Multidisciplinary Community Course Program

January 25th, 2007, 6:13 pm

Ongoing interdisciplinary environmental Visual Arts courses at the University of Windsor have been held since January 2004 as a creative ‘think tank’ to examine, develop and design within the Green Corridor. The program represents a multidisciplinary team directed toward developing each project as a built reality. The High School provides up to 10 ‘promising’ students each year to participate. The program also engages interested citizens throughout the region and members of the University community from the Visual Arts, Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, Engineering, Business, Health Sciences, Computer Science, Planning, Philosophy, etc. Participants, placed into multi-disciplinary teams, are exposed to different research and learning styles. Project partners: Dr. Cecil Houston, Dean, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, University of Windsor.

ARTIST URBAN PLANS, A National Symposium Towards the Creative City, March 2007

January 25th, 2007, 6:12 pm

 3-day symposium presenting leading-edge explorations on integrated art, landscape, architecture, sustainability, technology and urban planning. Series of lectures and workshops by Vito Acconci, Adrian Blackwell, Catherine Bodmer, Diller & Scofidio, Ken Goldberg, Noel Harding, Oliver Kellhammer, Dyan Marie, David Rokeby, Buster Simpson and Rod Strickland. Project partners: City of Windsor Department of Urban Planning, Art Gallery of Windsor, University of Windsor Dean of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Visual Arts and Student Alliance, and the St. Clair Society of Architects.

Green Corridor Environmental Coalition, Initiated Fall 2006

January 25th, 2007, 6:11 pm

Green Corridor students have organized an alliance of Student Environmental Groups on the University Campus. Students from Environmental Studies Club, Green Party Youth, OPIRG Environmental Group, Environmental Law Society, Jull Earth Science Club, Green Team, Green GLIER, Environmental Engineering Society and the Green Corridor meet monthly at the Ecohouse to exchange ideas and work cooperatively on issues effecting student life on campus.

Creation of Berms as Naturalized Indigenous Vegetation

January 25th, 2007, 6:09 pm

New elevated landform patterns, or ‘earthworks”, created along the Corridor on either side of the roadway. Raised berms generate an undulating landscape clearly visible to all traveling through the corridor. Indigenous plantings are designed to minimize the negative impact of the truck and car traffic.

Water Turbine

January 25th, 2007, 6:07 pm

Electricity generation via innovative ‘underwater windmills’ in the Detroit River. The Canadian Auto Workers Union is to develop and build a prototype electrical generator and River Turbine system using the Detroit River water current in order to generate power to light the Ambassador Bridge. Submerged “free flow” hydro-electric systems installed in clusters along the banks of the Detroit River would operate like a series of underwater windmills. Project Partners: Canadian Auto Workers Local 200 and 444 Environmental Specialist, University of Windsor Department of Civil Engineering, City of Windsor, Enwin Utilities.

Green Roof Elevations

January 25th, 2007, 6:04 pm

Creation of landscaped rooftops on buildings along the Green Corridor, such as the University of Windsor buildings (part of the University’s Environmental Aesthetic Plan). Placing light weight ‘green roof hills’ that will be visually accessible at street level. The green roof technology provides many benefits including pollution reduction, storm water management, and improved quality of life from greener and more “livable” urban spaces. Project partners: Office of the President, University of Windsor.

OPEN CORRIDOR, A Festival of Green Art, Science and Community, Summer 2009

January 25th, 2007, 5:59 pm

The Open Corridor Project is a program of diverse and dynamic public art exhibitions, events and performances situated in, along and through the Green Corridor over the summer months of 2009.

As a “drive through gallery space” the Open Corridor festival will engage a diverse public from local pedestrians to international travelers. Open Corridor provides the larger community with an international forum for shared creative activity and commentary, engaging the public in arts and culture while generating a discussion of urban infrastructure benefits and detriments.

The unique location of Open Corridor allows us to target the immediate community, regional general public, national media at the international border, as well as the local and international vehicle audience entering Canada through the Ambassador Bridge border crossing. Because of Open Corridor’s highly accessible and open location, audiences who might not usually engage themselves in visual art events or consider issues of sustainability and urban sprawl will be exposed to Open Corridor.

Open Corridor is a gift to the Windsor community, and it is through this gift that the Green Corridor Project proposes a celebration and proactive view of Windsor. This project is intended to compel the City of Windsor to recognize its value and the value of its creative community.

Ecohouse, A Living Experiment

January 25th, 2007, 5:57 pm

A demonstration project that examines and illustrates environmentally-responsible living. An existing house is being converted so that it utilizes innovative solutions for energy efficiency and environmentally-sustainable living. This will be an economically-viable example using the widest possible array of approaches to show that sustainable solutions are within reach of regular homeowners and that provide cost saving benefits. Project partners: Angelos Anastassopoulos (Environmental Engineering Doctorate Studies, University of Windsor), Professor Iris Xu (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering), Professor Lori Buchanan (Department of Pshychology, University of Windsor).

Educational Wetland and Urban Nature Park

January 25th, 2007, 5:54 pm

This reclaimed natural area will include natural storm water filtration and retention systems and will create a natural habitat for local species. Water from the wetlands will be pumped to the Nature Bridge via wind turbines and solar panels. The wetlands will serve as an environmental educational site used by Assumption High School and the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Education. The site will provide an ‘environmental’ monument to the tragedy of pedestrian deaths along Huron Church Road. Project partners: Principal Mary Margaret Parent (Assumption High School), Dr. Clinton Beckford (Education Professor, University of Windsor), University of Windsor’s School of Visual Arts and Faculty of Engineering, Essex County Conservation Authority, Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, and the City of Windsor Parks and Recreation Department.

Alternative Energy Irrigation and Lighting Systems for the Nature Bridge

January 25th, 2007, 5:49 pm

Planting the Nature Bridge with mostly native species of vegetation, featuring an irrigation system connected to a new wetland area that will be located near the base of the bridge. The Nature Bridge structure was designed to support wind turbine and solar panel installation (September 2006). These mechanisms generate sustainable energy that will power bridge irrigation and lighting. Project partners: University of Windsor Faculty of Engineering, EnWin Power Utilities, Stantec Consulting.