Collected WorksShannon Mikus

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Playful Space

Learning Environment

Amenity

Living Space

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Shannon Mikus spent 20 years serving as a US Air Force Maintenance Officer before embarking on a second career in landscape architecture. After graduating from the US Air Force Academy in 1992, he led deployed AC-130 Gunship maintenance teams for Air Force Special Operations Command, served as the Logistics Test Director for the V-22 Osprey test program, and brought disparate, specialized people together to help develop aircraft systems prognostics, RFID technology, and logistics tracking technology while at the Pentagon.

Experience: Designer for the University of Georgia’s ARCHWAY ProjectAuthored “The Effect of Risk Aversion on US Public Playground Form and Policy” for Richter Spielgeräte and A.P.E. Multi-skilled Volunteer for Athens Land TrustCommander, 763rd Maintenance Squadron, Air Force Special Operations Command

Education:LEED Green AssociateMaster of Landscape Architecture, University of GeorgiaMaster of Science, International Relations, Troy State University

Awards and Recognition:Grand Award for Outside Garden Design, 2014 Qingdao International Horticultural ExhibitionWInner, Design-Build Competition, LABASH 2013Company Grade Officer of the Year, Det.1, 18 Flight Test Squadron

Technical Skills:Hand Drawing, Sketching, Adobe CS5, Auto CAD, Google Sketchup, MS Office, Woodworking, Construction

After retiring from the military, lifelong interests in art, nature, and public space brought Shannon to the University of Georgia, where he earned a Masters of Landscape Architecture. His Master’s thesis, “Risk Aversion and the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Effect on American Playground Design” grew out of his dedication to creating vibrant and sustainable “family-scapes.” At the University of Georgia he was one of six students who designed the Georgia Garden, a constructed outdoor garden for the 2104 International Horticultural Exhibition in Qingdao, China. The student team traveled to Qingdao for “Georgia Day” events in the garden and their work earned the “2014 Outside Garden Competition, Grand Award”. Shannon is currently traveling the nation with his family in a restored Airstream trailer, seeking a wonderful place to call home.

Throughout military service he traveled globally, living in Japan, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. Experiencing these varied locations and cultures deepened a particular passion for public spaces that serve the community’s core, families.

The project goal is to create an iconic amenity in an under-used part of Dudley Park. Inspira-tion is drawn from the local area, as well as the “Sea Organ”, a suspended promenade in Zadar, Croatia.

Coupling was chosen as a design basis since infrastructure improvement is needed to alleviate flooding near a visible, yet neglected, park gateway.

Improving the local hydrologic system logically led to improving the gateway’s appearance. Zadar’s promendae

“Coupling” involves perceiving and capitalizing upon fortuitous connections that exist between often disparate events or ideas. Consider stormwater runoff and inclusive public spaces as two such ideas. Runoff challenges a city’s infrastructure. Conversely, people are drawn to water. However, meaningful intervention, with appropriate actions, can improve disparate interests. Charlotte, New York, Chattanooga, and even Los Angeles have reaped the social and economic benefits from permeating their local waterways’ edges with useful public spaces. Seeking to create public spaces, Athens, GA established a Greenway Trail along the flood-prone branches of the Oconee River. This project represents the Greenway’s evolution from an occasional destination to a meaningful part of everyday life.

DUDLEY PARK

Flood area & Dudley Park

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Universal design, designing accessibility to a city’s functions for all citizens, gives rise to flowing forms

Material Palette: Wooden BeamsFinished WoodShaped Stone

River RocksWater Plants

Rustic Concrete

Social Palette: Inclusivity

EducationExplorationReflection

Respect

Materials reflect beams and pilings of the iconic, 80 foot

railroad trestle, nearby.Universal design facilitates

community access, interaction,

and circulation

The stream banks are graded and rocks line the bottom. Concrete pilings mimic the railroad trestle pilings.

Black Locust planks and beams form a series of suspended platforms that invite exploration.

Black Locust poles reach for the sky, resting on pilings while supporting platforms.

The pilings, decks, and posts are united, creating a structure that is out of the stream path, and joins the park proper to the stream. Traffic from people who explore the banks or the stream does not contribute to erosion.

The platforms are supported above the stream banks, preserving hydrological function while allowing people to interact from a distance or directly

Water moves under the structure during floods

Water moves throughout the structure in stainless steel gutters, inviting interaction

Water is playfully introduced by a hand-powered pump

WATER ACCESS PATH

COBBLESTONE DRAIN

SUSPENDED WATERGUTTER

SPLASH ZONE

EXPLORATION UNDER AND AROUND PLATFORMS

ACCESSIBLE WATER PUMP AND FLOW CONTROLLS

ACCESSIBLE WATER TABLE

LOW PLATFORM

CONCRETE TRESTLE PILINGS AT VARIOUS DEPTHS AND HEIGHTS

TODDLER PLATFORMS

SENSORY PLANTINGS PREVENT EROSION

SCALE IN FEET

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ACCESSIBLE PERVIOUS POUREDRUBBER

HIGHEST PLATFORM

STREAM SIDE ELEVATION PILINGS AND FOOTERS SHOWN - SOIL CUT AWAY FOR CLARITY

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TOP DECK ELEVATION - SECOND DECK REMOVED FOR CLARITY

TRESTLE TOP “X” SECURED WITH 3/4” BOLTS

TRESTLE POLES ARE 10”-14” PEELED BLACK LOCUST

DECK BEAMS - 10” SQUARE WEATHERED DOUGLAS FIR

3/8” STEEL PLATES JOIN POSTS AND BEAMS

2 STAINLESS STEEL GUTTERPATHS ORIGINATE AT ACCESSIBLE WATER PUMP

ACCESSIBLE HAND-POWERED WATER PUMP AND DIVERTER VALVE ARE CONTROLLED FROM

THE HIGHEST, ACCESSBILE PLATFORM

HIGHEST DECK MEETS ADA PATH AT SAME LEVEL

BURIED GABIONS HOLD 4”-8” RIVER ROCK AND SECURE THE FOOTER

SUPPORT POSTS IN CONCRETE PILINGS ON FOOTERS SECURED IN GABIONS

DECK JOISTS AND JOIST HANGARS ARE HIDDEN BEHIND BEAMS

SECOND DECK BEAM IS SUPPORTED BY HANGARS BOLTED TO TRESTLE POLE

SUPPORT POSTS SECURED IN POURED CONCRETE PILINGS BY 3/8” STEEL STRAPPING THAT IS FIRST SECURED IN FOOTER

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DETAIL A

DETAIL A

DETAIL B

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TOP DECK BEAMS SUPPORTEDBY HANGAR JOISTS ON POST

SECOND DECK BEAMS SUPPORTEDBY SHORT JOISTS ACROSS POSTS

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POSTS SUPPORT BEAMS FOR ONE OR TWO DECKS

WATER ACCESS PATH

COBBLESTONE DRAIN

SUSPENDED WATERGUTTER

SPLASH ZONE

EXPLORATION UNDER AND AROUND PLATFORMS

ACCESSIBLE WATER PUMP AND FLOW CONTROLLS

ACCESSIBLE WATER TABLE

LOW PLATFORM

CONCRETE TRESTLE PILINGS AT VARIOUS DEPTHS AND HEIGHTS

TODDLER PLATFORMS

SENSORY PLANTINGS PREVENT EROSION

SCALE IN FEET

0 5 10 15 20

ACCESSIBLE PERVIOUS POUREDRUBBER

HIGHEST PLATFORM

STREAM SIDE ELEVATION PILINGS AND FOOTERS SHOWN - SOIL CUT AWAY FOR CLARITY

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Restored streambedAccessible splashzone

Accessible water table

Accessible pathway

Accessible nature exploration

Creating a visually attractive, interesting space increases social capital and creates an environment where memories are made

Welcome to

Dudley ParkAthens Clarke County Leisure Services

ACInclusiveEducationalEcologicalPublic Space

Black Locust polesConcrete pilings

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OAK-OCONEE CORRIDOR: MASTER PLAN athens-clarke county

Vision: To create a distinct identity for the Oak-Oconee neighborhood consisting of five unique functional areas:

Business, Arts, Mixed Use, Rail-to-Trail, and Greenway. Each contributes to the corridor’s diverse cultural resource, makes

provision for Complete Streets, tackles infrastructure issues, and together they provide necessary ecological services.

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Sculpture Gateway Piece

Shopping Plaza

Pedestrian Bridge

Detention Plaza Space

Rails-to-Trails

Playground

Trail-side Shopping

Oak Street is the major, easterly entryway corridor to Athens, GA. Difficult topography, disjointed development, and an extremely high volume of traffic make this an unattractive corridor, also. The County Planning department asked our Graduate Class to conceptualize a phased Master Plan for the Oak Street Corridor.

This project opened my eyes to how many “correct” solutions there can be to a large problem like corridor traffic. I learned to recognize the many levels of complexity that professionals in the Planning field have to delicately balance and satisfy.

Vision: Create a distinct identity for the Oak-Street Corridor consisting of five unique functional areas: Business, Arts, Mixed Use, Rail-to-Trail, and Greenway. The vision would provide for Complete Streets, tackle infrastructure issues, utilize the corridor’s diverse cultural resources, and provide ecological services.

OAK-OCONEE CORRIDOR: GREENSPACE ENLARGEMENT

This large multi-functional greenspace provides cafe

seating for nearby restaurants, recreational area for leisure

activities, boardwalk access to the rails-to-trails, and detention

for stormwater. The playground to the north allows a respite for weary parents along the trail as

well as a destination point for nearby neighborhoods. Street plantings create a connection to the parks and a more enjoy-

able experience for pedestrians.

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Rails-to-Trails

Playground

Detention

Lamp PostBioswale

Cafe Seating

Benches

Parking Lot

My student group integrated ecological services into a broad traffic plan that focused on creating pedestrian-friendly and bicycle-ready circulation. An abandoned rail road grade, the future Firefly Trail, provided a perfect spine to support local pedestrian traffic and across-town bicycle commuters. It also created a slower-paced, secondary path adjacent to business spaces to serve as a “second face” to increase and diversify business activity, as the Atlanta Beltline has done.

An open greenspace joins the rails-to-trails’ southern slope to Oak Street. On the north side of the grade is a destination playground.

The drastic, 5 to 1, grade change on either side of the Firefly Trail presented an opportunity to incorporate an exciting playground layout in a multi-generational park space.

Future Firefly Trail

Oak Street

Future Playground

Oak Street

Oak Street Corridor: Greenspace Enlargement

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Private Land Rail Road Right of Way

Firefly Trail

Stagnant Water

Warehouse

Paved Parking

4-Lane Oak St

Family Gathering Rope Ladders Pedestrian Tunnel

Firefly Trail

Promenade ADA Boardwalk ADA Access

Rain GardensSlides

Utilizing the existing raised grade the Firefly Trail is the easiest slope for pedestrians and bicycles to reach Athens, since the Oak Street path changes over 160 feet in elevation in less than a half mile. When graded, the slopes of the rail road grade provide a unique opportunity for dramatic and exciting slides and rope ladders. Accessible pathways on both slopes give pedestrians access to the Firefly Trail and open circulation to businesses on southwest slopes, and trails to Dudley Park on the northeast slope.

Warehouse

The abandoned rail road grade and its right of way form a high, physical barrier across the neighborhood. Locally, it prevents runoff from flowing into Trail Creek and forms a stagnant pond.

Grading

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Athens, GA already has one pedestrian tunnel passing through an active rail road grade, near a pedestrian path adjacent to the UGA’s Physical Education Campus.

The proposed tunnel connects a new business district to a new multi-generational open space. A tall slide provides enticement for children while the steps and ADA walking path gives adults a slower path to the family meeting space at the bottom.

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ntThe concept drawing for my Design Build Class shows an outdoor pavilion, pathways, rain water collection system, and educational displays. The class of 15 students was tasked to design and build an outdoor classroom for the Athens Clarke County compost facility. I got a chance to use my construction skills, and this project challenged my leadership skills with peers and a real customer. It was a great opportunity to grow and learn.

RAINGARDEN

RAINWATER BARRELS

10” Sched-40 PIPES FOR ROOFING

SHELTERED CLASSROOM

EDUCATIONAL COMPOSTDISPLAYS

OUTDOOR GATHERING AND SEATING

PERVIOUS CLASSROOM FLOOR

Tightly budgeted and sponsored by the University’s Reclamation Department, the classroom was to be built of readily available recycled materials. Reused sidewalk chunks were leveled for the classroom floor and outdoor seating, barnwood beams became the main shelter supports, and old barn roofing was used to make life-sized bird silhouettes.

The drawing shows Schedule-40 pipe, found on site, that would be cut in half and laid Spanish-Tile style for the roof. Rainwater harvesting captured the roof’s runoff in rain barrels, and the

excess flowed to a designed rain garden. I designed and built the gutter system from Shed-40 pipe, and designed the leaf filter from an old screen and bucket.

Old sign posts and tube steel from a University lighting project made poles for the life-sized bird display. The Compost Facility is also the meeting place and favored viewing area for the local Audubon Society. Models of birds that frequented the Compost Facility and the neighboring riparian zone were requested so that children could see them close-up. Sheet metal from an old barn made life-sized wings for Turkey Vulture, American Raven, Crow, Blue Heron, and the Great Horned Owl. Recycled plank wood from a nearby clear cut formed the bird bodies.

The sculptural gateway was formed from reclaimed bathtubs, stood on end and connected with heavy bolts. Eight bathtubs, four forming each leg of the entryway gate, were secured in the ground and leveled with mortar and gravel. I moved and held the bathtubs in place while a student worked from inside the pillars to secure the tubs with lag bolts. Four more bathtubs were placed on each pillar, and the overall gateway height was more than 10 feet.

The finished pavilion, outside seating, sculptural tire dragon, bird silhouettes, rain barrels, rain garden, bathtub gateway, and

mulch pathways form the all-weather centerpiece for the Athens Clarke County School District’s mandatory 4-day composting

and recycling curriculum.

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tyFocusing on the specific topography of each site allowed future investors to see how site selection determined the facility’s capability and cost. As my first paid work, it was extremely satisfying to see real results and get appreciation from the customer.

The parks and recreation department of Whitfield County, Georgia, asked for hand drawn concepts of a future natatorium from two different sites.

Play Pool and Slide

Twin Swimming Pools

The East Park location is connected to the recreation center via a pedestrian walkway over the creek. The building contains two pools, a play pool, indoor-to-outdoor water slide, showers, locker rooms, and office space.

Pedestrian Walkway

Pervious Paving and Rain Gardens

Dalton Georgia

Natatorium

The convention center addition has three levels; upper and middle level gym and offices, and lower pool area with bleachers.

At the Convention Center location, steep terrain provides an opportunity for a multi-level facility. Generous windows provide stunning mountain views all year long.

East Elevation

South Elevation

Rooftop gardens and an outside rain garden walkway and patio give visitors ample opportunity to enjoy the weather and views.

Creative Enterprises, Inc., a sheltered work organization, used a forested area, adjacent to their living and working facility, for special functions and lunch. Using universal design principles a walkway through the forest opens this rugged area without altering its ecological function.

The owners and workers wanted to keep all of the beautiful trees and insisted on using hard-packed gravel as pervious walkways. The challenge was giving their special needs employees full access.

Elevated walkways connect a bridge, a gravel gathering area, their workshop, and offices.

Rainwater Retention Bridge Graveled Gathering Area To the Workshops

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Windows engage the inside world and the outside world, joining the two. The “dovetail” joins differing wood grain, creating a corner that can build a box, manifesting an inside and an outside. Some choose to live in an inside that is always outside, the windows of which frame constant change.

ARGOSY interior (L), and woodwork (R) by S. Mikus

What is your window on the world?

Words merely describe an idea, but many minds can share the vision when one is asked to “draw a picture for me.”

An outdoor break area bridges a small waterway providing sensory and physical distance from work. Surrounding the break site with natural stone, shade plantings, and natural wood encloses the workers in sounds and sensations that relax and reinvigorate.

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ao The University of Georgia’s six-student team designed the Georgia Garden for the 2014 Qingdao International

Horticultural Exhibition in Qingdao, China, to display the functions of gardens in Georgia. As the project manager said, “Gardens tell stories, they feed body and mind, they provide escape and delight, and they register change. The Garden of Future Past serves to represent these collective roles through an abstracted narrative of progressing Georgian themes linked to an experiential journey from present cacophony to reclaimed tranquility.”

As the oldest member of the Georgia Garden team I recognized significant growth in the team members over the course of the project. Being recognized with the Grand Award for Outdoor Gardens after spending a week in China, visiting the Qingdao Exhibition and seeing how the design had manifested itself across cultural barriers and international borders, galvanized my belief that Landscape Architecture is not only a way to heal our planet, but also our species.

From the Earth, For the Earth

Conceptual models sought to evoke “shelter”, a concept that was eventually reflected in the iconic southern front porch, which also represents “welcome”.

Though the front porch was a shelter and a place to welcome, its rail represented security and safety. Iconic southern ironwork from Philip Simmons accentuates the Georgia Garden’s main “porch” rail.

Details from CAD for porch rail by S. Mikus

A wall is more than a barrier because it creates a space on either side. The visitor moves through spaces, progressively compressed by space and detail then finally released to the open yard whose modest space now seems expansive.

Final model by Wen Liu

The complete cast of the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s 2014 Qingdao Exposition Team. Students, professionals, and itinerant actors coordinated special events for an entire day of activities in the Garden.

I traveled through time and space designing the Georgia Garden. I returned from these

travels tired, wiser, and ready to travel, again.

Detail from CAD for brick wall by S. Mikus