The document summarizes several landscape design projects by Sushmitha Sunder between 2015-2016, including: 1. A proposal for a wildlife preserve in the Kendall Creek Tract to protect red cockaded woodpeckers and recognize Creek Indian culture. 2. Documentation of the conditions along a 55 mile stretch of Interstate 85 and proposals to inform drivers of the ecologies present. 3. A thesis project exploring how to reimagine public spaces in a technological society by acknowledging new dynamics of interaction. 4. A design for Dudley Commons at Auburn University that demonstrates landscape ephemerality over 75 years through the growth of birch trees.

1. SELECTED WORKSS U S H M I T H A S U N D E R 2 0 1 6

2. K E N D A L L C R E E K T R A C T s u m m e r 2 0 1 5
A Longleaf forest of 800 acres to be implemented as a wildlife
preserve for the endangered Red Cockated woodpeckers and
for the recognition of Creek Indian culture as the site shows its
remnant. The forest preserve needed to also act as an econom
ic income for the town of Columbus. Field studies showed de
fined tracks for logging that were used to access different parts
of the site mainly for logging as an income. A former mill field,
currently an epitome of wilderness, with hidden treasures of
history. The wooded wilderness covered with pines and sweet
gums as most of the upper story, needed attention towards the
under stories and ground cover. Their diversity demanded ex
ploration by the visitors. Hunting was the main activity thus far.
d e s i g n a p p r o a c h
To bring people to the midst of the forest and introduce them to
designed forms of spaces, representing native Creek Indian cul
ture. These forms represent the various possibilities of the known
"wilderness" into definitive edges. They make legible processes
subjected by the environment, such as wind and water dispersal.
PERCEPTION OF WILDERNESS
All illustrations created and printed by Sushmitha Sunder
right: sections of design forms.
left: typical form and process
design.
bottom: Master plan showing
defined forms in place of log
ging tracks.

3. INTERSTATE MEDIAN spring 2016
R O A D R I G H T O F W A Y S ( R O W )
above: sections of typical
landforms of the interstate.
right: typical landforms and
dividers.
below: sections showing
plant typologies.
To document current conditions of road right of
ways (ROW) on Interstate 85 i.e. length from
Auburn to Montgomery, Alabama. These obser
vations covered a distance of 55 miles.
four
n
opportunities

d e s i g n a p p r o a c h
T
, 
 Tpo
 


 
All illustrations created and printed by Sushmitha Sunder

4. The search for a case with the ecology along the road right of ways
gave way to 3 major crossings that already existed. The utility corridor,
the creeks and the overpass systems. The utility corridor passed right
through the traffic so it's conjugation with the ecology was not viable to ex
plore. Whereas the creeks and overpass persisted their crossings in me
andering and direct methods, respectively. The creek crossing allowed a
sublime trail below the interstate mixing the juxtaposition of disturbance
and tranquil in one spot.
All illustrations created and printed by Sushmitha Sunder
N

5. N A T U R A L C R O S S I N G S

6. ROAD RIGHT OF WAYS AS SYSTEMS OF
ECOLOGIES spring 2016
To propose an installation along the road right of ways, to inform of the
ecologies, with respect to the SWOT analysis done. Site: Interstate 85
from Auburn to Montgomery. Observations covering a distance of 55
miles. This assignment was semester long to achieve an installation
that can inform a target community of the ecologies present along
the road right of ways. The project was worked on by a group of 2
members. The design focuses on bringing attention to the Tuskegee
national park, that crosses a part of the interstate.
d e s i g n a p p r o a c h
Interstate 85 and its right of way, that passes through the Tuskegee
national forest area allows very little ques for drivers to be informed of
their presence in a distinct part of a nature preserve. The design works
with the opportunity of seed dispersal methods, to create a landscape
that mimics that of the internal parts of the Tuskegee forest. Once
introduced to the forest material, the overpass at each end the forest
limits, acts as a gateway thatinforms the driver to the access. The
installation is essentially made to irk the driver of a different environ
ment. It is made up varied placements and phases of seed bombs.
Each seed bomb is made with clay that contains seeds of the plants
that are found in the Tuskegee forest. Overtime, the clay installation
will melt due to the rains. This in turn allows for new landforms. The
seeds overtime will germinate and disperse further onto the roads.
The speed of the vehicles will push them into unprecedented dimen
sions, giving rise to novel ecologies.
PHASE I
Seed bombs installation
PHASE II
Seeds growth
PHASE III
Seeds dispersal with wind
5ft
seed clay compost rain
plant growth
plants seed dispersalwind
All illustrations created and printed by Sushmitha Sunder
above: atmosphere under
the interstate.
below: process that will
allow the wind power of
vehicles to be used for
dispersal.
M I S S E D O P P O R T U N I T Y

7. N E W I N T E R A C T I O N
All illustrations created and printed by Sushmitha Sunder
d e s i g n a p p r o a c h
When a person is listening to music, he has the option
of putting it into a music bank which is located next to
every seat in the public space. When he leaves, and
the next person comes into the space, the music, like
a shadow, that the previous person left behind, starts
to play. A subtle but new form of interaction in a world
where we are all connected by a network.
RE IMAGINING PUBLIC SPACE IN A TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY
l a n d s c a p e a r c h i t e c t u r e t h e s i s 2 0 1 6
As technology has changed the very meaning of interaction in today's society,
we need to design public spaces that recognize our altered behavior. Current
networks tend make us content with our devices, challenging interaction in
the public realm. The focus shifts to acknowledging the new dynamics and to
accommodate, than to downsize or shun it. Public spaces will continue to be
successful as technology also adapts to be a part of people coming together
for a shared experience.

8. T E C H N O L O G Y A N D I N T E R A C T I O N
d e s i g n a p p r o a c h
The design demonstrates the use of consensus based content to inform the users of public
opinion. The public spaces acts as a stage for all voices, big or small, to hold interaction like
the one mostly done on social media and other such forums. The spaces initiates conncting
to the site's WiFi network to bring people onto the local network. As the internet content
begins to match, so does interaction, by acknowledging that opinions are shared. Display
screens builds on the content which is found to be most common amongst the visitors.
When a match is detected, the screen lights up to show the shared content. With this, the
people who have matched, acknowledge each other's presence and opinion. The design
also houses more private areas, acknowledging and accommodating the use of cell phones
distinctively. The rooms allow for charging stations that come with music sharing devices,
such that, a shared music content would automatically start to play when the next person
occupied the space, allowing a new form of interaction.
All illustrations created and printed by Sushmitha Sunder

9. THE AEVUS PROJECT
s p r i n g 2 0 1 5
All illustrations created and printed by Sushmitha Sunder
E P H E M E R A L I T Y
Y2K16: The space planted with
birch in burlap. Logs being the
prominence in the space.
Y2K23: 7 years later, the birch
would show their presence and
the logs are cut equivalent to the
growth from the bottom.
Y2K45:In year 45 the birch
would make the landscape in ev
ery season, while the logs stand
aside next to each trunk show
ing their equivalence. Students
during this time would be present
for a subtly marking landscape.
Y2K70: The birch trees, with a
life of approximately 40 years, will
now wither into a decaying land
scape, exchanging its place with
the previously existing logs.
Y2K90: By this time the birch
trees are just remnants of the
space, marking a landscape of
history and making way for a dif
ferent process to take place.
To understand and design with
change as the inherent qualities
of a landscape, such as season,
color, texture and so on.
Dudley commons, the architecture
and construction building at Au
burn University, during this period
was transform to allow for more
students and introduce spaces
that inculcate learning. The west
wing of the building served as one
of the entrances as well as work
ing areas for students. The main
focus is to design this space for
a period of 75 years to make legi
ble the ephemeral qualities of the
landscape.
Young birch trees are planted with
vertical logs beside them. Over 75
years, the landscape changes to
show the growth of trees, while
the logs are cut with respect to
this growth. The design shows
change to represent history as
well as change in spatial charac
teristics.