Millerton, NY
Harlem Valley Rail Trail
Designing an outdoor classroom How do you turn a busy trail into an educational experience—and give people room to stop and learn? In Millerton, New York, we helped bring the history and ecology of the Harlem Valley to life through a series of interpretive sign clusters, spaced out along the Harlem Valley Rail Trail.
Working with town leaders, The Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association, researchers, writers, and cartographers, we organized stories about the region’s geology, wildlife, trees and plants, birds, and water into an outdoor learning experience for visitors and students.
The challenge was finding space for discovery alongside a well-used walking and cycling route.
Our collaborators at Mark K. Morrison Landscape Architects proposed a parallel walking path, creating room for the displays along with granite seating where visitors can read, reflect, and rest.
Working with the New York State Parks Department, our team developed the program’s graphic and structural design, balancing accessibility, economy, and New York State guidelines.
Initial hand-drawn mockups helped determing the size of the proposed signs.
Based on what we learned with these...
...we proceeded to make a series of models and tighter mockups to help test and communicate how the installations would work.
At long last came installation week.
We devised a series of custom sign clusters, each grouped around a theme.
A few of the panels we created for the program.
The Outdoor Classroom design is informing plans for installations in other towns along the trail.
Designers
Alexander Isley
Thomas Solano
Carol Mihelik
Installation Photography
Ben Gancsos