Colleges and Universities
Many colleges and universities constitute historic landscapes with notable architecture and landscape design components. Colleges and universities, however, are also living environments that must continually adapt and change to meet the needs of students, faculty, and administrators. While many schools feature historic fabric worthy of preservation as well as iconic places that live on in the memory of alumni and other former community members, the academic setting must also remain current. Historic landscape endeavors within the college and university setting can thus be a balancing act between preservation and thoughtful contemporary interventions. Liz Sargent HLA has successfully been meeting this challenge for decades, working closely with several schools on cultural landscape reports, preservation master plans, and new design through construction projects.
During the recent past, many universities have begun to face some challenging aspects of their histories, such as the use of enslaved labor to build the campus and support the day-to-day needs of the school in numerous ways, and sites of violence or unpleasant demonstrations. Liz Sargent HLA has also worked with several schools to address these aspects of campus history in a thoughtful and thought-provoking way.
University of Georgia Historic Preservation Master Plan
With resources stretching across 21 counties and a core campus dating back more than 200 years, the University of Georgia sought a historic preservation master plan that could provide a uniform approach to decision-making while also meeting contemporary physical needs. The goal was not to decide which properties to save and which to raze, but to develop a uniform set of standards for assessment and a standard operating procedure for decision-making.
In partnership with university officials and other consultants, the team visited and documented significant landscapes throughout the state in order to understand their contribution to a
unified campus system. The team also prepared an inventory and assessment of each building and landscape, tying each resource to the standards of the National Register of Historic Places and to Georgia state historic guidelines. The inventory information was provided as part of a report as well as entered into a statewide cultural resource database.
The study also provided a system-wide preservation policy and tiered system of reviewprotocols. Going forward, the historic preservation plan has been integrated into theuniversity’s master plan for the physical campus.
Project Credits:
Client: University of Georgia
Prime Contractor: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Historical Landscape Architecture: Liz Sargent HLA
University of Virginia East Range Landscape Improvements Master Plan and Implementation
The University of Virginia’s East Range, a collection of buildings and open spaces designed by Thomas Jefferson, was being damaged by storm runoff that caused soil erosion and flooding of low-lying buildings that had graced the campus for nearly 200 years.
Over the years, flooding had been addressed piecemeal, one site at a time. When the university determined that it needed a holistic approach to addressing these issues, they engaged Nitsch Engineering and Liz Sargent HLA to prepare a master plan.
Although careful preservation strategies would need to be applied due to the East Range’s status as a National Historic Landmark, contemporary interventions were also needed to fix the problem. Our team’s rehabilitation plan preserved the landscape but directed stormwater away from the foundations of the historic buildings into catchment systems that included underground storage. New stormwater management systems were tied to a complete redesign of road paving, parking, sidewalks, lighting, and plantings that ensured compatibility with the historic character of the World Heritage Site.
Project Credits:
Client: University of Virginia
Prime Contractor: Nitsch Engineering
Historical Landscape Architecture: Liz Sargent HLA
University of Cincinnati Campus Heritage Plan
The University of Cincinnati received a grant from the Getty Foundation to establish guiding preservation principles for its campus even though it had undergone a wholesale transformation within the relatively recent past and was not considered “historic.” Our task was to see how the work of contemporary architects and landscape architects might function within the framework of historic preservation, anticipating future significance of buildings and landscapes as the work of master designers.
Our survey inventoried all features of landscapes and open spaces, including plantings,walkways, lighting, and gathering areas, and assessed their origin, evolution over time, andcurrent condition, along with how well they met university goals. Specifically, we identified nine signature landscapes on the campus and evaluated their existing strengths and areas for improvement, including more shade; a more human scale; new open spaces that connect better, and using less energy, water, and maintenance. Considering what “historicpreservation” might mean within a living landscape, we provided recommendations forprotecting essential design elements while meeting contemporary needs.
Project Credits:
Client: University of Cincinnati
Prime Contractor: John Milner Associates, Inc.
Historical Landscape Architect: Liz Sargent, while with John Milner Associates, Inc.
