University of Texas at Dallas, TX

At the University of Texas at Dallas, a Campus Landscape Enhancement Project (CLEP III) has created a place where students enjoy spending time – a major transition for a campus where students once went “from the parking lot to class and back to the parking lot,” says Calvin Jamison, Vice President of Facilities and Economic Development.

The $70 million USD project which was designed by Conard Lindgren of PWP Landscape Architecture includes “the planting of almost 8000 trees, enhanced hardscape, new monument signs and the creation of an extraordinary picturesque gateway from the center of campus to Northside and the future UT Dallas Area Rapid Transit Station,” says Calvin.

He notes, “If you go to any college campus, they have a destination. UTD didn’t have one back then …We wanted to soften up the campus.”

“The goal isn’t a new normal: it’s a different normal, a better normal.

“Students from 10 years ago would not recognise this campus because we’ve made so many improvements. We’ve built it so it feels more like a college town: Northside, retail, restaurants.”

Classic Plaza Seats are installed along pedestrian promenades, as resting places outside buildings and throughout the new green space.

The Plaza Seats, in eco-certified Jarrah hardwood battens, with Palladium Silver frames, are sturdy and long-lasting, and cohesive with the look of the refurbished campus, which prioritises natural finishes and greenery.

The installation was completed by Brightview Landscape Development.