2. Alice Sturm2 3Landscape Architecture Portfolio
PERSONAL DETAILS
INTRODUCTION
SKILLS
EDUCATION
AWARDS
WORK EXPERIENCE
ALICE STURM
TEL :
EMAIL :
LINKEDIN :
202-302-4525
ALICE.STURM@GMAIL.COM
Sofware
Other
Fall 2016
Fall 2016
Summer 2016
Spring-Fall 2016
Summer 2015
Fall 2016
2006-2010
2017
2014-2017
2017
Master of Landscape Architecture
Upstate ASLA Distinguished Student of the Year
Thank you for your consideration,
Site Engineering Teaching Assistant
Sophomore Design Studio Teaching Assistant
Landscape Architecture Intern
Chair of Board
Landscape Architecure Intern
SWAT Team Member
Bachelor of Arts
2nd Place, Better Philadelphia Challenge
Cornell University, New York
Liberty Hyde Bailey Prize
As a landscape architecture student, I bring
a strong interest in working landscapes
(continued from my years working as a farmer),
climate change adaptation and resilience,
and community engagement and outreach.
Throughout my time in school I have been able
to work on real projects in local communities,
working with local stakeholders.
These interests affect my graphics as well
as my design- I try to make sure the site
design and the graphic language of a project
compliments and enhances the existing social,
ecological, and cultural values of the site’s
context.
Department of Landscape Architecture, Cornell
Department of Landscape Architecture, Cornell
SUNY Binghamton Physical Facilities
Design Connect
Smithsonian Gardens, Smithsonian Institution
Student Weekend Arborist Team, Cornell
Grade homework and host office hours assisting students to learn Site
Grading and Site Engineering in Professor Valerie Aymer’s class.
Participate in Pin-ups, hold office hours, and provide design, technical,
and model-making assistance to students in Katie Jenkin’s Studio.
Prepare concept designs, master plans, and constuction documents
for a variety of campus projects as part of the Design team.
Run an interdisciplinary student consulting club that provides design
and planning services to upstate New York communities.
Participate in document review, construction administration, and pre-
pare planting plans and renderings. for a variety of projects.
Perform street tree inventories for the cities of Elmira, NY and Jordan,
NY as well as making preliminary health assessments.
AutoCAD, Adobe Suite, Rhino 3D, ArcGIS, Microsoft Office, SketchUp
Construction Documentation, hand and computer rendering, plant
identification and establishment
Columbia College, Columbia University, New York
Designing the Rail Park Tunnel Competition
LINKEDIN.COM/ALICESTURM
Masters of Landscape Architecture
Cornell University
ALICE STURM
Drawing on the path to Angel’s Landing in Zion Park
See Page 9
Drawing of Angel’s Landing Switchbacks, Zion National Park
3. Alice Sturm4 5Landscape Architecture Portfolio
TABLE OF CONTENTS 01.
PRIMING THE POESTENKILL:
FLOOD RESILIENCE AND
RECREATIONAL CONNECTIVITY
06Page
05.
VISUALIZING COASTAL FRAGILITY
ASBURY PARK RESEARCH PROJECT
02.
RAIL PARK ROOTS:
SECOND PLACE WINNER
BETTER PHILADELPHIA CHALLENGE
06.
RESTORATIVE GARDEN DESIGN
03.
HUDSON RISING:
CLIMATE ADAPTIVE DESIGN
LANDSCAPE BIENIALE SUBMISSION
07.
BUILT WORK:
COOPER HEWITT PLANTING DESIGN
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12
Page
Page
18
22
24
Page
Page
Page
04.
DESIGN PROCESS:
DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL MODELING
08.
ecoSYSTEM:
STREETSCAPE DESIGN AND CD SET
16Page 24Page
4. Alice Sturm6 7Landscape Architecture Portfolio
PRIMING THE
POESTENKILL
SITE PLAN TOOLKITCONCEPT DIAGRAMSFLOODING AND RECREATIONSEWERSHED AND WATERSHED
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3
My studio project from Fall 2016
Studio taught by Brian Davis and
Anne Weber focused on redefin-
ing green infrastructure, and was
centered in Troy, NY, a town on the
Hudson River Estuary with a post
industrial waterfront. My design fo-
cused on the Poestenkill Gorge, and
using it to create a social, ecological,
and flood resilient corridor in the
city’s core.
Rendered Site Plan, made with AutoCAD
linework, photoshop textures, and Illus-
trator diagramming.
Diagrams showing major strategies used
in each area of the design.
Axonometric diagrams showing key context
information and before and after conditions
across the site.
This map, of all of Troy, shows the unique posi-
tion of the Poestenkill in terms of high volume of
flooding, especially focused at the “pinch points”
of the Lake Ida Dam and Canalization at the east
end of downtown, as well as parkland.
This larger scale analysis shows the wa-
tershed of the Poestenkill as well as the
sewersheds of Troy, NY. The darker grey
corresponds to more frequent CSO overflow
events.
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5. Alice Sturm8 9Landscape Architecture Portfolio
PRIMING THE
POESTENKILL
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
1
LAKE
GORGE
CANAL 32
In the lake, my design
addressed floodwater
pressure on the aging
Lake Ida Dam by changing
the river bed to increase
floodwater holding capac-
ity and expanding the edge
to allow more recreational
opportunities.
Unlike in the other por-
tions, in the Gorge my
design dealt only with
access and visibility of
the falls and the natural
environment, providing
new viewsheds, paths,
and bridges to connect
the gorge and surround-
ing neighborhoods.
The lowermost terrace
of the Canal, the wetland
accretion level, is formed
with jetties of demolition
debris. They accumulate
sediment and accrete
wetland plants, providing
water level crossings for
people and ecological
diversity.
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6. Alice Sturm10 11Landscape Architecture Portfolio
RAIL PARK ROOTS
2nd PLACE WINNER
BETTER PHILADELPHIA
Along with my classmates Federico Lia, Kelly Farrell,
Thackston Crandall, and Genki Takahashi, I entered
the Better Philadelphia Competition (formerly ED
BACON) and won second place.
The 2017 Competition focused on the planned exten-
sion of the Rail Park into an abandoned rail tunnel
located in and under Center City Philadelphia in the
heart of the arts district.
Technology Used:
In this project, I built the Rhino model of the tunnel
to use to create sections and renderings, and I cre-
ated the large central axonometric rendering using
linework and model drawn from Rhino and Photoshop
textures.
RAIL PARK ROOTS
This unique space within The Rail Park capitalizes on
the unusual opportunities inherent in being under-
ground, including urban exploration, art, shelter from
the elements, play, and the possibility of experiencing
what is usually hidden beneath our feet. Situating our
design firmly within the context of the neighborhood,
its population, and its institutions, Rail Park Roots
bridges aboveground and belowground in ways that
are both scientific and playful, pragmatic and fanciful.
7. Dunn Farmer’s Market
Retrofit the historic Dunn Warehouse as a
wet-floodproofed community kitchen and year-
round farmer’s market to activate the waterfront.
Water Street relocated
to back of lot to allow
greater park connectivity.
Railway elevated 18 feet
Raise the railway to 18’ to allow traffic to pass
under bridge, and meet the current Ferry Street
Bridge at grade.
Public Kayak Launch
Create a public launch for small craft in
slip two, with shoreline stabilized with
interplanted riprap. RipRap
Joint planting RipRap with na-
tive wetland plants increases
ecological quality without sacri-
ficing shoreline stabilization.
Soft Shoreline
Where maintaining the shoreline in place is not
necessary for function, riprap can be removed to
create a natural wetland shoreline.
Regrade to allow removal
of existing retaining wall
High Tide 2080
High Tide 2016
A
A
Connected Waterfront
HUDSON RISING
Floodable Henry Hudson Park
Park maintains current uses in the short-run while new elevated paths will ensure continued access as sea levels rise.
Water Street Commercial District
Commercial Development with wide deck overlooking the Hudson.
Ecologically Enhanced Shoreline
Existing: 1,444 feet
Proposed: 2,733 feet
Commercial Space
Existing: 325,776 square feet
Proposed: 432,194 square feet
Water-Enhanced Commercial:
Restaurant
Relocated Power Boat Association
2025 : Current Uses 2050: Intertidal Zone Boardwalk 2080: Wetland Boardwalk
0’ 50’ 100’ 200’
Alice Sturm12 13Landscape Architecture Portfolio
HUDSON RISING
MODEL
PHYSICAL MODEL: DETAIL
SECTION PERSPECTIVE
SITE PLAN
Model built by me and Kyle Sitzman showing
the elliptical boardwalk in our Henry Hudson
Inundatable Park Design.
As shown in the diagram at base of drawing 2,
this boardwalk will gradually change, with sea
level rise, from a grassy promenade to Hudson
River pier.
Model built by me and Kyle Sitzman
All rendering and linework by me.
Plan AutoCAD drafting by me
Plan rendering by Sara Hirsch
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Our Spring 2016 Studio, taught by professor Joshua
Cerra and supported by NYS grants, focused on work-
ing with the City of Hudson, NY to create a climate
adaptive and resilient design for their waterfront,
which is experiencing rapid expansion and develop-
ment.
This project formed part of Cornell’s official submis-
sion to the 11th annual Landscape Bienial in Barcelo-
na and was chosen among the 25 finalist schools from
over 200 submissions, and was displayed in the public
exhibit in Barcelona.
This was a group project which I did with Sara Hirsch
and Kyle Sitzman, My work is specified in each caption.
8. Wet Flood-proofing
Raise utilities above the flood
zone and 0rogram floodable
uses
Retreat
Move structures out of the fu-
ture flood zone
Increase Shade
Mitigate rising temperatures and
urban heat island effect with
increased shading
Elevating Circulation
Raise pedestrian, automobile,
and railroad
infrastructure out of the future
flood plain
Wetland Migration
Allow rare wetland habitats to
move higher in elevationas
sea-level rises
Resilient Planting
Select diverse palate of plants
which are tolerant of existing
and future climactic conditions
2080
2050
2025
2016
50°F
+1.5-3°F
+3-5.5°F
+4-8°F
Inundated Mean High High Tide
10 Year Flood Plain
B
C
Light Rail
Extend Broad Street with integrated light
rail along the former ADM spur line to
connect the KAZ Site to the waterfront.
Grid Expansion
Extend 2nd Street to L&G building and
extend Deer Lane to 2nd Street.
Solar Parking Lot
Solar Panels generate energy for surrounding buildings
and provide shade. Integrated bioswales.
Open Colarusso Drive
Create a formal, two-way road along the south edge of the L&B building which will allow gravel trucks to
access the deep-water port without going through downtown Hudson or using the Causeway. Elevate 9G out of 2080 Floodplain
Raise highway 9G/23B to 12’ on piles out of the current and future flood plain and
allow wetland migration as the sea-level rises.
Open the Causeway
Create a 40’ opening in the Causeway to double the area of valuable tidal marsh habitat and allow marsh migration;
gravel trucks re-routed along L&B.
South Bay Nature Trail
Build an integrated boardwalk loop over the former
causeway and elevated 9G providing views of the
rehabilitated wetland.
Encourage Wetland Migration
Rising water levels will drown the Phrag-
mites which currently dominates South
Bay; planting wild rice and other rare spe-
cies can encourage their colonization of the
wetland.
KAZ Site Development
All proposed development, residential and
commercial, will have wet-floodproofed
ground floor uses such as parking.
Storm-Water Treatment Wetland
Treating and infiltrating stormwater from
increasing rain events mitigates flood risk.
Cotinus ‘Grace’
Smoke Tree
Ilex verticillata
Winterberry
Rhus aromatica
Fragrant Sumac
Monarda ‘Raspberry Wine’
Beebalm
Baptisia
Betula nigra
River Birch
Orontium aquiaticum
Golden Club
Cardamine longii
Bittercress
Nuphar advena
Spatterdock
Iris versicolor
Blueflag
Peltandra virginica
Arrow Arum
Pontederia cordata
Pickerelweed
Morus rubra
Red Mulberry
Chionanthus virginicus
Fringetree
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani
Great Bullrush
Zizania aquatica
Wild Rice
High Tide 2016
High Tide 2080
10% Flood 2080
10% Flood 2080
B
C
B
C
Resilient Grid
Visible Wetland
HUDSON RISING
Parking
Existing: 633 spaces
Proposed: 832 spaces
Permeable Surfaces
Existing: 121339 square feet
Proposed: 354,364 square feet
Tidal Wetland
Existing: 2,307,638 square feet
Proposed: 4,055,849 square feet
KAZ Park
Non water dependent activities such as soccer and
picnicking that can no longer take place in Henry
Hudson Park due to sea level rise.
Residential
Residential
Office Space
Floodable Commercial
Office Space
Existing Condition: Gravel Access Road
No Tidal Connectivity
Proposed Opening: Boardwalk Nature Trail
Full Tidal Connectivity
Alice Sturm14 15Landscape Architecture Portfolio
HUDSON RISING
SITE PLAN
SITE SECTIONS
SEA LEVEL RISE MAPS
AutoCAD Plan drafting by me and Kyle Sitzman.
Rendering by Kyle Sitzman.
All rendering (Photoshop) and linework (Auto-
CAD)by me
Illustrator Diagrams by me.
Data from Scenic Hudson’s SLR Mapper
2
2
1
Our Spring 2016 Studio, taught by professor Joshua
Cerra and supported by NYS grants, focused on work-
ing with the City of Hudson, NY to create a climate
adaptive and resilient design for their waterfront,
which is experiencing rapid expansion and develop-
ment.
This project formed part of Cornell’s official submis-
sion to the 11th annual Landscape Bienial in Barcelo-
na and was chosen among the 25 finalist schools from
over 200 submissions, and was displayed in the public
exhibit in Barcelona.
This was a group project which I did with Sara Hirsch
and Kyle Sitzman, My work is specified in each caption.
1 2 3
9. Alice Sturm16 17Landscape Architecture Portfolio
DESIGN PROCESS
DIGITAL AND
PHYSICAL ITERATIONS
In an exercise exploring the interaction between
landform and water infiltration, I first modified and
created new landforms within Rhino, then explored
my proposed landform, first using Grasshopper and
some plugins, then using physical modeling in a vari-
ety of materials, including cross-stitch plastic mats and
watercolors. Both digital and physical models were
intended to operate in tandem, and iteratively, as
design tools and not presentation graphics.
Rhino Iterations
Paper Landform Model
Serial Section Model
Pancake Topography Model
Infiltration Vector Model
Accumulation Model
Iterations in Rhino using plugins eVeRain and
Grasshopper.
Folded drawing paper.
Serial sections cut from water color paper
showing infiltration with watercolor paint.
One foot contour paper model.
In this model I represented infiltration, based
on landform, using blue rods as vectors that
remain above ground in places with a a high
runoff coefficient and not in others.
I poured dyed water on the folded paper model
to simulate surface flow and accumulation.
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Detail of Infiltration Model
Detail of Accumulation Model
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10. Alice Sturm18 19Landscape Architecture Portfolio
3
ASBURY PARK
VISUALIZING COASTAL
FRAGILITY
To say that the boardwalk and casino that were built
to accommodate a ten-foot elevational range of the
ocean should have been built to accommodate a thir-
ty-foot elevational range, and thus not be destroyed
in storm surges such as the hurricane of 1945, and of
2009, is to criticize the facts employed in the design
but not the underlying paradigm. The problem is not
that the rigid line was not built far enough from the
undulating line- the problem is in understanding the
shore as a line in the first place, and simply raising
everything higher would not only destroy the aes-
thetic experience of being near the ocean, but would
commit the same folly that was committed in the ini-
tial design, a folly not of data but of process. Just as a
boardwalk designed for a sunny July low tide performs
poorly in winter, and under storm surge conditions, a
boardwalk designed for October 2009 (when Tropical
Storm Sandy struck and destroyed it) would perform
inadequately in mid-summer and in winter.
CASINO AND BOARDWALK
HISTORIC SHORELINES SITEMAP
ANNUAL PROGRAMMING
STORM TIMELINE
Four eras of the Casino and Boardwalk, in good
times and bad, are collaged together.
This map uses NJ State GIS Data to show
historic shoreline conditions and the site of the
buildings surveyed.
The annually scheduled events on the board-
walk are shown overlaid on collaged photos
showing the boardwalk in summer, winter, and
immediately after Hurricane Sandy.
This visual timeline shows the cycle of destruc-
tion and rebuilding of various historic structures
on the Asbury Park boardwalk, along with col-
laged historic images.
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11. Alice Sturm20 21Landscape Architecture Portfolio
SUNY BINGHAMTON
RESTORATIVE GARDEN
During my Summer 2016 internship with SUNY Bing-
hamton’s Physical Facilities Department, I was tasked
with creating a restorative garden to accompany
a new health and wellness dorm being built at the
University. The theme of the design was to use Jens
Jensen’s concept of “council circles” to create a variety
of spaces for study, relaxation and contemplation all
linked by a meditation path.
The phasing follows budget guidelines I was given by
Physical Facilities and Residential Life, and i provided
full cost estimates for both projects.
CONCEPT PLAN: PHASE 1
CONCEPT PLAN: PHASE 2
COUNCIL CIRCLE
BOULDER SEATING
In keeping with the initial budget, phase one
includes a mulch meditative walking path and
stone dust access path with boulder circle
seating. The mulch path can be installed with-
out disturbing the roots of existing trees.
Completed project with meditative walking
path, boulder circles from phase one recon-
figured into two smaller seating areas, and the
addition of a community garden and bench
council circle as seen in number 2.
In phase two the large boulder circle is
replaced by a ‘council circle’ of double faced
benches, allowing a dual use as both a gather-
ing space for larger groups and an area that
allows several, separate quiet users.
Informal boulder seating is attractive, afford-
able, and can easily be redistributed between
phases of the project. While Phase 1 includes
a single, larger boulder ciricle, in phase two
these boulders are reconfigured.
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12. Alice Sturm22 23Landscape Architecture Portfolio
COOPER HEWITT
TERRACE
PLANTING PLAN
During the Summer of 2015, I worked at Smithsonian
Gardens, a division of the Smithsonian Institution that
manages all indoor plants and all outdoor landscapes
at the Smithsonian, both on the National Mall and in
New York City.
I worked closely with William Donnelly, Landscape Ar-
chitect of the Smithsonian, to prepare planting plans,
attend construction administration meetings, and
create concept plans and renderings.
The garden of the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum
in New York City was fully re-designed. The terrace
was not included in the contract, but its planting was
largely destroyed during the renovation.
I created this planting plan for the terrace. The client
defined the planting palette as yellow and red, and
made clear that the terrace does not have irrigation
and is sunny and dry, with low soil volumes.
The larger site design is a shady and informal wood-
land planting.Those plants from the larger planting
that would survive conditions on the terrace I incorpo-
rated, but added others and created a more struc-
tured planting as befits the formal architecture of the
terrace.
PLANTING PLAN
SITE PHOTO
The planting plan I provided to the team at
Cooper Hewitt, edited and overseen by William
Donnelly, Landscape Architect of the Smithso-
nian.
Post installation, in October 2016.
Photo taken from Cooper Hewitt Smithso-
nian Design Museum Website.
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13. Crowned Asphalt road Sand-Set Permeable Pavers
with basecourse set at 2%
slope toward sleeved wall
Sand-Set Permeable Pavers
with basecourse set at 2%
slope toward sleeved wall
Concrete Sidewalk
pitched at 2% into
open side of infil-
tration planter
Concrete Sidewalk
pitched at 2% into
open side of infil-
tration-strip planter
Seat-Wall sleeved
to allow excess
water to drain
Curb-cut allows storm-
water from the road to
enter the bio-swale
Storm-water is diverted
via evapo-transpiration
from trees and other
plantings
Overflow water can exit and
continue to standard storm
sewers
Overflow will enter
high-hat drain and
enter storm sewer
system
Multi-Stem trees provide
more screening from sun in
summer and wind in winter
Flowering Native Plants
provide habitat benefits
for birds and pollinators
Multi-layered plantings provide bio-
diversity and visual diversity
085,671؛ lbs of Carbon dioxide
sequestered in 25 years
All plant species can survive drought and inundation
All plant species are approved by the DoT
particulate matter
intercepted and absorbed
Sulfur dioxide absorbed,
lowering air temperature
Swamp White Oak
Musclewood
Fringetree
Inkberry
Summersweet Black-eyed Susan
Shadblow
Purple Coneflower
$11,409 air pollution savings over 25 years
Nitrogen dioxide absorbed,
lowering air temperature
ozone is absorbed
Alice Sturm24 25Landscape Architecture Portfolio
ecoSYSTEM
STUDIO DESCRIPTION
My Fall 2015 Studio was taught by Peter Trowbridge
and focused on the NYC Department of Transporta-
tions efforts to increase pedestrian real estate in New
York City. We made designs for parts of Broadway
which have had temporary pedestrian plazas (created
with planters and road paint) since 2007, and which
efforts are now underway to make permanent. We
also incorporated other plaNYC goals such as increas-
ing shade, walkability, bike lanes, and stormwater
management.
EXISTING CONDITION ANALYSIS
SECTION PERSPECTIVE
TRAFFIC ANALYSIS
SITE PLAN
Site aerial and comparative statistics on existing
and proposed conditions.
Descriptive section showing my proposal at
23rd street, as well as subsurface stormwater.
This diagram shows the types of traffic, pe-
destrian, car, and bike, that use the site on a
typical fall day. This data encourages prioritizing
pedestrians.
The site is located in the temporary Depart-
ment of Transportation plazas between 21st
and 24th St and Broadway in Manhattan.
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METRICS: TREES
This diagram shows the work trees
can do in cleaning particulate matter,
carbon dioxide, and other pollutants
out of the air.
6 METRICS: STORMWATER
This diagram shows how my design
performs in terms of stormwater
management, both grey infrastruc-
ture and green infrastructure.
7
PROGRAMMING DIAGRAM
Sectional programming diagram.
5
PEAK TRAVEL
OFF-PEAK TRAVEL
This diagram shows how
the site is meant to func-
tion during the day, when
pedestrian, vehicular, and
bike traffic is at its peak.
Night and early in the
morning, when all forms
of traffic are reduced, the
bike lane becomes a truck
and deliveries lane serving
the local businesses.
SIDEWALK
SIDEWALK
soft edge
soft edge
PLAZA
PLAZA
hard edge
hard edge
ROAD
ROAD
14. Alice Sturm26 27Landscape Architecture Portfolio
ecoSYSTEM
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS
Further developing my studio project from Fall 2015,
in Spring 2016 I developed this set of construction
details further exploring the concept of a pedestrian
plaza with raised planters providing both seating,
shade, and enhanced water infiltration. Bioswale
planters face the street and accept street runoff, while
the infiltration planters receive water from beneath
the plaza due to the pitched concrete slab beneath
the sand-set pavers. Lighting at the base of the seat
walls washes the plaza at night to provide another
scale of lighting.
GRADING PLAN
SELECTED DETAILS
EXISTING CONDITIONS PLAN
LAYOUT AND MATERIALS PLAN
Schematic grading plan for pedestrian plaza
with bioswale planters and infiltration planters
Drawn from several pages of the CD Set, several
paving and raised planter details from the
design for the pedestrian plaza.
Demolition and Construction phasing plan.
Corresponding materials details shown on
facing page.
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15. Taking aerial photographs along the shore of Cayuga Lake by balloon as a studio TA with Katie Jenkins.
