It is so exciting when you get to meet with people who have actually made the project possible, isn’t it?
The discussion started with the introduction of the visitors. Jesse Blom, the Executive Director at The Green Heart Project; Interim Executive Director, Leslie Wade from Charleston Parks Conservancy; Courtney Olson, Urban Agriculture Manager; Jason Kronsberg director of parks for the City of Charleston. They shared their stories about how they became what they are today. Their stories were truly inspiring.
We introduced ourselves. Mr. Jason Kronsberg explained the rational strategies behind the design and why he chose the location of the pavilion to the north of the site. They shed light upon a few facts like who owns the land, what type of school it is, what will be the adjacent future development, etc.
We got to know that while doing a practical project, we must comprehend the budget and other parameters. For instance one of the reasons behind choosing the location of the pavilion on the northmost side of the site was that it is the nearest point to bring the water connection from another site. Another reason to choose the location was it is the only side of the property with few trees, which allows the garden to get adequate sunshine most of the time.
The discussion further sparked when students asked questions. One of the interesting question was, “As there is no sidewalk adjacent to the site, do we have to consider it and leave space for it? Each query was patiently addressed by them. They concluded the discussion by providing guiding points on sun path, kick ball fields, security to the garden, etc. to consider while designing.
Next Friday we have to present conceptual design for which I am super excited!