Current Challenges
The South Quad District is a pedestrian-oriented area with open lawns and walkways framed by large canopy trees, historically tied to the university’s agricultural legacy. The Campus Master Plan envisions significant infill development, reducing surface parking and reinforcing the quad framework by adding a new quad south of the ACES Library. Efforts to simplify the plant palette with native species have been limited. Limited application of this approach occurs currently, with the majority implemented at the Red Oak Rain Garden, Illinois Street Residence Hall, and the Siebel Center for Design.
Student feedback highlights a need for more trees, shade, and gathering spaces along the linear walkway located south of, and parallel to, W. Gregory Drive, which is a major connector of the residence halls to the east such as Florida Avenue Residence Halls, Lincoln Avenue Residence Halls, Pennsylvania Avenue Residence Halls and Allen Hall to the core of campus.
The prototype project for the South Quad District aims to address challenges by enhancing connectivity, ecological assets, and providing additional
gathering and learning spaces. It proposes linking key areas like the Red Oak Rain Garden, Dorner Pond, and Illini Grove through rain gardens, native plantings, and plazas to create a network of “eco-assets.”
A new sidewalk into Illini Grove will improve accessibility, while rain gardens and bioretention areas will reduce impermeable surfaces and support native pollinators, while reinforcing the Indigenous Midwest landscape across campus. Additionally, the plan recommends replacing the Morrow Plots’ hedges with a metal fence and a brick wall to improve maintenance and align with the campus aesthetic.
iCAP Goal Contribution
- Increases pollinator-friendly planting by 75,000 sq. ft.
- Implementation of green stormwater
strategies though approximately 96,000 sq. ft. (surface area) of bioretention and 66,000 sq. ft. of permeable paving treating approximately 102,000 cubic feet or 2.34 acre feet of rainwater. - Increases tree canopy by 71,400 sq. ft.
Prototype Project Implementation
A living laboratory is proposed near the Plant Sciences Laboratory to demonstrate rainwater collection and reuse, supporting research and sustainability efforts. This project includes a new quad south of the ACES Library, enhanced outdoor gathering spaces, and rain gardens that capture runoff for potential use in greenhouses.
Additional sustainability initiatives include increased tree canopy to reduce the heat island effect and small-scale solar canopies to test emerging green technologies. New plaza spaces encourage gathering and interaction, demonstrating application of the goal to maximize innovation potential within the campus landscape by creating opportunities for idea-sharing. These spaces should be fit with Wi-Fi hubs and power outlets to further meet the needs expressed by the campus community.
Implementation within this district should include outreach and engagement with interested programs within the College of Fine and Applied Arts and the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences that are located within the district. Programs of related disciplines might include landscape architecture, sustainable design, architecture, horticulture, natural resources and environmental sciences.