Cuyahoga Community College Eastern Campus

Cleveland, Ohio

Buoyed by the success of the school’s Metro Campus transformation, Tri-C looked to reimagine their east side location into a pastoral yet modern “quad,” akin to that of universities and four-year colleges. The intent was to create a place where the school’s transient students and staff could stay longer for group study, recreation, and relaxation between classes. The design team worked with college staff on long-range goals and planning studies to develop an overall campus plan that would provide better pedestrian access between buildings, improve parking, and put greenspace where it could be used as outdoor classroom spaces.

The school’s Plant Services Department, especially, led the charge in communicating what new “green” learning spaces might look like. Through several meetings with Boulevard Studios and local nurseries, the team created a plant palette that would essentially create an arboretum for student study and interactive learning, integrated in the landscape. Over eighty plant species will be represented in the first phase of development alone, with many more in subsequent phases to come.