College of Charleston Master Plan › In Association with Ayers Saint Gross
Charleston, South Carolina

Master Plan

DesignWorks was hired, in collaboration with Ayers Saint-Gross and to create a new master plan and develop landscape guidelines for the public and private realm.

The most defining element of the college campus is its open spaces: ceremonial spaces, gathering spaces, pedestrian streets, passages and streetscape. Ceremonial spaces are for main event and high public use, such as The Cistern. Gathering spaces are at the entry of main buildings and serve as outdoor rooms. Pedestrian streets are the main travel corridors between buildings, while passages connect intimate spaces and building entries. Finally the streets define the campus by their movement through and around it.

DesignWorks main focus was the creation of a General Landscape Palette to be used for each space. The Palettes main components, paving, planting, furnishing and lighting, are addressed individually but it is their combination that make for the unique character of the Campus and create highly memorable places enhancing the experience of all who engage the campus. These guidelines are intended to inform all associated with improving, maintaining, evaluating and expanding the campus as to the unique qualities of the outdoor spaces, so that this defining asset can continue to serve the College into the future.

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