Details
UC Berkeley’s campus Landscape Architect retained Groundworks Office to tackle the tough problem of identity, mobility and programming along Carillon Road. Formerly named LeConte Hall, home of the world-renowned Department of Physics, Groundworks Office designed a new front door and transportation strategy for this busy bicycle and pedestrian corridor. We grounded the work within the site’s deep historical context, aligning geometries to existing faces. Thus, the curving streets now read as a linear plaza and front porch.
Simple but critical improvements were also made to the degraded courtyard between LeConte and Birge Hall. Here, students can take respite from differential calculus; staff can hold the occasional outdoor meeting over coffee. The result is a design that modernizes the courtyard with a respectful nod to its historical context.