Introduction
In 2008 RATIO was selected to provide schematic design level enhancements to a number of sites on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. Over the ensuing months landscape architects from RATIO worked closely with a design committee made up of EIU staff members to identify the specific programmatic requirements for the spaces. Once these specifics were identified RATIO generated different solutions for each project and presented them to the design committee for review and comment. After these presentations RATIO adjusted the proposed solutions and came up with the final concepts. This booklet summarizes the approved design solutions.
A guiding principle that evolved out of the discussions with faculty and staff was that the planting design and plant palette for future improvements should more clearly evoke the context of Illinois. While the current planting design throughout campus offers a great deal of seasonal interest, an expanded, more contextually based palette would more thoroughly connect the campus to its location and help to create a unique, memorable and more sustainable identity for EIU.
To achieve this vision, RATIO created a palette composed of plants native to Central Illinois as well as plants that are not native but still support the desired aesthetic, complement the qualities of the natives, reflect the maintenance capacity of facilities staff and provide seasonal interest during times of the year that natives have declined. This palette is referred to in several drawings throughout the document as the “typical campus landscape.” In addition to the planting palette, the concepts feature other materials and forms unique to EIU, including use of the standard campus blonde brick.
The EIU Palette
To create a contextually based unique identity for Eastern Illinois University, RATIO created a custom planting palette to be employed throughout campus.
The EIU palette is composed primarily of native grasses, forbs and shrubs. It includes a number of plants that are sympathetic in character to native plants but are not natives themselves. The plants were selected to provide year round seasonal interest. In particular, several plants are intended to provide interest and color during the challenging Midwestern winter months that make up the bulk of the school year.
Another goal of the palette was to, over time, reduce the turf maintenance demand on University grounds staff. Mowing and maintaining turf areas requires a substantial amount of time and resources. Removing turf areas where feasible can reduce the University’s carbon footprint. It should be noted, however, that many of the proposed planting designs documented in this booklet will initially require more maintenance than lawn until the new plantings can become fully established.
Andrews & Lawson Halls
Twin residence halls on the south end of campus, Andrews and Lawson serve as a southern entrance to the quad. Both halls have an existing patio on the South side that sees little use by their residents. The existing patio is a large open space with an exposed aggregate concrete surface, concrete benches and landscaping that in some cases has outgrown its original intention.
The objective of the Andrews & Lawson Halls task was to create a space that the students would utilize on a more regular basis. After discussing current uses and desired uses with EIU staff RATIO developed a concept that would reactivate the existing space by converting it to a more intimate scale without changing its actual dimensions.
The proposed design features a trellis structure, hearth, moveable seating, planters and unit paving. The character of the space is intended to recall the comforts of home while fostering a strong sense of community and connectivity for the residents of the hall. The moveable seating responds to social space research that indicates that the most successful public spaces are those which are malleable; they offer users the ability to customize their experience even if it means simply moving a chair from a shady spot into a sunny one, or creating a study group of five chairs.
The trellis structure helps to create a more intimately scaled space that would otherwise be overpowered by the size of the facades to the north. The hearth is a reminder of home but also serves to activate the spaces by providing a reason to use them in the colder months. Built-in grills support pre-football game cookouts and new lighting extends the use of the spaces into the evening.
Unit paving adds warmth, detail and a reference to home. Other details include seat walls, power sources for computers, planters, hall identification signage and landscaping consistent with the custom EIU palette.
Central Quad
The Central Quad is one of the most pleasing spaces on campus. Framed by the new Doudna Fine Arts Center on the east, the Library to the south, and the Union to the north, the quad is a comfortably scaled tree-shaded campus respite.
The aesthetic of the quad suffers, however, from the expanse of pavement and mineral mulch on the north end. The current configuration is utilitarian and supports pedestrian movement east and west but is a blight on an otherwise beautiful space.
The proposed revision continues to accommodate the east to west pedestrian traffic, but envisions replacing the mineral mulch beds with lushly planted green spaces. These plantings help to contain and soften the view of the north end of the quad, create shady gathering spaces for students, and frame a small circular plaza space centered on the south façade of the Union. The plaza space serves as a visual terminus to the view from the library but also provides a place to locate a gps monument indicating the University’s exact longitude and latitude.
Carman Hall
The Central Quad is one of the most pleasing spaces on campus. Framed by the new Doudna Fine Arts Center on the east, the Library to the south, and the Union to the north, the quad is a comfortably scaled tree-shaded campus respite.
The aesthetic of the quad suffers, however, from the expanse of pavement and mineral mulch on the north end. The current configuration is utilitarian and supports pedestrian movement east and west but is a blight on an otherwise beautiful space.
The proposed revision continues to accommodate the east to west pedestrian traffic, but envisions replacing the mineral mulch beds with lushly planted green spaces. These plantings help to contain and soften the view of the north end of the quad, create shady gathering spaces for students, and frame a small circular plaza space centered on the south façade of the Union. The plaza space serves as a visual terminus to the view from the library but also provides a place to locate a gps monument indicating the University’s exact longitude and latitude.
Doudna Fine Arts Center
Antoine Predock took his inspiration for the Doudna Fine Arts Center from the agrarian structures of the Midwest. It seemed only fitting that the site should be inspired by the same Eastern Illinois landscape.
Large sweeps of native grasses, forbs and shrubs, reminiscent of the area’s native ecosystem help to present the building in a fitting context while linking the site to the overall campus landscape theme. While the overall landscape plan falls within the campus palette, some areas on the Doudna site are singular to this location. The large extended volume on the west side of the building creates deep shade that limits the options for plants. To address this problem, a solution that capitalized on the cool, damp environment was proposed; a garden featuring water, rocks, lichen, moss and other plants that would not only enjoy the microclimate but would create an outdoor biology lab.
On the north side of the building, a planting bed containing a monumental bronze Ruth Duckworth sculpture features a monoculture of native grasses. The soft movement of the grasses in the wind will create a dramatic contrast when juxtaposed against the timeless permanence of the bronze.
The north side of the Doudna landscape is designed to accommodate east-west pedestrian movement and support the plaza space on the south side of the Union.
Old Main
The campus master plan indicates that 7th Street will become a pedestrian spine at some point in the future. In anticipation of that change, the proposed revisions to the east entry of Old Main seek to remove vehicles from the landscape and restore the area to a pedestrian-oriented green space.
Sidewalk extensions from the south and west extend existing circulation systems and provide emergency vehicular access. The venerable old oak tree east of Old Main is preserved and additional plantings taken from the EIU palette link the site to campus.
The south end of the site has been designed to connect to the future International Plaza east of Blair Hall.
Pemberton Hall
Pemberton Hall celebrated its 100th anniversary in October 2008. In honor of this distinction, the University designated “Pem” as one of the buildings to receive a re-designed landscape.
The site suffered from overgrown plantings, crumbling knee walls and a west entry lacking aesthetic appeal. The site boasted large mature trees and the stately limestone edifice of the building itself.
The proposed design utilizes the EIU planting palette in large swathes of grasses, perennials and shrubs. Plants have been selected to provide year round interest and shade tolerance below the mature trees. Existing plantings have been removed where they have become unsightly or overgrown.
To tie the building to the landscape and create more definition between the west entry planting area and the parking lot, new knee walls with limestone caps have been proposed. New planters flanking the existing stair create a more stately entry to the west side of the building. A new ramp creates an accessible route to the building’s elevator. Finally, a hedge of native grasses screens parking from the street and softens the view of the parking lot from the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Fourth Street, a campus gateway.
South Quad
The South Quad suffers from standing water during and after rain events. The poor drainage resulted in compacted soils and large areas where turf was unable to survive. To address this problem, the proposed improvements treat the South Quad as an athletic field with a system of underdrains. These underdrains would allow the South Quad to remain relatively flat but still drain, making the space usable during all times of the year.
The proposed design also adds a new sidewalk where a student footpath had developed. An existing sidewalk at the southern end of the quad that contained planting beds divided the quad physically and visually. The proposed design revised this walk to a narrower width and removes the plantings. The removal of the plantings opens the view north and south, achieves a greater sense of cohesion within the larger space and creates a more continuous activity area for gatherings and recreational sports activities.
The quad plays an important ceremonial role during the annual American Legion Boys State Annual Session, held at the University each June. The existing flagpole is a part of the Boys State functions. The design proposes relocating the flagpole to the south end of the quad in a new space designated the “Legion Plaza.” The new plaza will help to create a southern terminus for the quad and define the space to be used by the Legion. The plaza would include Legion memorials and seating areas.
University Court Apartments
University Court Apartments is a multi-building, university owned, student housing complex on the south side of campus. The existing landscape of the complex consists of beautiful mature trees, turf lawn and scattered foundation plantings. Some of the foundation plantings have become overgrown or unhealthy and much of the turf suffers from a lack sunlight. Abrupt grade changes in several areas combined with a lack of turf establishment has resulted in erosion. Entry walls at the east end of the complex are crumbling and add to the general feeling of disrepair on site.
The turf areas detract from the aesthetic of the complex and for the most part are not necessary for recreational purposes. The proposed design seeks to remove as much turf and the requisite maintenance as possible. In its place, native shade tolerant groundcovers are proposed below the canopy trees. Where more sunlight hits the ground, the more typical EIU planting palette of grasses, forbs and native shrubs is proposed. Once established the proposed planting design will be more sustainable, tie the site to the campus, and will require less maintenance.
Small retaining walls are suggested where necessary to address erosion. The free standing walls at the east end of the site are indicated to be removed and a new monument sign added to designate the entry.
Stevenson Hall
In order to accommodate needed fire truck access a new sidewalk alignment was needed for Stevenson Hall. After evaluating different options a diagonal sidewalk from the parking lot was deemed to be the most feasible. In order to accomplish this, the existing dumpster needed to be relocated. The dumpsters were relocated within the existing parking lot and a new screen wall utilizing the standard campus blond brick is proposed. The new enclosure will significantly enhance the aesthetic of the entire area and the re-aligned sidewalk addresses an important emergency vehicle access concern to Stevenson Hall.
Taylor Hall
Bicycle storage is a common challenge on college campuses. At Taylor Hall, the placement of the bicycles and the stone pavement below detracted significantly from the entry experience of an otherwise attractive building.
The proposed re-design relocates the bikes west of the entry onto a concrete pad while still accommodating the required number of spaces. The relocation of the bikes provides an opportunity to enhance the entry to the building with new plantings. The new plantings extend north in front of an existing juniper hedge that screens the view of parking from the South Quad.
Union Plaza
The Union serves as the primary gathering space for students. While the building meets a number of important social interactive needs for the student population, it lacks any outdoor gathering spaces that one would expect to find adjacent to a building of such prominence. With the completion of the Doudna Fine Arts Center in 2008, the stage was set for a major new plaza that would support the Union functions and become the University’s primary outdoor hard surface gathering space.
The plan proposes the removal of vehicular service traffic from the west and south side of the building. The plaza replaces these areas. The plaza is identified as a prominent place and a destination through the use of clay brick paving that would be sympathetic in appearance to the blond brick of the building. Moveable seating, trees, planters and other site furnishings create a relaxing gathering space located at the nexus of two primary campus pathways. The coffee shop within the Union is immediately adjacent to the plaza and will help to create activity in the space. The moveable seating is critical to providing a flexible social space that can accommodate individuals, small groups or performance events.
The plaza continues around the west side of the building below the bridge connection between the two side of the Union. The bridge provides a unique opportunity to develop an outdoor gathering space that could still be used during inclement weather. Removable bollards at the north end of the space indicated its designation as a pedestrain-only space, but will still allow important building service functions to take place when necessary.
The north-south pathway running along the east side of the quad (and that creates the west edge of the plaza) delivers hundreds of students a day past the Union’s service area north of the bridge. The service area currently presents an unappealing view to students and detracts from the experience of moving along this important corridor. A new fence and tree screen is proposed that will extend the architecture of the Union north and serve to create a more substantial separation between students and the service functions of the building.
Garfield Street
Currently Garfield Street functions as a service drive, but it offers the potential to be one of EIU’s finest green spaces. The street represents a transition between the south quad and the central portion of the academic campus. The corridor is used frequently by students travelling from residential areas southeast of campus to the library, other buildings in the academic core, and the athletic campus. It is enhanced by the library plaza space in the middle of the block and will be an important connection to the future 7th Street pedestrian spine.
The proposed plan eliminates vehicular circulation but does accommodate service and emergency vehicles. A brick paved pedestrian boulevard lined with lighting, trees and benches ensures that the space is not just a route, but a place that will serve as a gathering point and recreational space. The central green space is curbed and planted in turf to provide opportunities for sunning and hanging out between classes. The east end of the boulevard is anchored by a circular path that creates a prominent setting for plant material and a future monumental sculpture. This space is on axis with both the Garfield Street alignment and the 7th Street alignment, and a focal point here will help to screen the service area at Buzzard Hall. The design proposes that many of the existing trees in the corridor be preserved, and that the ground plane be enhanced with plants EIU palette described earlier in this document.
