The inspiration for the landscape experience at Texas A&M's RELLIS Academic Complex (RAC) was born out of a collaborative study by A&M's School of Psychology and the School of Landscape Architecture that examined the positive effects of outdoor study environments on student mental health. Upon completion of the RELLIS Complex, Coleman & Associates was brought in to create a distinctive setting that would foster academic and personal well-being and be appropriately scaled to the new building. The resulting design is characterized by tall trees, open lawns, and multiple seating areas. Specific features include a beautified building entry, flexible seating options on a large, sweeping patio, seating nodes with hammock stands, and intimate study/gathering spaces nestled within the natural areas that surround the building.

 
Since the project's completion in 2021, the outdoor spaces at RAC continue to be heavily used, with the hammock stands and seating nodes being especially popular. The outdoor environment was designed in collaboration with landscape architecture and psychology students who studied the effects of outdoor space on mental health for students, staff and faculty.
The upcoming School & Campus Design Issue of Landscape Architect and Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. This project was not chosen for a Feature in the issue, but we at LandscapeArchitect.com thought the project deserved to be showcased online . . .

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