Dixie Plantation Master Plan COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA SCOPE In 1995, naturalist John Henry Dick bequeathed historic Dixie Plantation to the College of Charleston Foundation. Before his death, Dick placed a conservation easement on the property with the Lowcountry Open Land Trust to protect its pristine 881 acres from future development. The strategic comprehensive plan guides the restoration of Dixie s natural setting to create a conservationist s classroom for the College. The master plan creates a living laboratory for students of multiple disciplines from marine biology to forest management to historic preservation. The goals were to be a model for natural resource management locally and nationally; to balance cost with stewardship; to enhance what is unique about Dixie and the College; to be a good neighbor; to be a good steward; to fit buildings to the site naturally; to create grant opportunities; and to provide educational programs at Dixie. The challenge was to preserve the unspoiled natural setting while providing new educational facilities for students and faculty. The Lowcountry Open Land Trust provided guidance on preferred areas for educational use and land preservation, and environmental surveys helped to locate specific areas for paths, parking, utilities, and buildings. CATEGORY District or Campus Component PROJECT NAME Dixie Plantation Master Plan Hollywood, SC INSTITUTION NAME/LOCATION: College of Charleston, Charleston, SC Public Institution 11,320 Students, 836 Faculty/Staff PROJECT COMPLETION DATE: Master Plan: 2010 Implementation: 2013 PROJECT COST: Master Plan: $40,400 BUILDING AREA: Total Site Area: 881 acres Site Area Affected: 20 acres Planned Building Area: 92,500 GSF
INTEGRATED PLANNING The planning team worked closely with department chairs, the college president, and trustees to conceive the plan for the conservationist s classroom. The team championed the concept of Dixie as an environmental laboratory, developed the master plan, and implemented the nature trail, its interpretative signage system, the meeting barn, and renovated studio. The plan and its implementation were guided by the following principles: 1. Work with a light hand and leave the minimum footprint on the site. 2. Build with the least disturbance and best enhancement for place and experience. 3. Choose activities that make the best and most appropriate use of the site. Environmental surveys, including a comprehensive analysis of existing soils, hydrology, and vegetation, identified land areas a non-build, build, and preferred build. 2 1 Preexisting Site
8 3 6 5 9 7 5 4 2 1 3 3 8 1 Renovated Studio 2 New Meeting Barn 3 New Field Station 4 New Visitor Center 5 Existing Cabin 6 New Executive Education Center 7 New Undergraduate Education Center 8 New Walking Trail 9 Live Oak Allée 2 Proposed Plan 3
INTEGRATED PLANNING The plan honors the diverse ecology of the site. It preserves landscapes and vernacular structures and recommends educational and visitor facilities of minimal footprints on designated buildable sites. Trails follow guidelines for accessibility without compromising the existing terrain and habitats for migratory birds and other wildlife, using existing roads, the live oak allée, and a meandering connector path. Interpretative signage at key vistas teach students and visitors about natural and historic features, including archaeological sites and native Lowcountry habitats. 3 Dixie live oak allée and Stono River 4 Project team at work 5 Dixie Plantation Master Plan (aerial view) 4
Implemented Projects: 6 Nature trail and interpretative signage 7 New meeting barn 8 Renovated John Henry Dick studio 5
IMPLEMENTATION The challenge was a three-phase implementation plan for the nature trail, initial buildings, parking, and water service. The team worked with Charleston County planning authorities and the Lowcountry Open Land Trust to determine appropriate site capacity. The water service project required complex coordination and separate funding. Strategic public and private partnerships provided expertise for the development of a forest management plan and grant support for the nature trail, field research stations, student-run sustainable heirloom garden, longleaf pine reforestation, and restoration of the camellia gardens. The plan proposes simple building forms derived from the vernacular architectural character of the region. Trails are constructed of a durable granite aggregate designed to resist runoff. Metal trail signage incorporates imagery inspired by the work of nature artist John Henry Dick. The multipurpose meeting barn adheres to the Lowcountry aesthetic with copper standingseam roofing, western red cedar exterior siding that resists decay, mahogany windows and doors, porches that take advantage of climate and views, and local cypress interior paneling. The renovated brick studio includes the same roofing, door, and window materials. 9 Signage inspired by John Henry Dick's drawings 10 The barn hosts lectures, conferences, and social events. 11 River view from renovated studio 6
RESULTS Dixie provides the College of Charleston's urban campus access to a natural Lowcountry waterfront setting for research and experiential learning. The plan serves as a model for a purposeful and sustainable satellite campus, upholding the institutional mission in times of shrinking resources and space on core campuses. It is a unique environmental campus, combining preservation of natural ecosystems and site-sensitive improvements for learning and interpretation. The allée of oaks and connecting nature trail strengthen campus order and reinforce regional landscape heritage. The live oaks with Spanish moss, longleaf pine forests, wetlands, and tidal marshes are strong regional identifiers with the College and this part of South Carolina. The plan requires that the built campus respect and remain true to the mystical spirit of this place. This plan reinforces the College s goal to be a national leader in sustainable education. Academic classes include astronomy, marine biology, forest management, vertebrate zoology, art, archaeology, and historic preservation. Students engage in archaeological digs on-site. They have built and run a sustainable organic garden, and have installed a beehive to pollinate fruits and vegetables in the garden. 12 Students build a sustainable heirloom garden 13 Educational signage at key vistas 14 Nature trail leads under the oaks 7
FIVE KEY POINTS Fulfilling the Mission of the Institution The College mission includes a superior education, a community of intellectual freedom, and support for research, striving to meet the educational demands of the Lowcountry and South Carolina. The Dixie plan proposes the repurposing of a former plantation as an outdoor educational and research facility for environmental sciences, a conservationist s classroom offering experiential learning. The plan extends the Charleston campus into the Lowcountry and exhibits the natural beauty of the region. It positions the College for national distinction in environmental education and sustainable studies. Architectural and Open Space Design Heritage The plan preserves the open spaces and architectural vernacular of Lowcountry buildings, and weaves them together through a network of walking trails. Environmental signage interprets the architectural and open space heritage, calling attention to five site ecosystems. A newly constructed meeting barn sits on the site of a previous barn. Its design represents the architectural intent of the plan - that buildings be simple and draw inspiration from vernacular, place-appropriate structures. 15 Conceptual sketches of the visitor center 16 Nature trail and interpretative signage map 17 River, oaks, studio, and meeting barn 8
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FIVE KEY POINTS 18 Environmental survey delineating land characteristics 19, 20 John Henry Dick's renovated studio Academic Program Requirements The plan includes experiential academic programs that are unique to the site. Three field stations in different areas support different types of landscape study fields and edges, forests, and coastal areas. Active projects include archaeological digs and a student-run sustainable garden. The academic campus is planned as a quadrangle in the historic plantation tract. It includes bunk-style housing for sixty students, dining, lecture hall, and shared garden. The meeting barn and visitor center provide space for social events, lectures, conferences, and banquets. The executive education center includes small residential buildings and spaces for dining, education, meetings, and outdoor relaxation. Sustainability and Site Design John Henry Dick envisioned Dixie Plantation as a living classroom to educate the community about the importance of environmental protection and conservation. A conservation easement ensures that Dixie s open space and natural habitat will be preserved in perpetuity. Only twenty acres of the 881-acre property are planned for development of building sites and parking. Restoration efforts include reforestation, water flow improvements, the sustainable heirloom garden, and the student apiculture project. The meeting barn was designed to LEED Silver requirements, and demonstrates water efficiency, optimized energy performance, and sustainable site design. Future buildings will meet similar sustainable rating requirements. Preservation or no-build zones Existing plantings with recommendations Timbered sites (green with white outline) Sandy soils unit, conducive to stormwater infiltration Moderately well drained soil unit, possible building-compatible soil Hydric soil unit, presenting building challenges Meadow and grassland plantings Pine/Hedgerow landscape Water features Pine plantation Open Space and Pedestrian Circulation A nature trail system with interpretative signage communicates the history, culture, and ecology of the place at select viewpoints along the trail. The wayfinding system is zoned ecologically, organizing the site into Meadow, Wetland, River, Woodland, and Allée of Oaks. With lightness and simplicity, the signs balance information with quiet, site-appropriate design. Panels feature illustrations based on the drawings of John Henry Dick. 10