This project was carried out along with the CSLD (Conway School of Landscape Design), and with the support of the City of Holyoke, Massachusetts.
The owner's project goal was to revitilze and retrofit an old warehouse, for a new office space.
The building, as many others in the city of Holyoke, had been abandoned for decades.
This urban project was mainly based on the design of a parking space, which was carried out on a lot that was adjacent to the main building, between the Main Street and the canal, this parking space had to be designed to be efficient and operational, yet sustainable. We decided to use the empty areas to catch and retain stormwater runoff, which is one of the major causes of urban pollution.
By using bioretention gardens and bioswales along the streets, we reduced the stormwater runoff significantly. During the site analysis, we studied the soil, as the site had been used for industrial activities. We used only native and endemic flora, and urban-tolerant trees, shrubs and grasses, that could also resist very humid conditions were chosen.
As a part of an integral project, a bus station and a cafe were also added. At the end, a parking space was designed, as the first client need. It was designed under the sustainability principles, and not as an isolated entity, but as part of a larger whole.
