Many years ago, a Pacific University student traveled to Japan to study and learn about Japanese Gardens. Upon returning to Pacific, she was hoping to use the inspiration she got from her travels to install a Japanese Garden on the Forest Grove campus for her senior capstone project. “At the time, there was no way for a student to do a project like that on
campus,” Terry O’Day, art department professor said. “She wasn’t able to get the project done, but since then, I have been working with various people to get a process and a class in place that backs it up.”
campus,” Terry O’Day, art department professor said. “She wasn’t able to get the project done, but since then, I have been working with various people to get a process and a class in place that backs it up.”
This semester, O’Day succeeded in bringing the Japanese Garden project to fruition. The Art Studio 122-01 class, taught by O’Day, is now in the process of creating plans for the Japanese Garden that will tentatively be placed in the empty garden on the south side of the library. “The class is part of the new design program in the art department,” O’Day said. “We really emphasize and focus on this application and hands on experience.” This particular Art Studio class is now a requirement for students in the design program. Students in the class will be responsible for doing research on Japanese Gardens and will interview and work with others in a group setting to learn how to better incorporate the ideas of others into their projects.
According to O’Day, designing for clients is an important goal for the class to achieve. “Students get to do something that becomes part of the physical landscape of campus,” O’Day said. “So you can come back later and be proud of what you accomplished.” In addition to being an important learning experience for students to partake in, the Japanese Garden will also become an attractive addition to the scenery of campus. Senior Alina Button will assist in the creation of the Japanese Garden and will contribute to the project a twenty-foot-tall water feature installation for her senior capstone project. She hopes to utilize the rainwater that gushes through the gutter near the
According to O’Day, designing for clients is an important goal for the class to achieve. “Students get to do something that becomes part of the physical landscape of campus,” O’Day said. “So you can come back later and be proud of what you accomplished.” In addition to being an important learning experience for students to partake in, the Japanese Garden will also become an attractive addition to the scenery of campus. Senior Alina Button will assist in the creation of the Japanese Garden and will contribute to the project a twenty-foot-tall water feature installation for her senior capstone project. She hopes to utilize the rainwater that gushes through the gutter near the
front entrance to the library to create a fountain-like ornament for the garden. “We are hoping that next year we are able to work with the College of Health Professions to design something for one of them,” O’Day said.
The class will continue to focus on designing new types of installations across Pacific’s campuses in years to come. “The class is going to be responsible for coming up with the
design for this garden,” O’Day said. “Once they have developed a design, then we’ll fundraise and install it.” The Japanese Garden plans will be approved by the end of the semester, but will not be completed and fully installed until after fundraising. The finish date for the project has not been decided yet.
The class will continue to focus on designing new types of installations across Pacific’s campuses in years to come. “The class is going to be responsible for coming up with the
design for this garden,” O’Day said. “Once they have developed a design, then we’ll fundraise and install it.” The Japanese Garden plans will be approved by the end of the semester, but will not be completed and fully installed until after fundraising. The finish date for the project has not been decided yet.
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