Tacoma Community College has ample green spaces, but many areas lack distinctive character. With the construction of a new Health Careers building the college saw an opportunity to create a central gathering space and a new heart of campus life. Nakano Associates, in collaboration with Schacht Aslani Architects, designed the Trustee Plaza and Campus Green to meet this need.
A circular lawn surrounded by a low seating wall and flowering Cherry trees provides a place for student recreation and campus celebrations. As a monumental gateway to the Green, five architectural columns honor the core principles of the college with words emblazoned into the paving below: equity, advocacy, vision, support, and engagement. Trustees are recognized with their names engraved in cobblestones surrounding the columns.
Adjacent to the Campus Green, large utilities are screened from view by landscaped meandering earthen mounds, which provide a pleasant transition into the academic campus. Sustainable site features include permeable surfaces to reduce stormwater runoff and a rain garden integrated into the topography of the landscaped mounds.
Location: Tacoma, Washington
Client: Tacoma Community College
Architect: Mithun (designed as Schacht Aslani Architects)
