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Before last week’s ACE meeting I didn’t understand all that went into landscape design.

My group, Group 4, went to a landscape architecture firm. This was probably one of the most fun meetings that I have been to so far.

It started out as usual with a presentation about the firm and the type of work they do there. From there we had many questions, especially because this line of work was very interesting for a few members in my group.

Going through the slide show and seeing some before and after plans of how landscape architecture works was quite beautiful. Seeing how we can change the focus and outlook of a building with simple greenery was interesting.

After the slide show and the questions, we were split into several groups. Each of our mini groups focused on one part of the site. Some worked on the amphitheater or the large field. But there were other less prominent places that also needed work. There was a large slope in between the main buildings of the school and the run-down field. This was assigned as my area to focus on.

It was my first time doing something independent in the group, as there were not enough members in Group 4 to be able to assign two students to each mini group. I worked on planning pathways to connect the separate buildings together. I also thought up seating to allow people to watch the games on the field or to work on warm days. I also included plans for posts to hold a giant tarp on those ever so common rainy days. Overall, I do not think it was a defining feature, but it helped bring everything together a lot better.

During the last 10 minutes of the session, we all regrouped to present our work. The field had been redone to accommodate risers and allow more accessibility for sports teams. It also made way for a necessary scoreboard. The amphitheater was planned in a small area by the side of the drama room. It has outdoor lighting and a small hill to perform on. Even the parking lot was redone to have easier access for students and visitors.

It was a very successful meeting at this firm. We left feeling so much closer to actually completing our planning project.