Collaboration With University of Massachusetts Students
In the Fall of 2008, Belchertown State School campus was the focus of an interdisciplinary studio done by 30 graduate students within the Departments of Architecture and Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Four teams of landscape architects, architects and regional planners studied the campus, the town, and its surrounding context. The focus of the studio was to get down to the site planning level dealing with the integration of interior and exterior spaces. The 155-acre (0.63 km2) parcel of land, owned by the Belchertown Economic Development and Industrial Corporation, is ripe with opportunity. The teams looked at creating jobs, mixed use development as well as recreational opportunities on the campus and the adjacent property, owned by New England Small Farm Institute.
The site has dozens of buildings that are beyond repair, but the majority of the substantial buildings on site would provide a strong starting point to build a community around. Landscape architect and architect students worked to integrate these buildings and the landscape together, while the regional planners looked at the feasibility of the proposals as well as zoning regulations and potential overlays. The final product was four detailed master plans and a strong sense of support from the community....
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