About the Project

Plant Awareness Disparity at Carleton is a Digital Humanities project that documents indoor plants across several buildings at Carleton College. While plants are common features of campus interiors, they are often overlooked as part of how these spaces are experienced. By mapping and documenting indoor plants, this project explores how plant life contributes to the atmosphere and visual character of shared campus environments.

Project Overview

Research Focus

This project documents indoor plants across several campus buildings and visualizes their distribution using interactive mapping tools. By recording plant locations and documenting their presence in different buildings, the project creates a digital record of plant life inside Carleton’s campus spaces.

This project explores how indoor plants shape the experience of campus spaces. By identifying where plants appear across buildings, the project also highlights disparities in plant distribution, raising questions about how natural elements are incorporated into different campus environments.

Research Methods and Sources

Field Documentation

Archives & Interview

Digital Tools

Indoor plants were documented through field observation across several campus buildings. Each plant was recorded using ArcGIS Survey123, which allowed us to collect information about plant locations and organize the data for mapping. The collected data was then visualized through interactive maps created with ArcGIS Online.

The project also draws on historical materials from the Carleton College Archives, including photographs that document plants in campus interiors across different decades. These archival images provide historical context for the presence of plants within Carleton’s buildings. We also consulted Randall Hagen, who manages the Carleton College greenhouse, to learn more about the historical role of plants on campus and how plants have been incorporated into campus interiors over time.

  • ArcGIS Online – mapping plant locations across campus buildings
  • ArcGIS Survey123 – collecting plant data during field documentation
  • Scaniverse – creating 3D models of selected plants
  • WordPress – building and presenting the project website

Project Team

Mohammed Albarassi
Austin Mohr
Patrick Smith
Brandon Damelin

Course:

Hacking the Humanities (DGAH 110)
Carleton College
Winter 2026