Moyin Sabainah Akinbobola, a name that resonates with innovation and sustainability, has recently made headlines for her remarkable contributions to urban landscape architecture in the United States. In a concerted effort to enhance the living conditions and environmental resilience of the Oakmont Estates neighborhood in southwest Lubbock, Texas Tech University’s Landscape Architectural Department, where Moyin is currently completing a graduate program and working as a research assistant, spearheaded a transformative project to improve neighborhood drainage and frontage.
Moyin is one of the researchers at Tech University involved in the groundbreaking project to improve the drainage and aesthetic appeal of Oakmont Estates, a neighborhood in southwest Lubbock. In collaboration with noted faculty members from the Landscape Architectural Department, she was instrumental in developing strategies to effectively manage stormwater runoff and mitigate erosion risks. The project was a response to the challenges posed by the largely unplanted area, which was susceptible to erosion during extreme rain events. Recognizing the importance of addressing these issues, three researchers of the department, including Moyin Akinbobola, were tasked with developing innovative solutions that would not only mitigate environmental risks but also enhance the overall quality of life for residents.
These researchers developed a comprehensive plan that focused on strategically implementing green infrastructure elements to manage stormwater runoff effectively. The plan also includes the plan for new gabion retaining walls alongside a number of mature trees and shrub plantings to ensure that the designs aligned with the needs and aspirations of the neighborhood residents.
She developed this plan as her master’s thesis, focusing on residential landscape feature typologies for shade performance in Lubbock, Texas, a semi-arid region. The research efforts brought to light the critical need for increased awareness to understand the shadow impacts in a residential environment. Moyin carried out her research using five common landscape features, including awning, canopy, pergola, umbrella, and tree, using a case study method utilizing 3D models created in Autodesk Civil 3D as inputs to the ArcGIS Pro Shadow Impact Analysis tool to evaluate each typologies performance in a typical single-family residential development in Lubbock, Texas during the heat event.
Moyin and her fellow researcher’s work has real-world implications. It provides valuable insights that can guide the design of more effective shade structures and enhance the livability of urban environments. Her approach to landscape design addresses immediate needs and contributes to long-term sustainability goals, making her projects exemplary models for global urban development. While planting trees to create shade seems obvious, tree growth rates are much slower in a region like Lubbock due to sporadic, limited precipitation and high temperatures. Landscape structures added in a residential environment can provide immediate shade benefits while trees mature. These projects exemplify how innovative landscape design can create resilient, sustainable urban environments globally.
