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

  • Rethinking K-12 Schools as a Continuous Learning Experience

    Most students move through three or more separate facilities during their K-12 journey, yet the built environments they encounter at each stage have traditionally been designed in isolation, with little continuity in spatial language, learning philosophy, or physical resources. Each new school is a reset with different layouts, learning models, expectations, and ways of moving through a building. The next generation of school design is making the case that the first day of kindergarten and the last day of high school can and should feel connected through common support systems and infrastructure in the physical environment.

  • St. John Fisher University

    Classroom Revitalization – Basil Hall Room 216

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. St. John Fisher University's Basil Hall Room 216 Classroom Revitalization has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of Spaces.

  • St. Lucie County, Fla., Breaks Ground on New K–8 School

    St. Lucie Public Schools in St. Lucie County, Fla., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new K–8 school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., for the design of the upcoming Ft. Pierce K–8 School, which comprises six buildings covering 215,000 square feet.

  • Cleveland High School Breaks Ground on Modernization

    Portland Public Schools in Portland, Ore., recently announced that construction has begun on a modernization project for Cleveland High School, according to a news release. The existing building will be replaced with a new, 300,000-square-foot facility at the same site.