112 Shawmut Ave, Studio 6B, Boston, MA 02118 tel: 617 426-3030 or 978 745-7181, fax: 617 426-3033, url: www.landworks-studio.com

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CONFLUENCE(S)

OPTIMIZED INTEGRATION: Resiliency and Adaptability

Understood as a network of both regional and highly localized landscape corridors moving through this serene site

on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River, Landworks Studio’s approach to River Park is defined by the

characterization of the existing site and the larger, regional environment as primary catalysts for growth and

change. Both regional and local landscape features provide an organic roadmap for organizing, informing and

otherwise knitting together proposed diverse and layered programs at River Park. Meaningful and sustainable

development will emerge from a tautly calibrated set of relationships between landscape systems and the cultural

and physical agendas of intervening programs.

Gazing regionally, in order to cultivate a sense of connectivity between the River Park and its existing community, a

trail connects from River Park north to Dartmouth College via Wilder Dam and Montshire Museum of Science, and

south to White River Junction. The project advocates for collaboration with the rich local arts and cultural

communities. Partnering with the likes of Montshire Museum and Saint Gaudens National Historic Site will enable

River Park to support a vibrant art and science program. The Montshire’s existing program focuses on science and

ecology, which can be further advanced via the water quality testing and life science research integrated into the

program of River Park.

Confluence(s) proposes retaining the existing ravine as a conceptualization of the living infrastructure for River

Park. The project’s mission is to maintain the integrity of the ravine while reimagining how site visitors interact

with it. The vitality of the existing site systems [River, Canopy, Meadow] are augmented by a series of strategic

paths and programmatic insertions. Together they merge into the ravine becoming the connective tissue that

enables the movement of people and vibrant ecologies up to The Common and onward to The Entry.

DESIGN EXPRESSION: Frame, Augment, Engage and Magnify

This approach necessarily avoids overt geometrical planometric controls and applications related to site

organization. Instead, the approach relies on a constant, real-time, eye level negotiation between and perpetual

calibration and recalibration of the organic variations and ephemera of the existing site and new architectural form

and program. Our proposal seeks to exploit the inherent dialogue between the figuration of the planned

architectural expression, the program of research and Public Park and larger ecological and morphological

conditions of the site itself, which tend to be more diverse. In so doing, we believe a mechanism for establishing a

refreshing and dynamic sense of place will have been achieved.

DESIGN EQUILIBRIUM: Form-making, Program and Ephemera

The application of the design philosophy is meant to culminate in the creation of a landscape comprised of a very

light ‘footprint’. That is, the goal of this proposal is to accommodate new program that is informed by the site and

vice versa: to inform and enhance and less so to transform. Existing landscape systems which presently pass

through the site and which define the larger regional landscape must continue to do so. Further, the strategy for

this entire project must have minimal rest mass, but yet foster and enhance cross and thru-site connections. The

strategy needs to be resilient enough to reflect and respond to the ephemera of seasonal change, natural

succession, growth and change so that such inevitabilities are not problematic, but instead have been pre-

imagined and incorporated into the formal approach to fixed programmatic requirements. Design protocols must

by nature be as efficient as possible, but flexible enough to generatively evolve as the landscape itself continues to

evolve and transform itself. We believe that this approach would yield an environment suitable for intellectually

dynamic people, those who both visit and work on site.

SITE STRUCTURE: River meets Main Street

The interplay between the proposed village oval-shaped formation and the research buildings and the curvilinear

form of the gorge moving through the site will provide the engine which drives this proposal. Subtly expanded,

framed and articulated, the meandering gorge (together with the subtle rotation of stepping terraces of the

ground plane from Main Street to the CT River) as a primary protagonist, will link The Park, The Village Green and

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the associated network of the office buildings, Phase One and the element that has been described as the ‘Water

Feature’ into a single, cohesive identity for River Park.

This River/Gorge narrative is made more palpable through the incorporation, articulation of and interactions with

programmatic compatibilities, overlaps, cross connections, and storm water controls as a mechanism for

establishing a strategy for ultimate connectivity. A larger sense of place and brand and a more general sense of

overall design synthesis will have been achieved: River Park is born out of the essence of place.

By definition, the identification and assignment of the River and Gorge as a seamless and iconic framework of our

parti (a singular, though malleable landscape gesture) intentionally blurs the lines between competition areas as

defined within the presentation brief. Instead of Area A, B, C and so on, we anticipate a series of related and

overlapping programs, connections and transitions. Each of these conditions and typologies will seek to charge and

transform the next, to bring together diverse uses and users around a common amenity and active ecological

center, which is at the core of why people are originally drawn to this special place.

THRESHOLD/ENTRY AND PHASE ONE BUILDING: River meets the Street

With the introduction of a major stone outcropping (the water feature), the River story emphatically emerges at

the main entry to River Park. Designed as part of the larger storm water collection system, the internally lighted

outcropping emits mist and even freezes over during the winter months. A Corten steel frame contributes to the

sense of Threshold and is a recurring material used throughout the River Park experience. Consistent stone paving

treatment links the Phase One ‘front yard’ to the Water Feature and River Park entry. Car parking has been

eliminated along the entry drive to provide additional space for a larger more appropriately scaled landscape

moment. The overall material palette has been established as a type of standard to reinforce larger site

connections and to create a more ‘campus’ feeling environment at the Village Common.

VILLAGE COMMON

The character for this new research village will emerge from careful interactions between the proposed buildings,

suggested ground floor retail opportunities (as a social ‘frame’) and the robust and organic qualities of the site's

main protagonist: the river and its associated ravine. The Common, which provocatively engages the ravine and

existing tree canopy, will provide flexible use as the meeting spot and play host to community events, markets,

winter skating, outdoor dining and play. An interactive Canopy loosely organizes the entire space, linking bus stop,

outdoor seating and the Ravine’s edge. Part corporate/part camp retreat, the Village Common is linked

experientially and materially to the River/Ravine Park which passes through it.

RIVER/RAVINE PARK

Emerging from the Ravine, a series of themed paths – River, Meadow, and Canopy – compose venues for layered

programmatic interventions for technology, art and recreation. Each particular path responds in kind to local

aspects of slope, vegetation, site features and view to multiply the potential experiences of the site, making larger

off-site connections and responding to various park programs along the way. Path Types: A. River’s edge: Water

access, landings, swimming area, research opportunities (water quality monitoring, etc.); B. Meadow Trail: Garden

festival area, jogging path and bike corridor. The meadow trail also provides access to an open air pavilion, which

provides basic park accommodations and a shaded performance venue; C. Canopy Walk: Continuous system of

garden festival and River Park look-outs, nature walk and interface with Research Buildings, and bird watching.

PHASING

Inherent in our conceptualization of River Park is the notion of incrementalism. That is, because we are designing

in response to highly localized conditions and events, the holistic vision of our scheme is not predicated on a 100%

buildout, where a full figure is needed to complete the picture. Our proposal will, by definition (and it must), feel

complete at each moment of pause between ‘phases’ of architectural buildout. Therefore, while we would prefer

to see a comprehensive threshold and River Park from Day One, we are quite positive that a complete and robust

experience will be achieved with much less.