On the Boards: Lane Community College

"Lane Community College in Eugene will have a new look after its new LCC Health and Wellness Center, designed by SRG Partnership, is connected to the existing campus. Landscape architects at GreenWorks PC are performing a redesign of the college’s main entrance to accomplish this. The current entrance offers no visual or physical access to the north part of the campus, according to project manager Robin Craig. Architects were tasked with creating a more visually appealing and welcoming entrance to the campus. “The new opening, ADA-accessible path and native garden allow a visual connection to the north campus,” said Craig, who worked with partner Ron Tendick on the entrance design. “This is a way to combine and coordinate the two halves of the west entry into a welcoming entrance.” The new ADA-compliant design removes ramps, walkways and oversized plantings in favor of native plantings, such as grasses and low ground cover, and a garden with seating and views of nearby Moonshadow Mountain. “The native discovery garden is an artful way of creating a welcoming entrance,” said Craig. “It’s used in a nontraditional manner, and allows students and faculty to discover native plantings.” The $479,000 project is scheduled to be built once federal stimulus funding comes through. Horticulturist Frank Drengacz also helped with the coordination of the project."

From the DJC, July 6, 2009 by Nathalie Weinstein