Project Spotlight: Bioreserve Feasibility Study
During the Fall of 2018, students from the Community Partnerships Center’s Design and Research team partnered with the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve. Gabriella Caron, Kathryn Laufenburg, Mohammed Almadhari, and Evamarie Alessandroni were tasked with creating a feasibility study for a brand new Discovery Center somewhere on the 16,000 acres of land. Located in Fall River, Freetown, and Dartmouth Massachusetts, the students definitely had plenty of options to choose from.
There were 15 sites that were suitable for the Center that the students could choose from. Several of the locations are historic, making them ideal spots for a Discovery Center to be placed. Additionally, the students had to figure out what would be included in the new building, such as education and visitor spaces.
The students partnered with Mike Labossiere, the Watershed Forester and Project Manager for Water Department and Land Assets for the city of Fall River, as well as meeting with the "Friends Group," which is a group of people that represent different interests of the Bioreserve.
The people involved in the "Friends Group" are advocating for the Discovery Center, the value it will bring to furthering urban city children’s knowledge of nature, as well as encouraging others to explore the Bioreserve.
The Roger Williams students surveyed the potential areas and even ran into several turkeys and a coyote while doing so!
From there, they continued to generate three schematic designs to show Labossiere, and go on to present the final ideas. This is definitely an exciting project that will no doubt yield some beautiful designs for the Bioreserve Discovery Center! Stay Tuned for more as the students continue on into the new semester!
Author: Sarah Caron
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