. This report provides a framework for updating the Land Use Code specifically to provide strategies for the development of “Missing Middle Housing” types in the urban core. These strategies will help align the code with the Values and Visions of the City Plan.  

South Broadway Corridor BRT Study

Student Researcher: Laura Culleton and Blake Van Jacobs

Client: City of Littleton
 
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The purpose of this study is to understand increases in regional travel demand, assess the viability of pursuing Small Starts funding to support the region’s transportation demands, identify opportunities to leverage existing investments, and identify BRT investments along South Broadway that complement local and regional planning goals. This project consists of a complete existing conditions map, bus stop typology and amenity guide, and proposed station area land-use map that will help inform the City of Littleton about existing and potential future conditions along the Broadway BRT corridor. The client would also like to understand what “success” for a BRT line looks like. For example ridership numbers, employment numbers, air quality changes, public health outcomes, and the decrease in vehicle miles traveled by single-occupancy vehicles. These topics will be explored in the BRT Overview and Best Practices Chapter. This capstone project will allow the City of Littleton to be more informed on what kind of improvements and development would be needed for BRT to be successful along South Broadway.   

University Boulevard Urban Design Vision Plan

Student Researcher: Eric DeNardo

Client: Civitas and the City of Centennial
 
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The University Boulevard Urban Design Vision is a project with Civitas and the City of Centennial that seeks to set a vision for the corridor and three shopping centers. The shopping centers are experiencing deferred maintenance and vacancies and the City is looking for strategies to reinvigorate the shopping centers to bring new life to the corridor. The project envisioned a new streetscape pattern that sought to improve its identity with wider tree lawns, landscaped medians, lighting, and wayfinding signs. The Arapahoe node was studied in more depth because of its potential to catalyze future development. The node would include a mix of uses, a new cultural trail that connects to existing parks, new public spaces that connect to existing parks, and an improved urban street grid. 

Illustrating Vision: The East Mulberry Plan

Student Researcher: Morgan Gardner

Client: Metta Urban Design on behalf of the City of Fort Collins
 
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Illustrating Vision: The East Mulberry Plan is a capstone project that explores the integration of urban design and planning strategies in an industrial, underdeveloped area of Fort Collins. The area faces impending mass development as the city starts to guide growth to the area, and deals with flooding and a lack of safe pedestrian connections. Strategies to combat gentrification, honor industrial character, and rebuild infrastructure are explored, and recommendations are provided that are specific to the unique geography and character of the area, including the use of design overlays and guidelines, strategic infill projects, unique recreation and commercial opportunities, enhanced multimodal infrastructure, and drought-resistant green infrastructure that reduces flooding.

Assessing and Optimizing Planning Board's Role in Denver's Land Use Planning and Regulation Decision-making

Student Researcher: Fredrick Glick

Client: Office of Councilwoman Amanda P. Sandoval, Denver City Council, District 1
 
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Buena Vista Parks and Trails Master Plan

Student Researcher: Claire Guthrie and Lauren Platman

Client: Town of Buena Vista
 
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To alleviate pressures of seasonal tourism, the Town of Buena Vista wished to integrate and update existing parks and trails planning efforts into a single cohesive document, a Parks and Trails Master Plan. For this project the team updated the parks and trails inventory of facilities and amenities and then identified gaps in the systems. A level of service analysis was done using data collected from a site visit, results from a community survey, and geo-spatial analysis of the service area and compared these results to national standards. Finally, the results were used to create a set of recommendations for town staff to inform future improvement projects.  

Parker Senior Center and RTD Site Subarea Plan

Student Researcher: Mikhail Kaminer

Client: Town of Parker
 
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As the Town of Parker and its senior population grows, the needs for affordable senior housing, an updated Senior Center facility, improved connectivity, and effective use of land have become increasingly important. The Parker Senior Center and RTD Site Subarea Plan acts as a guiding document to ensure these redevelopment enhancements honor Parker’s legacy of a “hometown feel”, while prepare to accommodate the growing and changing population needs.