Restoring, redesigning and reconnecting abandoned brown field sites to their community (GM-urban site in Muncie, IN)

Abstract

Brownfield redevelopment has received a lot of attention in the past few years, and has become a popular topic in the landscape architecture realm. Increasing amounts of abandoned post-industrial sites do not presently perform any value or functionality in the city’s area. These vacant lands not only adversely impact people’s lives, but they also restrict local economic growth and neighborhood development. This project is trying to using landscape architectural planning and design principles to restore and reuse urban brownfield sites in ways that reconnect these sites to the community. Mixed-used planning method applied to this project that include open space, new residential area, urban farm, recreation area and green spaces. In this case, sustainable and mixed land use redevelopment can improve community quality so that to change the existing disadvantage situation of the whole community.Department of Landscape ArchitectureThesis (M.L.A.