A delightful place in which to meet, socialize, and exchange ideas, very much along the lines of one of Europe's classic urban plazas that's what those planning a massive redesign have in mind.
A delightful place in which to meet, socialize, and exchange ideas, very much along the lines of one of Europe's classic urban plazas that's what those planning a massive redesign of the gateway to the University of Massachusetts Fine Arts Center have in mind.
Comprising the square fronting the massive Fine Arts Center, the plaza is one of the key sites and, together with the adjoining Haigis Mall, arguably the key site at and through which the public encounters UMass Amherst. It is also a hub for student and other commuters who travel on the local and regional buses that steadily arrive and depart from there.
As such, it well deserves to be one of the University's landscape "areas of excellence." Therefore UMass Amherst Chancellor John Lombardi and Fine Arts Center Director Willie L. Hill Jr. last fall had Visual Arts Chair Betsy Siersma and Director of Operations Lew Louraine join with Kuhn Riddle Architects and staff members from the University's Facilities Planning group to create a plan for the site. They completed it in late December.
The project will maintain and even enhance the grandeur of the existing space, incorporating elements designed to create a more impressive look day and night. Thanks to underwriting from the Class of 1954, the current triangular reflecting pool in front of the Fine Arts Center will be replaced with a garden that will include a bridge walk with seating in the center. The main pedestrian circulation path on the plaza's western side will be widened and improved, with seating areas that mimic the Center's concrete pylons. The bus-stop area will be enhanced with landscaping, lighting, and better traffic flow. The lawn east of the plaza will be regraded and the sidewalks realigned to better accommodate pedestrian traffic.
The new design will also add a host of human-scale features to draw people to the site and encourage them to linger there. These will include banners, festive lighting, and the public seating, which may include a tall lighting fixture from which banners could be hung.
A good deal of preliminary work at the site, mostly dealing with the rerouting of steam lines, began last summer and has yet to be completed. The new plaza itself is expected to be built by October.