Projects: Educational Institutions
Rutgers Livingston Campus
Student Center Entrance
Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
2010 American Concrete Institute Honorable Mention
The Rutgers State University Livingston Student Center, located adjacent to the Campus Library, is the heart of the Livingston campus, where students come together to meet and relax, take a study break, purchase event tickets, have a meal or a coffee, shop, or do homework.
The Center recently underwent an $18.2 million renovation and expansion, adding several new lounge spaces, meeting rooms, renovated Multipurpose Room, expanded game room, the Livingston Convenience Store and more.
The highlight of the student center is a new outdoor plaza that is the major gathering space on the Livingston Campus. Let It Grow, Inc. was brought in to build this space, both site construction and a full landscape installation.
The vast scope of work included constructing 2 plazas which aesthetically frames the Student Center. The large circular plaza was created using various colored pavers chosen to compliment the style and coloring the campus buildings and existing structures. Circular Colored bands of eco pavers, created a striking setting, bordered on the perimeter with 2 large semi circular planters walls that give definition to the South plaza. These limestone seat walls are multipurpose, built with 5 rows of “stairs” that also act as a generous seating area for students.
Belgium block was set as edging along the new concrete pavement sidewalks and pathways that we built to border the plazas and create a seamless flow of student movement around the center.
We top soiled the massive planter seat walls and filled them with attractive flowers and plants, and all landscaping and seeding was completed as well by Let It Grow. Water gardens were created and a large variety of plant material was brought in from different nurseries. Hundreds of trees, shrubs, plants and groundcover were installed to provide shade and perimeter protection and continuity.
To complete the project, attractive site furnishings were brought in and installed by our crews, such as lighting bollards, bike racks, benches and trash receptacles. Let It Grow’s scope of work was completed with success at the end of 2009.
Rutgers University Housing Department redesigned the existing asphalt courtyard for the Clothier Dormitory. The design called for new drainage with concrete structures, brick veneer walls, concrete pavers and eco-pavers, concrete sidewalks and landscaping.
