University of Chicago - Science Quad

Within the envelope of six large buildings surrounding the North Sciences Quadrangle on the northwest corner of campus, landscape designers desired to give the landscape some weight of its own, lest the buildings dominate the experience of being in the quad. The monolithic limestone blocks are a key component to this strategy. A central space that had a strong identity was a goal of the design. The stacking of stones to high points at the center coupled with the vertical stones, and large flat stones for seating help create this. The rows of ginkgo along the central seam also define this space.