ASU freshmen are using knowledge from their architecture class and a mesquite tree to re-design part of Papago Park.
Students enrolled in Design Fundamentals II, ALA 122 and ALA 124 will showcase their architectural designs at the park as part of a class project.
Catherine Spellman and Milagros Zingoni teach the courses, along with 10 graduate student teaching assistants. Spellman, who has been teaching at ASU for 14 years, said the course is re-thinking the way first-year students gain experience.
The class is very hands on, yet very independent at the same time, she said.
“The course is not only helpful to people who are merely interested in design and architecture, but also for anyone interested in the environment,” architecture and design professor Catherine Spellman said.
Students used pictures to make a collage that helps them design a chosen area in Papago Park.
Each of the students adopted a small, healthy mesquite tree donated by Mountain State Nursery in North Phoenix. The trees are studied and are used as design inspiration, Spellman said.
Park rangers help the students decide the exact spot to plant each tree and the rangers take over caring for the trees once the semester is over.
Each student is given a 10-foot high and 10-foot wide, 34-foot long wall. Students use abstract ideas from nature to design the area.
With inspiration from their tree, students designed a structure or landscape fit for the tree to grow and develop. The students study the pattern of growth of the mesquite, so they are better able to design by inspiration, Spellman said.
Architecture freshman James Parker said the project gives students hands-on experience.
“I believe that the experience of having the students immerse themselves in the surrounding landscape was a really good idea because a lot of the students in the class may be majoring in architecture or landscape,” he said.
Each student’s designs will be displayed and will cover most of the floor space in the Gallery of Design room starting April 13 and lasting through April 24. The Gallery of Design is located in the College of Design South building and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Reach the reporter at kellie.parisek@asu.edu.
