As part of my sustainability Capstone project, I had the privilege of collaborating on the renovation of the Moultrie Boys and Girls Club in Moultrie, Georgia. This center serves as a hub for leadership development, academic excellence, social growth, and exploration, catering primarily to children aged 5-11 from underrepresented communities. Our interdisciplinary team comprised an interior design major, Kayleigh McFarland, an integrated arts major, Monique Porter, and myself. We complemented each other’s strengths and skills perfectly, ensuring that our project was a resounding success. Kayleigh’s expertise in interior design was instrumental in revamping the club’s interiors, while I took charge of redesigning the landscape. Monique expertly handled administration and materials, ensuring that everything was organized and efficient. Throughout the semester, we held regular meetings with our project partners, including Joel Jenkins, Miss T, and Sarah Adams, where we discussed the club’s core values and client requirements.
After extensive research and deliberation, we identified two key values that underpinned the Moultrie Boys and Girls Club’s mission – play and education. We worked closely with Joel, the club director, to incorporate these values into the renovation. For instance, Joel came up with the brilliant idea of decorating the space with college banners to inspire children to aspire towards higher education. The results have been impressive, with a staggering 94% of members expected to graduate.
Our team embarked on a site visit to Moultrie, Georgia in early March to inspect the Boys and Girls Club. Before visiting the site, we had each generated some preliminary design ideas. However, upon seeing the club in person, we realized that our ideas needed to be drastically revised. The site was much larger than we had initially anticipated, providing us with more room to expand our design concepts. Additionally, we had the wonderful opportunity to interact with the children, observing that the first thing they did upon arriving was hop off the bus, throw down their backpacks, and race to the lawn to participate in recreational activities. This observation inspired us to dedicate the first motor court area exclusively for recreation purposes.
Regarding the landscape design, I was particularly keen on incorporating color to enhance the space, in addition to Joel’s request. Currently, the outdoor courts are surrounded by a metal wire fence, which detracts from the overall appeal. Joel believes that color is a great way to uplift the space, but we wanted to ensure that it had a purpose and didn’t simply look like a coat of paint. To tackle this challenge, we employed color psychology to inform the function of each corresponding space. For instance, we designated the gross motor play zone as the vibrant orange zone, the fine motor skills zone as the cheerful yellow zone, the nurturing sensory garden as the soothing pink zone, and the passionate art zone as the stimulating red zone. Furthermore, we created a secluded and calm blue zone for children who wish to take a break from the activities. To provide rain protection, we added an overhead structure from the bus drop-off to the entrance of the club, as requested by our client. We also transformed a second outdoor court into a gathering space specifically for parents, incorporating the color purple to evoke feelings of strength and unity among families. Within this area, we programmed passive games, such as cornhole and life-sized chess, and entwined dining tables to symbolize familial bonds. Finally, we installed a stage where children can perform something from their ballet classes or where parents can share important announcements with the rest of the club.
As a soon-to-be Landscape Architecture major graduate, this project had a profound impact on my college career. Leading a landscape design project with a real-life client was an unparalleled opportunity for me. Initially, I was concerned that working within a client’s constraints would limit my creativity. However, I discovered that boundaries can actually foster creativity by narrowing down the possibilities and providing a solid framework. Working on an interdisciplinary team was another valuable lesson. As a Landscape Architecture student, I am accustomed to working solely with other landscape architecture students. However, collaborating with individuals from different backgrounds allowed me to leverage our unique strengths and perspectives, ultimately leading to a more successful outcome. This project was an extraordinary learning experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact on a community that deserves it.