Higher Education

Since its inception in 1978, LandDesign has consistently provided a broad range of clients with creative project solutions delivered by experienced professionals skilled in urban design, land planning, civil engineering, landscape architecture, and branding. Our talented and dedicated team possesses the proven skills and knowledge to meet ever-increasing demands and challenges on a regional, national, and international basis.

Institutions of higher learning exist as special places committed unwaveringly to the mission of educating students and making a mark on the world through learning and research. Included within this portfolio of work are numerous projects performed for colleges and universities, including comprehensive campus master plans, research facilities, residence halls, athletic fields, and supporting infrastructure.

LandDesign’s extensive experience in university and college projects, combined with its broader expertise, ensures that the LandDesign team both understands the special challenges of working in a campus setting and values the collaborative approach to such work. Critical to a project’s success are continuous interaction with staff, faculty, students, and trustees as well as careful assessment of the desires of the surrounding community to which an institution is intrinsically bound. Perhaps most important is our team’s ability to provide fully visualized design approaches that offer real-world, innovative solutions. Consensus building and identification of realistic solutions are imperative in arriving at workable solutions that help colleges and universities attain their goals of celebrating diversity, maintaining strong academic programs, achieving responsible environmental approaches, and preparing students to exert their influence on the world.

Duke University Kunshan Campus

KUnSHan, prC

Duke University Kunshan CampusKUnSHan, prC

Top-ranked Duke University is developing a 200-acre global campus in Kunshan. Through an intensive international design competition, LandDesign was selected to provide landscape architecture and civil engineering, in collaboration with Gensler, for the 30-acre Phase I.

With a four-acre water ecosystem as the central landscape element, the campus is also organized around flexible public spaces, ecological design, and spatial character that responds to seasonal changes. Primary gathering spaces are designed to facilitate movable benches, planters, and sculptures, accommodating large events, art installations, and social/learning space. The lake’s design includes submerged plazas that will reveal and become usable during lower rainfall periods, which coincide with peak student attendance and space demand.

Underneath the aesthetic and functional design of these spaces lies a complex and balanced storm water management system that includes point source water filtration, roof gardens, rain gardens, living water gardens, gray water capture, and aquatic habitat creation. The entire water filtration system serves as an ecological education lab with a flowing water garden located at the end. The design also addresses scalable energy alternatives to correspond with the American College & University President’s Climate Commitment for carbon neutrality.

UnC CharlotteCHarLOttE, nOrtH CarOLina

UnC CharlotteCHarLOttE, nOrtH CarOLina

To facilitate collaboration between industry, government, and academia as well as encourage economic development, UNC Charlotte created the 102-acre Charlotte Research Institute (CRI) Campus in 2002. Since then, LandDesign has provided landscape architecture and civil engineering services for various projects within the CRI and main campus, each emphasizing sustainable practices in pursuit of LEED certification.

The Energy Production Infrastructure Center (EPIC) Building will include 200,000 square feet of classroom and laboratory space for energy infrastructure research. In addition to other important project elements, rain gardens treat storm water runoff, and monitoring stations support water quality research. This project also includes expansion of a regional utility plant and extension of an existing road to a signalized intersection.

The Partnership, Outreach, and Research for Accelerated Learning (PORTAL) Building project focused on reducing energy and water consumption through efficient design, and in conjunction with retail space, outdoor dining was incorporated to provide quality leisure activity for those working and studying on the CRI campus.

At the center of the CRI campus, the new UNC Charlotte 49ers Football Complex will include an expandable 15,000-seat stadium; two practice fields; and a 45,000-square-foot field house. This project not only builds athletic facilities, but creates the fabric for the school’s first ever football program. Careful planning has addressed the stadium’s relationship to existing research buildings and pedestrian routings on non-game days as well as the fan and student game day experience.

The new Tennis Complex will incorporate 12 new hard courts and a tennis complex building. Goals for the project include additional spectator seating and state-of-the-art lighting, fencing, scoreboard, playing surface, and shade structure facilities.

The campus’s new Parking Deck I will provide an additional 1,100 spaces. The project’s design will emphasize site orientation that visually enhances views and connections between the main campus, athletics, and CRI campus; public safety; economic and timely construction; effective and efficient HVAC, electrical, and communication systems; and protection of existing facilities throughout construction.

nC State UniversityraLEigH, nOrtH CarOLina

nC State UniversityraLEigH, nOrtH CarOLina

The NC State University Centennial Campus is a 1,334-acre environmentally sustainable mixed-use “urban village” that fosters research partnerships between university, government, and private industry. Conceived as a “city within a city” that uses models for both campus and town planning, the courtyard is the key organizing element, with 25 buildings clustered in neighborhoods by discipline and totaling 2.7 million square feet of office and lab space.

The William & Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation is an addition to the NC State University Centennial Campus Middle School and includes a loading/service area and new entry plaza and courtyard that tie back to the existing features of the middle school. LandDesign provided services from concept through construction.

Central piedmont Community CollegeCHarLOttE, nOrtH CarOLina

LandDesign has been retained to provide construction document services for the CPCC Culinary School and the adjacent section of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. These services were developed from the preliminary design work provided by a previous contract and, prior to that, from the Little Sugar Creek Greenway Master Plan. Site design included culinary herb gardens, rain water collection and re-use for site irrigation, rain gardens, formal lawn, nature plantings, greenway trail along the creek, public art, event space, garden, and trail along a Duke Energy substation property.

Due to the urban location and adjacency to I-277, coordination with permitting agencies and utilities was vital. LandDesign successfully designed the relocation of the sanitary sewer lines, water lines, and overhead utilities in order to create a viable project.

Warren Wilson CollegeSWannanOa, nOrtH CarOLina

Warren Wilson CollegeSWannanOa, nOrtH CarOLina

Located on a four-acre site, the Village North & Village South Residence Halls are among the first at Warren Wilson College to achieve LEED certification, with Village North the first to achieve LEED Gold in North Carolina. Special attention was given to the redesign and repair of existing driveways and parking areas to accommodate additional parking and improve traffic circulation and emergency vehicle access while incorporating green landscape islands to beautify the area.

Located in the center of campus, the Schafer Residence Hall is a new two-story, suite-style, 36-bed dormitory to replace one that burned down in January 2003. To alleviate this housing crisis, LandDesign was able to fast-track site design, civil engineering, landscape design, and permitting of the site, with the goal of opening the new dormitory in August 2003. Particular attention was given to reducing stormwater runoff and alleviating storm drainage problems below the site.

The EcoDorm at Warren Wilson College is the first LEED Platinum dormitory in the U.S. In collaboration with Samsel Architects, Design emphasized four key factors – energy efficiency, water conservation, air quality, and use of local and recyclable materials. LandDesign provided civil engineering services for a fire main extension to serve this 36-bed dormitory.

UnC ashevilleaSHEviLLE, nOrtH CarOLina

UnC ashevilleaSHEviLLE, nOrtH CarOLina

The Main Quadrangle at UNC Asheville serves as a ‘Living Room’ for the campus, providing a large flat lawn that allows for a variety of uses, including graduation and musical concerts. The renovation of the space will give more presence to the quadrangle with the addition of a water feature, stone seat walls, paver sidewalks, and a redesigned library staircase.

For the Sam Millar Facilities Management Complex, LandDesign provided services for the eight-acre site, from planning through construction administration. Low-impact design (LID) initiatives such as bioretention, infiltration, pervious paving, and storm water wetlands are incorporated throughout the site, parking areas, and maintenance yards; and a rain water harvesting system was designed and implemented for gray water re-use within the facility.

LandDesign also assisted UNC Asheville with securing grant monies and providing design and construction documents for implementation of Storm Water Best Management Practices, including the creation of wetlands, wet ponds, rock forebays, weirs, and vegetative channels. The goal of this project was to capture, treat, and remove pollutants from the first flush of storm water runoff from the 81-acre drainage watershed that runs through the heart of campus.

University of South Florida

tampa, FLOriDa

University of South Floridatampa, FLOriDa

Working with the University of South Florida (USF) and leaders from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines, LandDesign developed a Joint Military Leadership Center focused on all four ROTC branches. Aspects of the project included marching grounds, repelling wall, penthouse office space for military leaders, auditoriums for ROTC assemblies, and classroom/teaching labs.

Located on the USF Health Campus, the Carol & Frank Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare is a multi-million-dollar facility that combines world-class healthcare, collaborative health teams, and a state-of-the-art building designed by Alfonso Architects to facilitate learning. The facility provides offices, meeting rooms, and training spaces for physicians, faculty, and staff.

On the northwest portion of the USF campus, Parking Structure III is a $6.5-million, multi-level parking structure that replaced an at-grade parking lot and now provides additional parking for the Center for Advanced Healthcare and Medical Office Building projects.

Eckerd CollegeSt. pEtErSbUrg, FLOriDa

LandDesign was involved in the design and implementation of the college’s ten-year, $250-million Master Plan, providing landscape architecture and civil engineering for athletic facilities, residence halls, library, wellness center, parking facilities, roadway realignments, and master water and sewer service. The nature of the site and adjacent areas required special attention to protecting ecologically sensitive areas of campus. Stormwater management systems and a master drainage plan were incorporated. A long-range parking strategy was also produced to deal with potential environmental issues. LandDesign also developed conceptual studies and design standards for the entry signage and outlined a campus shuttle system.

The Eckerd IOTA Dorm Project is centrally located in the heart of campus and consists of almost 5.5 acres of land that includes a complex of dorm buildings, sidewalks around the buildings that connect to the greater campus, and a large pond to the south that captures and treats stormwater for this project and a larger basin within the campus. The dorm buildings are connected by courtyard spaces that celebrate open space and the natural environment, a significant core value of Eckerd College. The IOTA Dorm Project is LEED certified and has received Habitat Certification from the National Wildlife Federation. LandDesign provided the design for an extensive garden that provided food, water, cover, and places to raise young for butterflies, birds, amphibians, and mammals.

LandDesign designed a 40-acre Sports Complex for Eckerd College, including a new student center and fitness building, championship soccer field, two tournament/practice soccer fields, nine tennis courts, a championship center court, basketball courts, a practice softball diamond, and a new baseball and softball training facility.

South Beach is a destination outdoor space that connects students, faculty, and staff to Boca Ciega Bay, a defining area of campus utilized for relaxation, study time, or group events. A palm-lined sidewalk that winds along the beach and water connects to the overall pedestrian system, and a pavilion is situated on a lawn adjacent to the sidewalk and just opposite the beach.

north Carolina research Campus

KannapOLiS, nC

nC research CampusKannapOLiS, nOrtH CarOLina

North Carolina Research Campus is a 350-acre scientific and economic revitalization project encompassing the entire downtown of Kannapolis, NC, once a primary center of textile production. LandDesign collaborated with the architect to develop a master plan, design guidelines and construction documents, and provide construction administration for the campus and surrounding properties. The campus integrates academic, research and industry activities to enhance biotechnical endeavors, complemented by adjacent civic, retail and residential spaces.

The campus will be home to many universities, including UNC Charlotte, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Greensboro, Duke University, NC State University, NC A&T University, Appalachian State University, NC Central University, and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

CHarLOttE nC

223 North Graham StreetCharlotte, NC 28202704.333.0325

raLEigH nC

19 West Hargett Street Suite 700Raleigh, NC 27601

WaSHingtOn DC

200 South Peyton StreetAlexandria, VA 22314703.549.7784

bEiJing prC

530 Capital Times Square88 West Chang’an StreetBeijing 100031, PRC86.10.8391.5251

LandDesign offers award winning urban design, planning, branding, civil engineering and landscape architecture solutions to public and private sector clients across the globe. With offices in the United States and Beijing China, the LandDesign team effectively brings innovative, buildable, sustainable and ecologically responsible projects to life worldwide.

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