Graduation Semester and Year
Spring 2026
Language
English
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Landscape Architecture
Department
Landscape Architecture
First Advisor
Taner R. Ozdil
Second Advisor
Joowon Im
Third Advisor
Austin Allen
Abstract
This design thesis investigates how landscape character and sense of place can be more clearly expressed through a cultural landscape approach to design at Colorado Bend State Park, a state park in Texas, with a focus on guiding future trail and campsite development in the currently undeveloped eastern portion of the park.The park’s dramatic canyons, limestone bluffs, spring-fed systems, and upland prairies form a series of distinct, yet interconnected landscape conditions shaped by the interaction of physical structure, ecological systems, and cultural associations. While these characteristics define the site's identity and are reflected in portions of the existing park, they have not yet been used to guide future development. This thesis builds on that condition by using cultural landscape analysis to inform the placement and design of trails, campsites, and other constructed or programmed elements within the park’s undeveloped eastern areas.
To address this condition, the study adopts the National Park Service's Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) framework as its primary methodological approach (National Parks Service, 1998). The CLR evaluates landscapes by documenting and analyzing physical attributes, ecological systems, and patterns of human use that contribute to cultural and historical significance. Within this framework, landscape characteristics are understood not as a fixed classification but as a unique lens for viewing a landscape shaped by the relationships among landform, ecology, and human experience. Building on this understanding, the analysis is organized into three interrelated systems: physical structure, ecological systems, and cultural associations.
A mixed-methods approach (Sommer & Sommer, 2002) is employed, integrating GIS based spatial analysis, field documentation, and cultural research to interpret and represent the unique and multi-layered fabric of the cultural landscape in Colorado Bend State Park. Spatial datasets, including topography, hydrology, vegetation, and circulation networks, are used to define the site's physical and ecological structure and to identify opportunities for trail alignment, campsite placement, and other interventions. Fieldwork, including drone imagery, trail-based video documentation, and photographic surveys, captures experiential sequences and spatial transitions that inform how visitors move through and inhabit the landscape. These methods are complemented by cultural research to better understand how the landscape has been used, perceived, and valued over time.
The findings identify areas where landscape character, as expressed through Cultural Landscape Analysis, is strongly evident, informing a design framework to guide proposed interventions and programming in the undeveloped eastern portion of the park.
By positioning Cultural Landscape Analysis as a method for interpreting and expressing landscape character, this thesis offers a replicable approach for design within Texas State Parks. It demonstrates that preserving landscape identity requires not only protection, but deliberate design strategies that align circulation and occupation with the underlying structure and defining elements of the land, making its relationships visible and experientially meaningful.
Keywords
Cultural landscape, State parks, Landscape character, Landscape characteristics, Sense of place, Identity, Texas, Physical character, Cultural character, Ecological character
Disciplines
Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis | Historic Preservation and Conservation | Landscape Architecture
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Lynch, Hunter C., "Enhancing the User Experience of Colorado Bend State Park Through the Implementation of Cultural Landscape Analysis" (2026). Landscape Architecture Masters & Design Theses. 3.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/landscapearch_theses2/3
Included in
Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis Commons, Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons, Landscape Architecture Commons