These visitors will see the Arboretum not just as an enclosed garden, but as a creatively integrated landscape. This would be a vision to be proud of. The Design Solution shown in the accompanying large-format graphic is one of earth covered dwellings with prairie species planted into the structure. This is not the only solution, just one to illustrate the concept of designing a solution taking into account the context of the site. Although, the prairie covered houses would mitigate most of the visual and ecological impacts by providing continual vegetation cover from the woods of the Grady Track to the woods at the top of the knoll on the adjacent land.
Earthen houses have a long tradition and their benefits are well explored.
There is no compromise in the quality of life in an earthen house. Indeed there are the additional benefits of superior insulation for both the winter and summer seasons. Other critical aspects to consider are the changes in local hydrology and soil erosion. Given the current state of knowledge it is possible to understand the impact of human actions on local hydrology, and from this understanding design the project so that there will be little hydrologic impact on the Arboretum. In a similar way soil erosion could be reduced from the current conditions of agriculture field.