Respecting tradition, embracing modernity: Denison’s Academic Quad blends historic master plan with student voices

Historic Foundations

Denison’s Academic Quad captures the heritage of a campus community dating back to 1831 while serving as the modern social hub of the university. EDGE aimed to honor the original campus plan completed by The Olmsted Brothers in 1923, while engaging the college community in an intentional master planning and design development process.

Engaging the College Community

Student participation in design meetings and workshops was exceptionally powerful, shining light on the university’s current needs. As a result, a series of goals and objectives were established for the quad that were addressed in the design process.

Activating the Quad

Student participation in design meetings and workshops was exceptionally powerful, shining light on the university’s current needs. As a result, a series of goals and objectives were established for the quad that were addressed in the design process.

• The renovation of the entry plaza to Slayter Union creates a focal point, responding to the desire for a “Gravity Well” that attracts and keeps students engaged. An array of seating options gives students the freedom to control how they use the space.
• The historic “Chapel Walk” extends through the quad with a widened brick sidewalk that is distinct from other circulation paths, and is accented by a low semicircular wall provides additional seating and contextual separation of the lawn.
• Material selections the blend facade of the 1962 Union with the classical quad context, and paving replaces “desire paths,” providing direct routes between key academic buildings.

A Legacy of Learning

Achieving a balance between the Olmsted plan and the voices of the college community, the revitalized Academic Quad embodies Denison University’s enduring legacy. This harmonious blend of heritage and modernity transforms the quad into a student-centric space that fosters academic and social interactions, celebrating the university’s past while paving the way for its future.