In association with University of Arkansas Facilities Management
The Maple Street Retrofit is articulated through a sequence of spaces including a grand urban room at the campus gates anchoring a landscaped cycle track and pedestrian walk. The central urban room extends the campus mall across Maple Street to create a new tree-lined edge at the neighborhood. A native wildflower and grass xeriscape (drought tolerant landscape) strip creates a separate cycle track and pedestrian walk along the campus edge. The strip also provides a pedestrian refuge between travel modes at mid-block crossings. Transformation of the corridor to a series of rooms enhances safety while providing an iconic town-gown seam.
From a cyclist’s perspective, the plaza and landscaped strip emphasize the sharing of space with pedestrians. From a motorist’s perspective, the tree-lined street and plaza changes the optics of the street and promotes greater attentiveness. From a pedestrian’s perspective, the shaded northern edge of Maple Street would be most welcomed (it also reduces heat island effect). Retrofit of Maple Street takes a holistic view of the corridor simultaneously addressing best design practices for safety, while adding a new travel mode and ultimately enhancing the character of the context.
Client
University of Arkansas