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• Design for urban resilience in NYS rust belt cities
• Land-based, high-performance and multi-functional infrastructure systems
• Water-sensitive design, land/water interfaces and stormwater management as an integral part of the urban landscape

+ Teaching Interests

• Systems-thinking, and systems and performance-based design
• Linking the science of ecology with design in studios and seminars
• Generative design, ecological modeling, scenario planning and alternative futures
• Stormwater management, green infrastructure and water-sensitive design, theory and practice

 

+ Education

2002 MLA, Cornell University, Concentration in Ecology, with honors

1997 BLA, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Summa Cum Laude

 

+ Academic Experience

Assistant Professor, State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 2011- present.

Lecturer, Cornell University Department of Landscape Architecture, 2007-2011.

Research associate, Cornell University Department of Landscape Architecture, 2003-05.  North Side Visioning and Riverfront Redevelopment Project, with SUNY ESF.

Instructor, Cornell University Department of Landscape Architecture and Architecture, 2003-06.

 

+ Courses Taught

LSA 600 Design Studio I (graduate)

LSA327 Landscape Design Studio II

LSA433/633 Planting Design + Practice

LSA 342/615 Site Construction Technology

Others:

Ecological Urban Infrastructure (workshop)

Land + Water, Stormwater Management (workshop)

Design Studio, undergrad I, II, V, VI, VII; graduate III, IV, V, VI.

 

+ Selected Presentations

“Sustainability and Revitalization”, for Imagining America’s Symposium, “Urban Revitalization Transformations through Art & Design”, Oct 2011.

“Grounding: Rust to Green Utica Principles, Process and Projects”, American Planning Association Connecting Communities conference, Sept 2011.

“The Rust Belt and Resilience”, Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA), Urban Nature Conference, Los Angeles, Sept 2010.

“Landscapes as green infrastructure and the use of native plants in stormwater practices”.  Invited speaker for Native Plants Society Conference, March 2011.

“Partnering with New York’s Rust Belt Cities to shift from Rust to Green: Utica’s Story”.  Presented at Trustee Council’s Annual Meeting for the Cornell University Public Service Center, Oct 2010.

Invited Panelist, “Livable Communities: Finding Paths to Regional Prosperity” Conference, Binghamton, NY, Oct 2010, and “Scenario Broome: Potential impacts of Fracking in Broome County.” Mapping exhibition for above conference, Oct 2010.

“Rust to Green In Upstate New York: Re-envisions Upstate NY Cities Through Sustainable Urban Design, Place making and Green Infrastructure Approaches”.  AIA/ASLA Upstate Conference, CE Credit Architects: 3.0 LU/HSW/SD Hours, Landscape Architects: 3.0 LU/HSW.

“Scenario Broome”.  Presentation of mapping research for “Energy Transitions and the New York Landscape” colloquium/speaker series, Sept 2010.

“Aesthetics and Ecology at the Lakeshore”.   Keynote Speaker for Chautauqua Lake Association’s 63^rd annual meeting, August 2010.

“Cross-College Collaboration”.  Presentation to CALS Alumni Council, April 2010.

“Green Infrastructure: Theory and Practice”.  ASLA New York Upstate Chapter Annual Conference “Sustainable Solutions”, CE Credit Landscape Architects: 3.0 LU/HSW, June 2008. 

 

+ Selected Abstracts/Publications

Miller, M and Vanucchi, J.  “(In)Complete”, IN Visual Representation in Landscape Architecture, N. Amoroso, ed. , 2012.  http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415589574/

Horrigan, P. and J. Vanucchi.  “Rust to Green: Cultivating Resilience in the Rust Belt”, abstract for Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA), EDRA42Chicago, accepted Oct 2010.

Horrigan, P. and J. Vanucchi.  “The Rust Belt and Resilience”, Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA), Urban Nature Conference.

Vanucchi, J.  “Resilience and Restoration in the Rust Belt cities of New York”.  Restoring Green Infrastructure, International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) International conference in Rio de Janeiro, accepted Sept 2009.

“Partnering Process: A Dynamic Design Approach for Generative Landscapes”, MLA Thesis, 2002.

 

+ Grants/Funding

Rust to Green Utica, Oneida County Cornell Cooperative Extension, Resource Center for Independent Living and the City of Utica.  Fall 2010.  USDA Hunger-Free Communities grant for the development of a food policy and food policy council in Utica, NY, $100,000. 

Vanucchi, Jamie (PI) and Paula Horrigan.  Spring 2010.  Funding for Rust to Green Workshop, Public Service Center, Faculty Fellows in Service, $2000.

Ruggeri, D., Horrigan, P., Vanucchi, J. (Key collaborator), Broussard, S., Peters, S.  Fall 2009. “Rust to Green in New York State”, USDA Hatch Grant, $15,000/yr.

Geohring, L., Richards, B., Steenhuis, T., Vanucchi J.  2009-10.  “Performance of a Retrofit Stormwater Treatment System in an Institutional Setting, New Paltz, NY”, Water Resources Institute and Hudson River Estuary Program,  $16,000.  

 

+ Recognition for Advising/Design Competitions

Faculty Advisor, ASLA Honor Award for Research, 2011. “Green Movement against green water: Using green infrastructure strategies in the Lake Amatitlan Watershed to promote environmental education in Guatemala”.  IMaria Calderon.

Faculty Advisor, One Prize International Design Competition, Mowing to Growing: A Design Competition for Creating Productive Green Space in Cities, Semi-finalist for “Plug-In Performance Ground”.  Student team: Maria Hook and Aidan Chambliss, Spring 2010.

Faculty Sponsor, ACSA Green Communities International Design Competition, 2^nd place award for “edgEcology: Change the Edges, Change the City”. Student team: Chris Hardy, Tomoki Takebayashi, Chris Gruber, & Rachel Kunreuther, Summer 2009.  Juror comments:  “This project is future thinking and develops a methodology for growth and change. The system design deals with water and land, allowing the city's waterfront to thrive. Stunning level for student work.”

Faculty co-advisor, Ed Bacon Foundation "Brown to Green" sustainable urban design competition, 1^st place award for “Rust Renewed”, Dec 2009.  Student team:  Zac Boggs, Chris Koenig, Lee Pouliot, Tyler Grooms, Maureen Bolton and Dan Kelleher.

Faculty Advisor, 2004 Low Impact Development Student Design Competition, 7^th place award for “Towards a New Water Culture”.  Student team: Dorothy Murray and Erin Moriarity.

 

+ Community-Related Service/Outreach

Co-Founder, Rust to Green NYS Initiative, an action research project currently active in Utica and Binghamton, NY.   

Member, Local Waterfront Access Plan committee, Utica, NY

“Lake Chautauqua Lakeshore Buffer Design”.  Invited presenter for two public/professional workshops funded by the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, August 2009.

Other

South Hill Elementary School, entry garden design and installation, outdoor classroom design, master plan and grant proposal.

Lehman Alternative Community School, café garden and outdoor classroom design.

 

+ Honors/Awards

Member design team for Kunyushan National Park Design Competition, 1st Place Yantai, China

IMember design team for Ideas on Edge Urban Design Competition, “Splice” entry selected for Public Exhibition

ASLA Honor Award, graduate level

Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award

MIT/EPA Stormwater Design Competition, First Place, Student Category

Stanley Abbott Award for Excellence in Senior Project

ASLA Honor Award, undergraduate level

Community Design Assistance Center Recognition for Commitment and Service Award

Best Third Year Designer Award

Annual Scholarship for Excellence in Landscape Architecture