Southwest Concourse Replacement

Project Description

The Southwest Concourse replacement project is a comprehensive design study to revitalize the pedestrian core of the 5,000-student Southwest Residential Area.  The design strategy observes both the campus and the region to understand the broader project context.

Water, topography and native planting are key design elements that connect the site to the region.

Sustainability

The design doubles the amount of planting areas a pervious pavements to create more human-scale spaces and favorable microclimates.  Along the pedestrian corridor, a series of bioswales will collect, cleanse and infiltrate stormwater.  A diverse plant palette of native shrubs and grasses was inspired by the character of the Holyoke Range and Pioneer Valley.  The redesign of the concourse creates an environment that encourages student interaction and demonstrates sustainability in the landscape.

Phased Construction

In order to minimize disruption to student life, construction has been phased to take place during the summer months.  During the summer of 2009, infrastructure upgrades were completed and the old concourse cover was removed.  The second and final phase --landscaping the new concourse --will take place during the summer of 2010.