Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

University of Tennessee: University Center Bridge

  • 01/01/20

When the University of Tennessee in Knoxville (UT) began upgrades on the university center — including a new student union and outdoor plaza — it was vital that the space be aesthetically pleasing while addressing the stormwater drainage issues that had plagued the campus for decades. The new Student Union project is organized around major circulation routes into and through the campus.

University of Tennessee

Photos courtesy of Belgard

“Our campus is close to the Tennessee River, so we have to mitigate stormwater runoff before it gets to the river,” Dan Smith, P.E., project manager at UT told the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute. To accomplish this, the university and project team installed permeable pavers manufactured by Belgard.

The project, dubbed the University Center Bridge, features an eco-friendly, durable concrete paver that reduces water runoff. The Bridge connects the campus classrooms on “The Hill” with the library and UT’s Neyland Football Stadium, creating a picturesque scene.

University of Tennessee

Naturally, the new Student Union complex is a high-traffic area when class is in session and on game days, while also acting as a special events space for gatherings, including live broadcasts. The University Center Bridge creates a strong visual connection between the east and west sides of the campus, using a basket-weave paver pattern that blends design, craftmanship and functionality. In fact, the permeable surface of the new installation enabled the university’s compliance with local stormwater regulations.

University of Tennessee

Completed in 2017, McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects & BarberMcMurry Architects teamed up on the design of the project. Rentenbach Constructors, Inc. was the general contractor, and Belgard Master Craftsman, Hickory Hardscapes completed the installation.

University of Tennessee

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2020 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Phoenix High School Completes First Phase of Campus Renovations

    Metro Tech High School, part of the Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) in Phoenix, Ariz., recently announced the completion of the first stage of a campus renovation project, according to a news release. The school reopened a series of public-facing business operations spaces including credit union, daycare, floral, cosmetology, and culinary services. It also includes new CTE learning spaces for the school’s nursing assistant, pharmacy, and sports medicine programs.

  • Missouri K–12 District Cuts Ribbons on Two New Middle Schools

    Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, Mo., recently celebrated the completion of two new middle school facilities with ribbon-cutting ceremonies, according to a district news release. The district officially opened the new Pipkin Middle School and Reed Academy on Sept. 3, both of which were funded through the $220-million Proposition S bond program approved by voters in 2023.

  • University of Pennsylvania Releases Design of Future Physical Sciences Building

    The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia, Penn., recently released renderings of an upcoming 350,000-square-foot Physical Sciences Building, according to news release. The facility was designed by CO Architects and will unite the university’s departments of Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics, and Earth and Environmental Science.

  • Photo courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

    Concordia College Completes Memorial Auditorium Renovations

    Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., recently completed a $2.5-million renovation project to Memorial Auditorium, a news release reports. The college partnered with Kraus-Anderson for the project’s construction and ICON Architectural Group for its design.