In search of a constructive alternative for site reclamation and revitalization, this graduate design studio aimed to restore the working practices of two sites in central New York, not only as a way of shaping their physical form but also of making new connections between site and community. 

The project simultaneously addressed two contextually different sties.  The Willow Patch in Cazenovia, New York was the location of an experiential approach for design.  Students worked directly with the willows, cutting and coppicing the overgrown plants to transform the space into more distinct tiers.  This intimate contact with the site allowed for a deeper understanding of the ecology of the place and also revived the traditional practice of weaving the willow branches.  The second site for this project was along Midler Ave/I-690 in Syracuse.  After learning about the potential for willow plantations as energy sources and as agricultural crops used for phytoremediation, students looked at the site as a new type of urban agriculture.

The results of this studio are still emerging as graduate studios continue to work in the Willow Patch.  Living sculptures are still growing and will provide ample material for cutting in coming years.  More importantly, the work has brought attention to this hidden local resource and has helped create a community of artists, neighbors, residents, and researchers interested in maintaining the Willow Patch.  The  I-690 scenarios have shown researchers and industry specialists how the willow biomass program might be expanded into an urban context.  Faculty from ESF are now working with the owners of the site to study how it could become part of a larger vision for transforming the industrial corridors of Syracuse from “wastes” back to working landscapes.

For a more in depth discussion of this project, see Initiatives 2002 - 2003.