Discovering UNK Two new campus gateways are planned to improve the visitor’s first impression of UNK. The East Gateway is designed as a sequence of strong landscape image and character experiences along Ninth Avenue from Route 30 to Martin Hall. The physical surroundings are planned to convey the distinguished style and character of the institution while displaying the purposeful environmental design that makes pedestrian comfort and safety a priority. A closely related series of experiences is planned for the West Gateway at Uni- versity Drive’s intersection with Route 30. Strengthening Connections Connecting existing spaces, quadrangles, and corridors is the first step to creating a contiguous green campus core. As new spaces are created, their success will depend upon straightforward connections to the rest of the campus. Public art, architectural elements, and dramatic spaces will form landmarks and focal points that strengthen the links, while adding interest, activity, and continuity to the campus landscape. A Design Palette To guide the character of future site design and create a more cohesive, attractive, and maintainable campus identity, a design pal- ette has been prepared. It includes a set of standards for paving, furnishings, monuments, and plantings. The palette includes details that currently function well such as concrete walkways while providing new standards for special items like UNK identification walls, entry columns, permeable pavement, and moveable café furniture. A single detail is recommended for each furnishing and for consistency, over time all other types will be eliminated. A UNK planting palette has also been established, it embraces the initia- tive to plant more native and adaptable trees, shrubs, perennials, and grasses. Specially designed seed mixes are recommended for native grass and wildflower plantings and UNL’s Water Saver Sod is specified for turf areas. Promoting Sustainable Design and Maintenance By following the design and maintenance recommendations of this plan, the university will reduce energy use, waste, storm wa- ter runoff, and the use of fertilizer and irrigation water. The most significant change will be made if people choose to drive motor vehicles less often. The plan encourages this change of habit in several ways. By moving parking to the perimeter it is less likely that people may choose to drive to class. By adding convenient and safe bicycle paths and parking areas, it will become easier and more enjoyable to use a bicycle to move around campus. Shuttle busses and stops along University Drive will also have a significant impact. Continuing and expanding the recycling program, composting more landscape waste, reducing stormwater runoff, changing lighting to an LED source, and generating more clean energy are all priorities that will help UNK reach its sustainability goals. Campus-wide Accessibility Campus-wide access for people with disabilities is a goal. Enhancing pedestrian crossings at vehicular ways with signs, changes in pavement color and texture, detectable warning ramps, and medians will play an important role in this effort. Adding easy to read signs for wayfinding, identity and information that contain QR codes will provide a better understanding of the campus while dis- seminating information about the campus places, history, and art. An updated accessibility map on the campus website will make this important information more easily available. Promoting Public Art Art in the landscape is a theme of this plan. Artwork carefully selected, and properly placed will enrich everyone’s experience, enhance the visual environment, and add a new dimension to the landscape. Art can be a place-maker, creating a strong physical identity for its surroundings. Future art locations are recommended and guidelines for artwork selection, placement, and associated site design are presented. The proposed artwork selection and siting process will result in a hierarchy of spatial importance defined by artworks that will impart a more meaningful, and resonant character to each location. Recognizing Campus Safety Heightened campus security is a goal of this plan. Safety can be improved by moving police and parking services to a more central location inside the proposed parking garage that is planned just north of “University Green”. Emergency response times and access to the station will be improved. In addition, a campus lighting study is recommended to evaluate the current lighting levels and to determine the locations that are not well illuminated, so that additional lighting can be planned. Medium height plantings that block a clear view to the landscape beyond are also not recommended along walkways or adjacent to remote parking lots.
East Gateway Concept
UPenn
Campus Security
26th Street Mall
Copeland Hall Access Ramp
College of Education Parking Lot
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Chroma Design Inc.
University of Nebraska - Kearney Campus Landscape Master Plan
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