Conference Agenda

This paper discusses revitalization study for the Liberty Park Greenhouse, located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Liberty Park is the oldest and one of the most prominent historic urban parks in Utah, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979. The Liberty Park Greenhouse was originally constructed in 1903, but the main greenhouse was dismantled during World War II and reconstructed in the 1960s as a simplified, utilitarian structure. Additional buildings were added or expanded in the 1920s and 1940s. For decades, the greenhouse played a central role in producing seasonal floral displays and propagating native plant species for use throughout Salt Lake City's parks and civic landscapes. However, the complex has not been operational since 2020s.

The main objective of this research was to investigate revitalization strategies for the Liberty Park Greenhouse, suitable for transforming the complex into a multi-use, accessible, and sustainable community-centered facility. The research methods included archival research, observations and measurements, documentation of the greenhouse’s historical development, modeling and analysis of existing conditions, as well as community engagement efforts for identifying suitable revitalization strategies and design direction. Community engagement included close collaboration with the Salt Lake City’s officials, as well as the wider community (participants from various city departments, neighborhood councils, nonprofit organizations, and community advocacy groups). Results of these efforts were used to develop a buildings program as well as conceptual and schematic design for a revitalized complex. The resulting design envisions a new public conservatory and greenhouse operations facility that can support education, native plant propagation, and inclusive civic programming while honoring the park’s historic legacy. The design reflects both the community’s aspirations and the City’s goals for reinvigorating Liberty Park as a historic and ecological landmark. This research paper documents the research process, as well as revitalization strategies.

Urban growth in the United States has been profoundly shaped by the rise of the automobile, leading to low-density development patterns, fragmented spatial structures, and the phenomenon of urban sprawl. This research examines the morphological evolution of Raleigh, North Carolina, as a representative case of post-2000 American urban expansion. Once characterized by a planned gridiron core, Raleigh has transformed into a sprawling metropolitan area exhibiting fractal-like growth patterns that challenge traditional urban planning frameworks. This study investigates the causes and consequences of that transition, paying particular attention to how automobile dependence has influenced the city’s form, density, and connectivity.

The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, integrating historical maps, census records, and contemporary geospatial technologies such as GIS and remote sensing. By combining archival materials with spatial analysis, the project identifies key phases of growth and assesses how Raleigh’s urban form has changed over time.

One of the study’s core objectives is to evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of both historical and contemporary methodologies in capturing urban morphological change. Historical cartographic analysis allows for the reconstruction of past urban layouts and annexation patterns, while modern tools such as satellite imagery, land cover classification, and space syntax offer detailed, quantifiable insights into spatial organization and accessibility.

Preliminary findings suggest that Raleigh’s expansion reflects not only the infrastructural logic of car-centric planning but also broader socio-economic and policy factors, including zoning regulations, suburban housing demand, and institutional growth. This has led to an increasingly dispersed urban footprint that poses challenges for sustainability, transportation equity, and land-use efficiency.

By focusing on Raleigh as a dynamic case study, this research contributes to the broader discourse on American urbanism and sprawl. It advocates for integrative, historically grounded methodologies that can better inform planning decisions and policy interventions in rapidly growing metropolitan regions.