University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

The makeover of Harriman Quad on the South Campus is among the numerous “quality of life” upgrades that are being made across the campuses as part of the Comprehensive Physical Plan. Photo: JUDSON MEAD

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• “We are exploring how to help people interact.”

  Kevin Thompson

  Director Facilities Planning & Design

By CHARLOTTE HSU

Published: December 7, 2009

New public spaces that will improve the quality of life and learning are taking shape, with projects ranging from outdoor rain gardens to hallway “study bars.”

Such upgrades represent progress toward fulfilling goals outlined in the Comprehensive Physical Plan, which calls for the university to build a “learning landscape” that creates opportunities for students, staff, faculty and guests to enjoy their time on campus and exchange ideas.

“We are exploring how to help people interact,” says Kevin Thompson, director of Facilities Planning & Design. “As you move from building to building, from place to place, you interact with the environment. Are there pockets of gathering places so you can have a sandwich, use your laptop and have an informal discussion? Many times, learning takes place in the informal setting.”

Over the summer, workers installed computer stations and furniture in public spaces in Knox Hall and the Natural Sciences Complex, both on the North Campus, and in Diefendorf Hall on the South Campus. These new, casual gathering spots are a hit with students, who used to sit on the floor between classes.

The additions include lounges with chairs, couches and large LCD screens on which students can display images from their laptops, as well as “quick-connect” stations where students can access computers and “study bars”—counters where students can plug in their own computers between classes. New technology in some of these areas includes speakers that direct and limit sound to a small space, allowing students to share a video or audio with members of a study group without bothering passersby.

Another public space improvement completed this summer was the replacement of pavement in front of Crofts Hall, North Campus, to eliminate cracks, uneven surfaces and other hazards. Thompson says UB is looking to transform the area into an informal gathering place through upgrades that could include picnic tables and new planters.

Workers also are in the process of giving Harriman Quad, South Campus, a makeover. When the yearlong project is completed in mid-2010, the area will serve as a demonstration grounds for sustainable landscaping.

Besides new trees, benches and tables, the plan for the space includes rain gardens that will absorb storm water and melted ice spilling down from sidewalks. In winter, when walkways are salted, soil and plants such as Purple Coneflower and Heavy Metal Switch Grass that thrive in a saline environment will filter salt from the brackish run-off, which would otherwise flow directly into storm drains and then into freshwater creeks and rivers.

Workers created similar rain gardens this summer in two spots on the North Campus—along Audubon Parkway west of Hadley Village and west of Hamilton Road. Besides beautifying the university grounds, such projects help UB meet its mission of environmental stewardship, Thompson says.

Future improvements planned for public spaces include the installation of better lighting and security cameras on the North Campus (a project already completed on the South Campus); the transformation of the intersection of Audubon Parkway and Lee Road into a roundabout to slow traffic and create a safer environment for pedestrians looking to cross Audubon; and continued replacement of concrete in sidewalks, plazas, roadways and curbs.