Mayfield Park Signage

2021

Mayfield park is a historical site known for its lush gardens, vibrant peacocks, and ponds that bring a quiet and beautiful experience people of any age can enjoy. Originally built in the 1870s, Allison Mayfield purchased the Cottage along with 23 acres in 1909. In 1923, the property was inherited by his daughter Mary and her husband, Milton Gutsch. Over twenty years, Mary and Milton added the enchanting elements of the blooming gardens, and ponds, and redesigned the picturesque cottage. In the 1970s, Mary gave the park to the city of Austin so it could be preserved for everyone to enjoy.

^{Research: Site Report}

Taking more of a historical approach for my research, I focused more on the history of the cottage and how it came to be, and what was happening when the site got taken over by the City of Austin. There were tons of articles on proposed plans, the park’s history, and the now historic park’s preservation efforts. As the oldest extant residence in the West Austin area, the entire site and its interpretation are based on its rich early history. Learning about the architectural patterns the cottage followed, how the garden and ponds were constructed, the importance of native plants, the style that welcomed entertainment, and the love, openness, and labor the Mayfields and Gutschs put in drove home that this was a space to be enjoyed by all. The site’s significance now relies heavily on the design’s continuity, which is why the Mayfield project/community’s efforts focused on diagramming and creating records for how the cottage came to be. From interviews with the heads of the project considering references from people who personally knew the Gutschs and had visited their home during the prime style became essential in saving this park. The essence of this park is in the cottage, and for the spirit of the park to live on in the way Mary wanted it to, the gardens must retain their appearance, structural elements must not change, and signage should be outside the park, and park visitors are guests. Research approaches taken were site photos, SWOT analysis, site brief, image search, comparison matrices with other parks, and partner walk through documentation. 

Site Photos

SWOT Analysis

^{Synthesis: Problem & Solution}

Problem 1:

This lack of care could result from the pandemic causing a decrease in funding. Mayfield Park is run by a nonprofit parks corporation that relies heavily on grants and individual donations. The restoration phases only happen when funds become available, and it looks like very little work is being done at the site due to this. The park has a history of being rundown and was almost completely lost in the 1980s due to years of neglect. There may be a debate on how the park will be maintained in these trying times, but it is hard to find the park’s status as the last restoration effort recorded on the Mayfield Parks website was in 2016. 

Problem 2:

Only one post stands for the trails on opposite from where the cottage sits, which I  found problematic for those who take the trail behind the gate by the aviary. The only signs within the cottage/park area in the garden. Small signs that are labeled with volunteer names there is no other identifying information for the plants present. At first, I didn’t think this was a big deal, but as I was researching, I saw how UT science professors under multiple majors wanted to use the park and had such a significant input on restoring the ponds gardens. I’m not sure if UT still uses this as a research ground, but more areas would be labeled to entice park visitors on what’s here and help the students.

^Solution:

Only one post stands for the trails on the opposite from where the cottage sits, which I  found problematic for those who take the trail behind the gate by the aviary. The only signs within the cottage/park area in the garden. Small signs that are labeled with volunteer names there is no other identifying information for the plants present. At first, I didn’t think this was a big deal, but as I was researching, I saw how UT science professors under multiple majors wanted to use the park and had such a significant input on restoring the ponds gardens. I’m not sure if UT still uses this as a research ground, but more areas would be labeled to entice park visitors on what’s here and help the students.

Solution: My solution to the signage problem will be implementing new signs into the park and its surrounding areas. The only way to fix the problem is to add more signs that don’t disrupt the environment and allow visitors to be informed. Adding more signage will add a new level of awareness to the environment that showcases this historical site’s value and importance.

^{Deliverable Boards}

^Presentation

^{*Images of site included are taken by Maia Castillo}