{"id":20674,"date":"2025-08-08T11:08:53","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T15:08:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/?p=20674"},"modified":"2025-08-08T11:08:54","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T15:08:54","slug":"jenkins-and-howard-on-design-for-green-spaces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/news\/jenkins-and-howard-on-design-for-green-spaces\/","title":{"rendered":"Mia Jenkins and Brandon Howard on Design to Improve Public Green Spaces"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

URI\u2019s engagement with the larger Rhode Island community ensures that students and faculty work with local, city, and state agencies. One example is the partnership between the University\u2019s Regenerative Community Design Lab (RCDL) and the RI Department of Environmental Management Division of Forest Environment\u2019s Urban and Community Forestry Program. The aim of the program and collaboration is to reimagine community green spaces with nature-based solutions, promoting the health and well-being of both local ecological systems and the residents that engage with them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Regenerative Community Design Lab (RCDL) at the University of Rhode Island brings this work directly into Rhode Island communities,\u201d says Jane Buxton, associate teaching professor of Landscape Architecture<\/a> and program director of the RCDL. \u201cThrough partnerships with Rhode Island towns, the lab supports the planning of green infrastructure that enhances community well-being, from tree-lined streets and pocket parks to sustainable, nature-based strategies for managing stormwater and reducing flood risk.\u201d Mia Jenkins, of North Kingstown and Brandon Howard, of Concord, Massachusetts, are busy in the lab this summer as part of their CELS Summer Research Fellowships with the RCDL.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cMia and Brandon\u2019s exceptional work, dedication, and enthusiasm have taken our projects to the next level,” says Buxton. The students are pictured here with President Marc Parlange.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Jenkins and Howard, who are both majoring in landscape architecture<\/a>, are part of a team working closely with the Rhode Island towns of Charlestown, Cumberland, and Providence, three municipalities that were selected for design assistance through the Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program. \u201cWe\u2019re collaborating with these towns to reimagine public spaces in ways that promote connection, accessibility, and sustainability,\u201d Jenkins says, noting that her daily work includes site analysis, sketching design concepts, researching best practices, and preparing materials that are shared among community stakeholders. Howard\u2019s fellowship work includes researching the sites, participating in site visits, and working with the team to develop and share redesign concepts. \u201cDuring the times I meet with my group, we discuss solutions that best benefit the site we are working on,\u201d he says. \u201cAfter we collectively agree on a design, we start to work on our poster boards that accurately represent our design in a clear and concise way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jenkins, who is also minoring in community planning, says that the fellowship has brought her coursework to life. \u201cConcepts like technical drawings, site planning, and sustainable design are now things I get to practice every day,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ve been able to connect classroom knowledge with real-world impact, and it\u2019s helped me think more critically and compassionately about how spaces serve people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLandscape architecture plays a vital role in shaping healthy, resilient, and beautiful communities,\u201d Buxton says. \u201cIt goes far beyond planting trees or designing parks, it\u2019s about how we use land wisely, protect natural resources, and create places that improve people\u2019s daily lives. Landscape architects design with nature in mind, tackling complex challenges such as climate change, stormwater management, public health, and equitable access to green spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buxton also shares how the design lab offers learning opportunities in a collaborative environment: \u201cThe lab offers technical expertise, creative vision, and a collaborative process that gives residents a voice in shaping their environment. It also serves as a learning lab for students, preparing the next generation of professionals to lead with purpose, equity, and environmental stewardship. At its core, this work helps communities imagine what\u2019s possible and provides the tools to make it real.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Conceptual Plan for Charlestown Town Hall and Puchalski Field<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Reflecting on the fellowship so far, Jenkins says that one of the most rewarding moments was completing the redesign of Charlestown\u2019s Town Hall area, including addressing stormwater challenges while creating a more welcoming space for the town\u2019s residents. \u201cSeeing how our design contributes to both environmental resilience and community pride was incredibly meaningful,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome highlights of my experience have been presenting to a town council in a very professional setting, learning about the history of local areas, working with a team to achieve goals that properly address the town\u2019s needs, and sharpening my design and technical skills within the assortment of digital programs we use,\u201d Howard adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m especially excited to see how our concepts for Cumberland and Providence evolve with community input,\u201d says Jenkins. \u201cI love the collaborative aspect of this work. In learning what matters to residents, we\u2019re able to translate that into tangible design strategies. I\u2019m also looking forward to honing my technical skills while deepening my understanding of how landscape architecture can support equity and wellbeing.\u201d Howard adds, \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to continuing to work with such an amazing team and creating great solutions that will have a massive positive impact on communities that need help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Howard says that he developed a strong connection with Professor Jane Buxton, who he says \u201cnoticed that I was someone who was passionate about the field and motivated to make a change in struggling communities.\u201d <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As for students looking to explore learning opportunities outside the classroom, Jenkins suggests staying open to expected paths. She says she has enjoyed learning from courses like LAR 201 Survey of Landscape Architecture<\/em> that centered on topics like fundamental design principles, environmental systems, and visual communication, all of which she says shaped the way that she has approached her fellowship work. \u201cEach class has built a foundation for understanding both the art and science behind thoughtful space-making,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jenkins and Howard emphasize the importance of opportunities like the CELS Summer Research Fellowship for students looking to explore work outside of the classroom. \u201cFellowships like this provide so much career and personal growth, not just for my resume, but for discovering the kind of work that gives me purpose,\u201d Jenkins says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Written by Yvonne Wingard, CELS Communications Fellow<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Through the Regenerative Community Design Lab, landscape architecture majors Mia Jenkins and Brandon Howard are partnering with the towns of Charlestown, Cumberland, and Providence to redesign public green spaces using sustainable, nature-based solutions. From managing stormwater to creating welcoming parks, they\u2019re turning classroom lessons into real-world change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1089,"featured_media":20678,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1089"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20674"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20674\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20681,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20674\/revisions\/20681"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}