Library Plaza Landscape Design | Gary, Indiana

Anderson Library Plaza is the heart of the Indiana University Northwest campus. The plaza serves as a hub around which all other campus buildings can be accessed. The existing space consisted of a dated 1970’s sunken plaza and an uninviting fountain which had fallen into disrepair and needed significant upgrades to serve modern students. Hitchcock Design Group re-imagined the space as a universally accessible, activated plaza with a performance stage and a variety of seating for both intimate use and large gatherings. By altering the site grading, the sunken plaza became a grade-level space; many stairs were removed and accessible ramps added, opening up the north side of the plaza. New LED lighting and charging stations were added throughout to encourage use of the plaza as an extension of the library. The new plaza design worked around two large raised planters, giving the plaza new life while still giving a nod to its past.