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Landscape Architecture Students Win National Awards for Fourth Year in a Row

Student ASLA award winning project long marsh forward

The Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental planning is thrilled to share that student teams won national ASLA awards for the fourth year in a row. Since 2020, student teams in the Master of Landscape Architecture program have won 12 awards nationally.

The Long Marsh Forward: Adaptive Regeneration of Belville’s Riverfront

Student ASLA award winning project long marsh forward
Belville Blueway Recreation Hub
The Flagship S.S. Matriarch recreation hub serves as a primary gateway into downtown Belville from the Brunswick River.
Image Credit: Hannah Clarke

Honor Award | General Design

Belville, North Carolina, United States

Students: Ryan Anderson, Associate ASLA; Hannah Clarke, Student ASLA
Faculty Advisors: Andrew Fox, FASLA; Claire Henkel, Associate ASLA

Project Narrative

The Long Marsh Forward leverages climate-responsive design and local ecology to regenerate Belville’s connection to the Brunswick River. This project reimagines the community’s relationship to the tidally-influenced Brunswick River through aquatic and terrestrial recreational spaces, providing new economic drivers. An adaptive riverfront park ties Belville into a larger blueway system, restoring the region’s historic relationship to the water and enhancing the town’s identity. The design fosters a deeper connection to the river, promoting the well-being of residents, visitors, and local ecosystems, while creating regional networks and partnerships amongst the development pressures of residing in the fastest-growing county of North Carolina.

Riverside Revival: Urban Design Strategies for Coastal Development

Student ASLA award winning project riverside revival
Riverside Revival: Adaptive Urban Design Strategies for Resilient Coastal Town Development
Our proposal for downtown Belville prioritizes green spaces to enhance harmony with the environment, the town’s identity, and climate resilience
Image Credit: Jules Mainor

Honor Award | Urban Design

Belville, North Carolina, United States

Students: Jules Mainor, Student ASLA; Anna Desmone, Student ASLA; Jui Dudhiya, Associate ASLA; Tatiana Veloso, Associate ASLA; Omori Yui, Student International ASLA
Faculty Advisors: Andrew Fox, FASLA; Claire Henkel, Associate ASLA

Project Statement

How should we think about urban design in a small coastal town facing climate change? Riverside Revival weaves the urban fabric of the new downtown of Belville, North Carolina. Despite increased vulnerability to climate hazards, the town is rapidly growing and risks losing its identity. To address these challenges, we propose leveraging Belville’s greatest assets—its unique ecology and natural beauty—to create harmony, identity, and resilience. Guided by these values, our analysis-driven proposal maximizes green spaces to adapt to future uncertainties, activate the public realm, minimize impact on the land, and seamlessly integrate people with their environment. The new downtown accommodates growth and benefits the town and broader region.

This post was originally published in College of Design Blog.