Modern Agriculture:

Regent, North Dakota

Modern Agriculture.
Existing agriculture as inspiration
Using the existing agriculture as inspiration, I have created a place
incorporating new ideas into a classic, agricultural community.
The center will not only be a place, it will be an experience. The site
incorporates the remains of the old grain elevators into a new pathway.
By using agricultural plantings, prairie grasses, and pedestrian
circulation, existing architecture will be transformed into a tourist
attraction.

Photo taken by
Microsoft
Precedent Studies
Microsoft, in Fargo, North Dakota has a parking
lot that has both aetheics and funcion. I was
inspired by the ways they incorporated
plantings such as prairie grass, rocks and
small trees into the parking spaces.

Photos taken by Chelsea Akers

 N
Master Plan
Regent, North Dakota

Final plan of the newy designed

Visitor’s Center, Parking lot and
pathway.

Context & Surrounding Agricultural roads 10’ 20’

 Railcar Homes

Plan In Detail.
Path from Visitor’s Center to Railcar homes.

Patio.
The patio of the Visitor’s Center is made of brick.
It is bordered with arborvitae and three trees, one of
which is a Red Splender Crabapple.
On the West side of the patio, there is a cement
seating area.
Movable tables allow for people to sit freely.

Scoria.
Bedding of scoria, with plantings of Prairie grass.
The red scoria matches with the color of the building. Prairie
grasses help to tie the agriculture theme together.

Visitor’s Center.
It is similar in form to the railcar homes.

Prairie Grass.
A golden border of prairie grass gives the path to
the Visitor’s Center a naturesque feeling.

Cul-de-sac.
Makes easy drop-off and pick up.

Tractor.
An old, rusty tractor, gives the Visitor’s
Center an agriculture feel. The tractor is
surrounded by arborvitae and small trees
as well.

Pumpkin Patch.
During the fall, when the trees turn color,
the bright orange of the pumpkin patch will
be beautiful.
It will also be fun for the children of the town
during the fall season.

New Path.
Duplicate of grain bin remains to create a
path to the Visitor’s Center.

Existing grain bin remains.

To keep a sense of agriculture, the cement bases of
the grain bins will add a different texture to the
sidewalk, as well as serve as a path for pedestrians
coming from the sidewalk on Main Ave, or from the
parking lot.

Scoria.
The parking lot is bordered with bright red scoria
and plantings of prairie grass to match the
plantings around the Visitor’s Center.
 Malus X ‘Red Splendor’

Plan For Planting & Materials.

Red Splendor Crabapple
Known for its year round red berries.
Has red-ish green foliage with a purple
tint in the fall.
20 - 30 feet tall.

Prairie Grass
Is a tall growing perennial grass.
It is drought resistant and continues
to grow late into the fall.

Quarcus Macrocarpa
Bur Oak
Excellent tree for cover and wildlife.
Drought tolerant, but prefers full sun.
40 - 70 feet in height
35 - 60 feet in width

Cucurbita maxima
Pumpkin

Juniperus davurica ‘Parsonii’

Parsoni Juniper
1 - 2 feet in height.
Shades of blue, green and yellow
Low maintenance.
Drought resistant

Acer tatarica ssp. ginnala

Amur Maple
Known for its brilliant orange
fall color.
15 - 20 feet in height and width

Scoria
Known for its brilliant red color.
porus and excellent for drainage.

Brick Paving
Patterned bricks give a textured
path.
Visitor’s Center
Perspective

The picture above, is a photo viewing North of the Visitor’s Center in the fall. The picture above, is a photo viewing North of the Visitor’s Center in the
Notice the brilliant orange fall color. spring / summer.

The visitor’s Center was designed to be a place of both rest and information. The building is
separated into two separate buildings under one roof. This allows for the individual to
experience the visitor’s center without having to be indoors. The enclosed pathway serves as a
hallway to the picnic area for visitors, as well as a hallway to the visitor’s center for the
residents of the newly developed railcar homes.

The exterior of the visitor’s center was designed to represent a rail car. Because the narrative of
the Center is agriculture, the burgundy color and metal texture are a perfect fit. To bring out the
rustic, railcar theme, prairie grasses were planted along the trail leading up to, as well as in front
of the Visitor’s Center.

In the center of the cul-de-sac, two small Amur Maple trees were planted. The two maples, as
shown in the above picture, will show a brilliant, red-orange fall color, which will correspond
perfectly with the golden pumpkin patch planted directly to the west. Along with the Amur
Maple trees is an old, rusty tractor, which is tucked into a bed of Parsoni Juniper.
Parking Lot
Section
The following photos are of section A - A’. A
The section cut, viewing Southwest, shows
part of the new path as well as the prairie grass.
The photo on the left, shows how the area will
appear in the winter.
A’
The photos also show how the season effects
the appearance of the site. The Bur Oak tree
will loose its foliage in the winter, while the Red
Splendor Crabapple, retains its green leaves as
well as its red berries during the winter season.

A - A’

12’ 15’ 14’ 42’ 18’ 12’ 15’ 14’ 42’ 18’
Concrete & Asphalt

Layers of materials
Construction Document

Concrete for pathway Asphalt / Tar for parking Lot