Recent EFC reports support investment in natural resources important to local economies
The Mispillion River and Cedar Creeks drain to the Delaware Bay in Kent and Sussex County Delaware. The vast marshes connecting them are part of an international flyway for migrating birds and a horseshoe crab sanctuary, which brings tourist dollars to the area and secures land value for residents. In addition, the marshes act as a “coastal stronghold” for managing the effects of sea level rise, including reducing property damage from flooding. Together, these resources produce multiple benefits to the state of Delaware, and the towns of Milford and Slaughter Beach.
2020 - 2024
Nature in Urban Planning for Better Human Health
Urban planning, public health, and nature are intricately connected. Studies show that exposure to natural environments can reduce stress, improve mental health, increase social cohesion, and promote physical activity – all of which can attribute to positive health outcomes. Understanding the specific elements of nature experiences and their health benefits is crucial for tailoring urban planning efforts to meet community and public health goals.
EFC Partners with ASLA to Develop Resource Guides on Economic Benefits
“We know that landscape architects design nature-based solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises. But how they do that is key: they design them to be even more effective and inclusive and to provide even greater benefits.”
An Emblem of Resurgence and Restoration
Twenty-three years ago, architect Bill Spack ‘82 was tapped for an unusual assignment: Accompany Arlington County historic preservationists to a derelict mausoleum slated for demolition on the edge of Arlington National Cemetery to see if anything could be saved.
An AR-Aided View of Black History
Visitors pointing their phones at the unassuming log cabin tucked along a wooded road in Olney, Md., may see a 19th-century wash basin still wet with laundry just outside the back door, chickens roaming around a wooden coop or a neighboring log cabin just yards away.But when they lower their phones, all that remains is an empty yard and a deeper understanding of this property’s complicated past.
New Tools for Keeping Immigrant-Owned Shops In Place
Jenn Tran admits that her favorite childhood memory of Eden Center, a strip of Vietnamese shops in Falls Church, Va., is controversial. Of the many snacks offered at the grocery store where she shopped each week with her mother, she always beelined to durian, the spiky fruit revered for its creamy, mango-like pulp and reviled for its stinky smell.
Three New Faculty Members Join University of Maryland’s Architecture Program
The University of Maryland’s Architecture Program welcomes three new faculty for the 2024-2025 academic year. Dr. Andressa Martinez, Dr. Michael Kleiss, and Dr. Deok-Oh Woo will offer a broad range of expertise in architecture specializations including digital design processes and fabrication, structures and building technologies.
Ariel Bierbaum Promoted to Associate Professor
Dr. Ariel Bierbaum has been promoted with tenure to associate professor of urban studies and planning by the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.
Faculty Promotions, Fall 2024
The University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation announced the promotions of five faculty members in the Architecture and Historic Preservation Programs, effective Fall 2024.
Nader Tehrani Joins Architecture Program as 2024 Kea Professor
Award-winning architect Nader Tehrani joins the architecture faculty this fall as the 2024-25 Kea Professor. An expert in materiality, fabrication and tectonics, he will work alongside Associate Clinical Professors Julie Gabrielli and Brittany Williams, Lecturer Dan Curry and Assistant Professor Deok-Oh Woo to teach the fall Integrated Design Studio and Advanced Architecture Technology seminar.