Submission by Derck & Edson
The very center of the Messiah University campus was a confluence of students, staff, and visitors - existing with, and sometimes competing with, vehicular traffic on a prominent loop road with adjacent angled parking and parking lots.
As part of the master plan for the campus and in conjunction with the campus community, Derck & Edson reformulated the entire zone, creating plans for two simultateous projects - building a new campus welcome center that embraces a new pedestrian-only zone in the campus core, now known as the Commons. Now, where roads and parking once dominated, a central green space, trees, and barrier-free pedestrian walkways are the focus.
The landscape treatment is in line with the previously completed plant palette for the campus and includes low maintenance materials with concentrations of color at all building entries. The expanse of lawn is important for recreational and social components of the space.